The most intriguing Round 2 NRL clash sees the Bulldogs host the Eels on Sunday afternoon.
Meetings between the two sides meant little in 2018, as Canterbury slumped to seven losses from their first nine matches before snaring a 20-12 victory over Parramatta in the corresponding fixture.
The two famous clubs also met late in the season with the blue and gold hosting at ANZ stadium – this week’s venue – and claiming a hard-fought, 14-8 victory.
Sadly for Parramatta it was not enough to avoid their 14th wooden spoon.
Canterbury did manage to show signs of life with four wins from their final six matches, however, aside from the fans of these clubs, not many paid much attention to the plight of either in 2018.
Still, Sunday afternoon is set up superbly.
Brad Arthur has a June deadline to convince his employer that he is indeed the man to lead the club into the future. It has been no secret that Arthur would be under the pump from day one, yet the Eels could not have started the season in better fashion.
Their gutsy 20-12 win over the Panthers showed purpose in attack and an intensity in the forwards rarely seen last season. The youthful and widely lauded Panthers stood stunned in the headlights as the Eels kept them teetering throughout, never allowing them to settle. If not for the sin-binning of Michael Jennings, the Panthers may not have had any impact on the scoreboard.
Isaah Yeo tackled by Michael Jennings. (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Meanwhile, on Saturday afternoon in Auckland, the Bulldogs met the Warriors with hopes to parlay the solid finish of 2018 into an opening-week victory.
Such a win would have caused an enormous rethink for the many who have the blue and whites as strong favourites to steal away Parramatta’s spoon.
Unfortunately for Dean Pay’s men, those prone to a little investment may well have doubled down on their bets after a putrid display. Stephen Kearney’s men dissected the Bulldogs through the centre of the park with power running and dangerous offloads. The Canterbury forwards were Lilliputians as the Gulliver-sized Warriors swatted them away like flies.
The seven tries to one, 40-6 victory was as emotionally humbling as the numbers suggest.
So the fallout from this weekend’s match could be significant, with both coaches on notice.
Pay has more time to prove himself considering many of the decisions made by his club’s new administration. However, after taking numerous forward steps in 2018, his team’s Round 1 effort was akin to a drag race in reverse.
As for Arthur, in his sixth year at the helm, there has been no pattern of consistent performance. Another polished performance and Parramatta fans will see change afoot. Alternatively, a loss to the spoon favourites after teasing the blue and gold army for all of seven days might see the knives back on the wet stone.
If Canterbury prove Round 1 an aberration, the collective sigh of relief emanating from Belmore will blow a gentle breeze across the inner west of Sydney. The fans have been rabid and, frankly, nasty this week on social media.
Dean Pay coach of the Bulldogs (AAP Image/Michael Chambers)
Sunday may well prove whether they are undermanned and hopeless or were just a team caught under-prepared and on the hop.
Marcelo Montoya and Kerrod Holland have another chance to prove they are defensively capable, after Pay named the same squad that took the field in New Zealand.
Additionally, the forwards are afforded an opportunity to redeem themselves and physically match a Parramatta pack that out-muscled Penrith’s big men.
Daniel Alvaro, Tepai Moeroa, Shaun Lane and Marata Niukore were monstrous and if their effort is a pre-cursor to the season, Parramatta fans should strap in for an exciting ride.
Young five-eighth Dylan Brown and hooker Reed Mahoney looked like world beaters. Supporters will be hoping for a confirmation of the discovery of two new superstars and not a deflating crash back to terra firma.
Come the final whistle, one set of fans may be hunting for a Cumberland Oval-type structure on which to vent, the other will feel a whole lot better.
These neighbouring clubs will no doubt bring both hammer and tongs, yet with relocation and mergers back on the agenda, perhaps they are missing an opportunity.
The Canterbury Eels or Parramatta Bulldogs both have something of a ring to them, don’t they?
Hepcat
Roar Rookie
The idea was first mooted I believe in 1984 I think.
Hepcat
Roar Rookie
Yes Sydney fans need to think about the health of the game and it would look great with 4-5 Sydney teams and even Shute Shield Rugby Union could carry the Sydney tribal attitude on for fans of local teams.
Wayne Turner
Guest
I'm sick of this merger and/or re-location talk. It caused rugby league to lose plenty of fans,and caused damage to the game for many years.It's a terrible idea,especially when you add the bad publicity of off field drama's connected to the sport.Bring in two new teams if you like,but don't force any to move and/or merge.Would like to see the Central Coast Bears,not sure about the other new team. On top of that,just because a team is going poorly on the field is no reason for them to merge or re-locate. In this case; Both Bulldogs and Eels have plenty of supporters,and going ok money wise. Back to this clash: I'm currently 3 from 3 in the tipping comp I'm in for this round,including getting the exact margin right for the Storm vs Raiders game.However I tipped the Bulldogs for this clash,for a bounce back factor,with no confidence with this pick.We will see...
