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Eels
8
Match Complete
Bulldogs
2
| M. Moses |  | 66 | ||
| R. Mahoney |  | 64 | ||
| M. Moses |  | 34 | ||
| 12 | | B. Wakeham |
| 1 | Tries | 0 | ||
| 1 | Conversions | 0 | ||
| 1 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
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The eyes of the rugby league world will turn to Parramatta on Thursday evening as the 2020 NRL season gets underway, with the Parramatta Eels set to face the Canterbury Bulldogs. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 8:05pm (AEDT).
The Eels, after a heartbreaking semi-final loss to the Storm last year, come into the new season as one of the favourites for the crown, and they will be looking to make a statement in the opening game.
Parramatta were startlingly good at their home stadium once it opened on Easter Monday last year though, and will be looking to carry that advantage over, having won nine of 11 matches there.
It’s one they won’t be able to use all that much early on though, playing only three of their first ten at their spiritual home, meaning they will need to make the most of those matches to stay in contention, unless they can learn to play on the road.
For the Eels though, it’s a case of being favourites by the length of the straight coming into this game against a Bulldogs side who, while having a strong defence, have little else to go on and will now also play understrength.
Things were shaping up nicely for Dean Pay’s side until last night, however, it all came tumbling down when Jayden Okunbor and Corey Harawira-Naera were stood down for breaching the NRL’s code of conduct on a pre-season trip.
Canterbury are, in all likelihood, in for another tough season, and this opener will be anything but simple. Their biggest issue will be matching Parramatta for points, with the Eels possessing one of the more dangerous attacking rosters in the competition.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, were last place in point-scoring by a distance in 2019, with Lachlan Lewis still needing improvement, a one-dimensional forward pack, and very little in the way of creativity in other key positions.
There is some hope that Brandon Wakeham may be able to turn that around as he starts in the halves, however, it’ll take a mighty effort, on top of the same level of defence that was on show in games against the Roosters and Panthers at the back-end of last year.
Even then, Mitchell Moses was one of the most in-form halves at the end of last year, and playing on the back of a strong forward pack, to go with a back three among the best in the competition, particularly when it comes to getting sets away to a good start, it’s hard to see the blue and gold not getting a strong start to their season.
Prediction
The Eels should dominate this contest from whistle to siren. The Bulldogs defence will keep them competitive for a little while, but it’ll be a blowout by the time it’s all said and done.
Eels by 22.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this match from 8:05pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Parramatta Eels
1. Clint Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Michael Jennings 4. Waqa Blake 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Ryan Matterson 13. Nathan Brown
Interchange: 14. Brad Takairangi 15. Marata Niukore 16. Kane Evans 17. Peni Terepo 18. Will Smith 19. Ray Stone 20. Oregon Kaufusi 21. George Jennings
Canterbury Bulldogs
1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2. Nick Meaney 3. Reimis Smith 4. Will Hopoate 5. Christian Crichton 6. Brandon Wakeham 7. Lachlan Lewis 8. Aiden Tolman 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Dylan Napa 11. Josh Jackson 12. Joe Stimson 13. Adam Elliott
Interchange: 14. Dean Britt 15. Renouf To’omaga 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 17. Kerrod Holland 19. Ofahiki Ogden 20. Jake Averillo 21. Sione Katoa 22. Jack Cogger
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