Roar Guru
An injury to fullback Jarryd Hayne has added to Parramatta’s woes as they slumped to a disappointing 14-4 loss to a determined Cronulla outfit on Saturday night.
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Final score
Parramatta Eels 4
Cronulla Sharks 14
Will the Parramatta Eels bounce back after last week’s 54-0 drubbing? Or will the Cronulla Sharks claim their first win of the year? Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 7:30pm AEDT.
A quick response will be needed from Brad Arthur’s men this week as they attempt to use last week’s humiliating defeat as motivation on Saturday night.
Coach Arthur accused his players of not having a go against Manly and the 61 per cent completion rate and 50 missed tackles against the club’s name suggests that he may be right.
Two competition points are not the only thing on the line at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. Rather, the men in the Blue and Gold will be looking to regain their pride after last week’s loss saw them slip to 16th place on the ladder.
Former Titan Jarryd Hayne was heavily criticised during the week for his individual performance against the Sea Eagles and Parramatta fans will be hoping his move to fullback will allow him to rediscover the form of his glory days in 2009.
Co-captain Beau Scott returns on Saturday night via the bench.
Unfortunately for the Eels, they come up against a Cronulla outfit who will be desperate for victory after suffering two disappointing losses to start the season.
The defeat to the Dragons last week was perhaps the most frustrating of the two given that Shane Flanagan’s men gained a 14-0 lead after thirty minutes before collapsing 20-16.
Handling errors cruelled Cronulla’s chances last Thursday night, with the men from the Shire only completing 43 per cent of their sets in the second half in comparison to a high 91 per cent in the first forty minutes.
Prediction
While I am wary of a Parramatta outfit with a point to prove, the Sharks are typically most effective in winning the grind.
Sharks by 6.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 7:30pm AEDT.