The Parramatta Eels are looking to shake off a shock loss to the Knights last week and get their finals race back on track when they play host to the Gold Coast Titans. Catch all the action on The Roar from 7:50pm (AEST).
The Eels gave up a six-game winning streak last Friday, going down to a surging Newcastle side that are desperate to avoid a third-straight wooden spoon.
The 19-point loss was a stinging defeat for Parra, who are on the cusp of a rare top-four finish, but more importantly, trying to lock down a finals spot for the first time in eight years.
But with three games remaining, they are still at risk of dropping out of the finals equation, thanks to just two points being the difference between fourth and eighth on the ladder.
Not to mention the ninth-placed Dragons just one game further back.
Parramatta are just one game behind the second-placed Broncos, however that mountain is all but impossible to climb thanks to a negative points difference. It’s another factor counting against their finals hopes – you have to go all the way down to 11th to find another side with a points difference below zero.
Out of all that though, the Eels are one of the form teams of the competition thanks to the aforementioned six-game winning streak, including victories over the top two sides, Brisbane and the Storm, in the past month.
Things aren’t looking so rosy up on the Gold Coast though, on and off the field.
Not only are the Titans well within striking distance of the wooden spoon, they’ve also endured a frantic week in the media, with the board meeting to try and sort out the current debacle involving Jarryd Hayne and coach Neil Henry.
Meanwhile, last week’s heavy loss to the Dragons was their fourth on the trot, leaving them down in 14th and just two games off the bottom of the ladder.
The 26-point defeat followed an absolute hiding from the Broncos the week before, letting in 54 points to zip in an embarrassing outing for the club.
They’ve now conceded 96 points in their last two games, giving them the worst defence in the league, averaging 27 points against per game across their 14-loss season.
The Titans can take their historical advantage leading into the game as something to lean on, having lost just five times to the Eels since their inception to the NRL, winning 11 games of their own.
Team news
After all the week’s Hayne drama, he will once again miss out on playing his former club, since leaving in 2014. In a mirror-image of the Round 3 clash between these two sides, Hayne has been ruled out with an ankle injury.
For the Eels, coach Brad Arthur will welcome back dynamic try-scoring machine Bevan French, after the fullback missed the Knights game with a hamstring injury.
Prediction
The Eels have months of form and a shock loss that will have them fired up, wanting to prove they’re a serious contender.
The Titans are without Hayne, are piled with off-field distractions, and have a poor record on the road this season.
It could get ugly for the Gold Coast tonight.
Eels to win by 30
Big Daddy
Guest
Scott, It is the ambition of every club to get the lowest crowd of the season. I think manly have that honour at the moment. I think it was about 4500 earlier in the season One simple solution - lock the gates and let no one in.
Big Daddy
Guest
Atkins proved last night he is probably worst referee in current list. He absolutely killed game for titans with his poor decisions. Not that they would have won but you expect a better performance than that. On the opposite side of the coin grant badger is a breath of fresh air. Has respect from players and understands game. Should be grand final ref.
steveng
Roar Rookie
I'm not a fan of either of these teams but, this game was very hard to watch, the refereeing was atrocious and reflects the problems that the NRL have with inconsistent, petty decisions of its refereeing, which make the game of RL a ruined spectacle with allot of problems. Very disappointing and no wonder the crowds of the NRL are diminishing.
RV
Guest
But Taylor and Elgey are supposed to be "the future".
souvalis
Guest
I doubt whether any coach would have got a better performance from that team under Coach Henry tonight considering his cattle...fired up and playing hard the scoreboard flattered Parra who just don't have the required smarts to go beyond Week 1...
Rob
Guest
The Eels were the better side, but Ref Aitken absolutely kills the game for me. Aitken is consistently trying to influence the game with dodgy 50/50 calls. He gives penalties for poor ball security far to often, penalise blokes for holding on after making a good low tackle and turns a blind eye to blatant flops buy defenders to slow the game down? Luke Patten is hopeless. On a positive I thought the girl touch judge did well. Edwards should have gone to the bin for abusing her.
fix the scrums
Guest
A lot less than 6,000 that is. More fibs.
fix the scrums
Guest
looked a lot less.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Only 76k empty seats.
doogs
Guest
I was thinking the same Joe. Fine player but cuts back inside way too much
TigerMike
Guest
What's the penalty count each half count
Connor Bennett
Editor
Connor Bennett
Editor
FULLTIME The Eels have done the job as expected tonight against the Titans but you feel there was a bit missing from Parramatta. They bagged two tries in the opening half but should have had more in an error-filled, penalty-fueled opening 40 of footy from both sides. The second stanza reaped more rewards for the Eels but it was a much tougher half of footy, spending the bulk of the half on their own line, defending nearly 20 sets inside their own 20 in the second half alone. The Titans bagged a pair of four-pointers in the second stanza as they tried to get back into the contest but it was all too little too late, with the Eels running in three of their own after the break. The Eels move up into fourth for the time being, sitting equal with the Roosters and Broncos on 32 points but slip back because of points difference. For the Titans, they are now one step closer to a wooden spoon if the Tigers and Knights can fire away wins. Eels – 30 Titans – 8
Connor Bennett
Editor
80' Moses winds down the clock while setting up for the conversion... and he nails another one from the sideline, making to five from five tonight off the tee as the siren sounds in the background. Eels – 30 Titans – 8
Connor Bennett
Editor
79' TRY EELS!! What a series of events!! The Eels kickoff rolled dead, then the Titans line dropout went out on the full... and just one tackle later, Mitch Moses has thrown one of the greatest inside balls you will ever see, no-look mind you. He finds Will Smith who does very well to muscle his way through three defenders close to the line for his second of the night. Eels – 28 Titans – 8
Connor Bennett
Editor
79' And now the Titans have backed that mess up with a line drop out kick going out on the full!! The Eels have a penalty 10 metres out and right in front. Eels – 24 Titans – 8
M.O.C.
Roar Guru
Lucky they insist on playing in a massive stadium
Connor Bennett
Editor
78' A second missed conversion and the score remains on eight for the Titans. And now Gold Coast have let the ball roll out off the kickoff!! The home crowd loved that. Eels – 24 Titans – 8
Connor Bennett
Editor
77' Gold Coast flying back off the drop out... AND ZILLMAN IS IN!! TRY TITANS!! An entire half of pressure on pressure on pressure pays off for the Titans, albeit far too late for their cause. Zillman the beneficiary of the overlap on the left wing and he plants the pill in the corner with one hand under some defensive pressure, but he never really looked like missing that chance. A very tidy finish. Eels – 24 Titans – 8
Scott Pryde
Expert
Crowd - 6,826. Absolutely atrocious.