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
I wouldnt be against manly moving to central coast and playing a handful of games from brookvale. But relocating to another state is ridiculous
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Why dont we set up a team in Mongolia. Thats great for expansion. Except nobody follows it. Just like Adelaide.
greg mckenzie
Guest
parramatta panthers.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
I Would actually put most the blame in n the two media companies. The ARL did want to cull Sydney teams, some of the teams (not just Sydney based, didn’t like the proposals). A rival media company wanting to cover games knew of disgruntled teams and approached with loads of cash and agreements to not the things the teams were upset with. It was A yuck thing (no swearing permitted) for the code. But all parties were looking out for themselves, not wanting to lose control, and doing underhanded (business) stuff and enormous ego’s. As I have said in other posts, the size of the comp, the team distribution of what super wanted was actually what the Aurthson ARL were planning to do, it was just a rich company got interested, could not get an agreement with channel nine, so looked at weaknesses for a way in. If the ARL had got what they planned (again, same as what SL wanted), we wouldn’t have our current comp, ie all the same Sydney teams. Basically, this idea has been in the background since the late 80’s.
Mark
Guest
If this guy is fishing he has hooked a few. The only merger that would if any be Northern Eagles or beagles again relocated to the central coast. Manly hasn't got much to offer the Nrl for the money thrown there way. Most Manly fans this side of the bridge wont cross the bridge and add to gate taking anywhere else. Manly home ground is crap and in Brookvale not Manly. Maybe up the central coast they could call emselves the Northern Silvertails. My 10c worth only.
Randym
Guest
I think it's pretty obvious Manly and Cronulla are the ones on the chopping block... The Eels would be the last team the NRL mess with, new stadium and in my opinion they have the largest dormant fanbase in Sydney. Bulldogs another big club and by all reports financially stable (greenberg's club too). I actually don't see the Tigers going anywhere because they represent a fast growing Macarthur region which is very much League demographic. They still got quite a lot of fans in the inner west too. The NRL might just make them play most games in Campbelltown but they can also use the new Western Sydney stadium. Apparently the new A League team is going to build a stadium out that way too.... Dragons cover a lot of regions, another popular club. Panthers have the biggest junior nursery and very stable financially. Rabbitohs and Roosters are too powerful and i don't think the NRL would take them on.. Leaves poor Manly and Cronulla.... But maybe the NRL will just expand to 18 teams and leave it all to natural attrition for Sydney
The Barry
Roar Guru
So you agree SL buggered everything up…but now you want to do exactly what they wanted to do…? Strange…it’s almost like you haven’t given this any thought at all
Glen
Guest
We stuffed up the mergers when we had a chance to do them properly. Dragons/Sharks Sharks/Steelers Dragons/Bulldogs Panthers/Eels Panthers/Magpies Magpies/Bulldogs Eels/Tigers Eels/Bulldogs Eels/Panthers Tigers/Bulldogs Tigers/Roosters Roosters/Rabbitohs Rabbitohs/Dragons Any one of these would have worked out better than the stupid mergers we got. Norths/Manly was the only sensible one geographically but it was beset by hatred.
Rick James
Roar Rookie
Yeah sorry 20 teams in 95-96 before Super league came and buggered everything up
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Rick James. ‘It’s time to leave The its all about Sydney...’. Yes the ARL did have those teams before ‘the war’ and a few new teams. But The ARL’s ( Arthurson and Quale’s Own)goal was to cut back from the big number of teams. I dont know the exact or best wording, but they invented to put forward to the nsw teams a criteria (I can’t recall the exact ones) but along lines as financial, fans numbers, possible future growth, etc. the teams that didn’t meet this would eventually not be in the ‘national’ league. They saw the comp needed to go down this way to compete with the AFL. The 22 teams was actually during the super league war. Ten teams from SL, ARL the other half.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It’s not Sydney single mindedness at all. Because very few people in Adelaide follow league. Channel 9 don’t even bother showing delayed telecasts there any more because there is so little interest. I would agree the NRL should have a strategy to increase the game’s profile and participation in non traditional places like Adelaide but just dumping a high cost, low return NRL team there is madness. You can’t just come up with any daft old idea and when people object say “Sydney single mindedness” Why not put a team in Bermagui or Fraser Island...? No? Sydney single mindedness...
The Barry
Roar Guru
After the way they played together last year, really surprised Pay has split Holland and Smith.
Rick James
Roar Rookie
Once again, Sydney single mindedness, how could a team in Adeilade not work??? No one thought the Storm would work and they are only second to the Broncos for success in expansion clubs. The Western Reds were up 3million when they were kicked out, the Adeilade Rams were another story but why not? Why keepo flogging the dead horse of Sydney clubs that are hanging on by a thread??
The Barry
Roar Guru
I’d agree with that. As long as a process was put in place (apparently you can’t say criteria) I could live with relocation. I’d struggle with a merger but would probably get there eventually. If the Dogs were cut from the comp I’d walk away from the NRL in protest and follow them in a local comp.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Lol. If only it was that simple Mr Thomas
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Agreed The Barry. But I also think none of the Sydney teams (myself for the eels) should be above consideration to be fair to clubs and fans.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Lol Mr Thomas. I think current Sydney teams is just one of the options. Not the best or realistic. It would be an uphill battle, more chance of relocation working. Rather having your club disappear then merger is not thought of as realistically by parties or fans, then once it happens, I have no confidence in the parties working together not trying power trips or try to screw the other partner.