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NRL Round 5 preview: Parramatta Eels v Penrith Panthers

Will Moylan make the difference for the Sharks? (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Roar Guru
2nd April, 2016
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Two sides with contrasting fortunes so far in 2016 come together at Pirtek Stadium this Sunday for the 92nd installment of this Western Sydney local derby.

While this is a Western Sydney derby, the Panthers particularly can ill-afford to get caught up in the emotions and instead must show some desperation to build some momentum in 2016.

After a gritty 8-0 victory over the Wests Tigers last week, the Eels return home looking for their fourth successive victory, having already claimed victory over the likes of defending premiers, North Queensland and current ladder-leaders, Canterbury.

Despite the Eels’ well-documented struggles in attack, having scored just 52 points to date in 2016 (14th in the NRL), the wins have been built on a blue and gold defensive wall that has conceded just 39 points, the best in the NRL.

With halves Corey Norman and Kieran Foran steering the likes of Semi Radradra and Michael Jennings in the backs, the Eels attack can’t be too far away from breaking the shackles.

And with Jennings and Michael Gordon playing their former club, they will be especially keen to score against their Western Sydney rivals.

The big challenge for the Eels is whether their forward pack can continue their strong start to the season given Parramatta now has to deal with the absence of inspirational prop Tim Mannah for three weeks through a fractured shoulder blade.

For Penrith, it’s been a different story thus far in 2016.

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The Panthers could easily be 4-0 and leading the competition but instead a lack of composure in attack and their inability to close out games particularly in defence has proved costly as Penrith instead sit in 14th position with a solitary win against the premiership favourites to show for their efforts.

Penrith have led during the second half in every match they’ve played this year including twice inside the last five minutes of matches, despite not having the services of Matt Moylan, Dean Whare and James Segeyaro as their disposal.

But the concern is that with games against an in-form Eels side followed by a visit to the foot of the mountains by premiership favourites, North Queensland, the Panthers season could soon go into free-fall should Penrith have just the one win to their name after Round Six, as their confidence is bound to be severely tested if the wins don’t come more regularly.

One aspect of Penrith’s game that needs urgent fixing is their defence.

Having missed 51 tackles against the Dragons to confirm their status as the least efficient tackling side in the NRL, the Panthers need to muscle up against a side that leads the NRL for tackle-breaks per game and is third in getting away off-loads.

The Panthers also co-lead the NRL in errors and need to complete over 80 per cent of their sets if they are going to trouble the Eels’ blue and gold wall.

The return of Matt Moylan will also boost Penrith’s clunky attack (particularly inside the opposition’s 20) but he won’t single-handedly reduce the errors or missed tackles.

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Moylan’s return will hopefully install confidence in Soward and Wallace to utilise the obvious talents of boom rookie five-eighth Te Maire Martin who went horribly missing last Sunday against the Dragons, having made a stellar NRL debut eight days earlier against the Broncos.

Team news
Eels coach Brad Arthur named an unchanged line-up that has since altered with the news that prop Tim Mannah (shoulder) had been ruled out for up to three weeks, which allows Peni Terepo to come into the 17 with either he or Danny Wicks expected to start.

In good news for Eels fans, second-rower Manu Ma’u successfully defended a dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary and is free to play.

Penrith at long last welcome back Moylan to not only play his first NRL game since his serious ankle injury against the same opposition at Pepper Stadium in Round 12 last year but also make his highly anticipated captaincy debut.

Moylan replaces Will Smith (concussion) while ex-Eel, Jeremy Latimore and Elijah Taylor have been added to a six-man interchange bench as cover for Bryce Cartwright (thumb) and Sam McKendry (knee).

While understandably excited by Moylan’s return to the side, coach Anthony Griffin will be hoping that Josh Mansour’s stellar start to the season continues.

The one-time test winger has racked up over 200 metres in consecutive weeks to easily make the most metres of any winger (748 metres) and whoever makes the greater contribution out of he and fellow left-winger Radradra could well determine the game.

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The key match-ups
Michael Gordon v Matt Moylan
Michael Jennings v Waqa Blake
Junior Paulo v Reagan Campbell-Gillard

Key stats
Overall 91 games have been played between these sides with the Eels winning 55, the Panthers 35 and one game drawn.

While the Eels enjoy an overall record of 13 wins over Penrith in 23 games played to date at Pirtek Stadium, Penrith have won five of the past seven at Pirtek and have won six of the last ten meetings overall.

The Eels have however defeated Penrith twice in 2015 (26-20 at Pepper Stadium) and (10-4 at Darwin’s TIO Stadium) and are gunning for three wins in a row over the Mountain Men and their fourth win in succession overall.

Under this week’s referees, Grant Atkins and Alan Shortall, Penrith have a combined win-loss record of 17 wins and a draw from 25 games officiated by either of the pair, whilst the Eels only have achieved 11 wins from 32 games played.

Eels last three games: 8-0 vs Wests Tigers, 20-6 vs Bulldogs, 20-16 vs Cowboys
Panthers last three games: 12-14 vs Dragons, 23-22 vs Broncos, 16-18 vs Bulldogs

Teams

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Parramatta Eels
1. Michael Gordon 2. Semi Radradra 3. Michael Jennings 4. Brad Takairangi 5. Clinton Gutherson 6. Corey Norman 7. Kieran Foran (c) 8. Junior Paulo 9. Isaac De Gois 10. Tim Mannah 11. Manu Ma’u 12. Beau Scott 13. Tepai Moeroa

Interchange: 14. Kaysa Pritchard 15. Peni Terepo 16. Danny Wicks 17. Kenny Edwards 18. David Gower (one to be omitted)

Penrith Panthers
1. Matt Moylan 2. Josh Mansour 3. Waqa Blake 4. Peta Hiku 5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Jamie Soward 8. Sam McKendry 9. Peter Wallace 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Bryce Cartwright 12. Isaah Yeo 13. Trent Merrin

Interchange: 14. Tyrone Peach 15. Lelani Latu 16. Suaia Matagi 17. James Fisher-Harris 20. Elijah Taylor 21. Jeremy Latimore (two to be omitted)

Match officials
Referee: Grant Atkins. Assistant: Alan Shortall.
Sideline Officials: Jeff Younis and Shane Rehm.
Review Officials: Ben Galea and Jason Robinson.
Senior RO: Bernard Sutton.

Stew’s view
Whilst Moylan will add composure to a clunky looking side in attack, don’t expect the Penrith skipper to be too spectacular in his NRL comeback.

I do expect Bryce Cartwright and Tyrone Peachey, two players who have a record of carving up Parramatta with the decisive running and ability to offload, to step-up in attack.

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But ultimately, it could come down to how Waqa Blake handles Michael Jennings particularly in defence.

Jennings, who enjoys a 4-1 career record over Penrith including three tries, has Radradra on his outside and if Blake doesn’t shut down the former Panther in defence, it could be a long afternoon for Penrith.

Tip: Penrith by 1.

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