Round 22 Wests Tigers v Parramatta Eels

[TITAN PETE]

MONDAY

Wests Tigers v Parramatta Eels at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, 7:00pm (local). #NRLWSTPAR

TIGERS: Tim Moltzen, Matt Utai, Blake Ayshford, Beau Ryan, Marika Koroibete, Liam Fulton, Benji Marshall, Aaron Woods, Robbie Farah, Keith Galloway, Adam Blair, Gareth Ellis, Chris Heighington. Interchange: Junior Moors, Ray Cashmere, Matt Bell, Tim Simona

EELS: Jake Mullaney, Luke Burt, Ryan Morgan, Cheyse Blair, Ken Sio, Ben Roberts, Chris Sandow, Tim Mannah, Nathan Smith, Fuifui Moimoi, Nathan Hindmarsh, Ben Smith, Reni Maitua. Interchange (from): Joseph Paulo, Taulima Tautai, Justin Poore, Matthew Ryan, Justin Horo

[TITAN PETE]

Tigers v Eels preview

Nigel Wall NRL.com Thu, Aug 02, 2012 - 1:13 PM


Wests Tigers v Parramatta Eels
Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Monday 7pm

A month ago Tigers fans would have eyed this match-up as an easy kill in the run to the finals but injuries and continued lacklustre form, plus the caffeine-hit transformation of cellar-dwellers Parramatta have the gold-and-black army more hopeful than confident.

The Tigers? worrying downward spiral continued when they were savaged 32-6 by the Rabbitohs last week, racking up their fifth loss from their past six games. In that time they?ve accrued a -75 points differential, leaving them in 10th position on the ladder and the third-ranked of four sides battling it out for what appears to be the final spot in this year?s playoffs.

Meanwhile the Eels stunned the NRL when taking down competition heavyweights Brisbane in emphatic fashion last Monday night, the 42-22 win a complete turnaround from their insipid previous efforts. What was even more surprising was they were dominant despite missing linchpin star Jarryd Hayne ? but that just goes to confirm the kooky nature of this year?s premiership race.

Speaking of kooky, this Close The Gap Round match-up relives the Round 8 clash between the sides that saw the Wests Tigers lead 31-nil before scraping home 31-30 (see below).

There?s some relief on the player front for the Tigers this week, with Tim Moltzen and Keith Galloway returning from injuries. Moltzen slots in at fullback, pushing Beau Ryan back to the centres and Tim Simona to the interchange bench (with Tom Humble jettisoned).

Elsewhere, in a somewhat quirky reshuffle, Liam Fulton will wear the No.6 jersey with Benji Marshall pushing in to halfback and Robbie Farah moving back to hooker. Fulton?s shift and Galloway?s availability sees Adam Blair revert to the second row.

Meanwhile Eels caretaker coach Brad Arthur has named an unchanged line-up, adding Justin Horo to form a five-man interchange at this stage.

It?s a milestone week for Tiger Beau Ryan who plays his 100th NRL game, while Parramatta winger Luke Burt will overtake Ray Price and Nathan Cayless to become the third-most-capped Eels player (260 games).

Although these sides have never met in Campbelltown, Wests Tigers fans with long memories will recall the dark day back in July 1999 when the Eels smashed the Western Suburbs Magpies 68-10, inflicting the most points scored against the foundation club. Nathan Hindmarsh and Luke Burt were try-scorers that day ? could history repeat just a month out from their retirements?

Watch Out Wests Tigers: Parramatta will shift the ball wide to the right at every opportunity given they scored four tries against the Tigers the last time they met.

The Tigers need to make a statement with their defence from the outset or else Parramatta will grow in confidence. Against the Broncos last week the blue and golds carved out a staggering 1623 metres, including almost 900 in the opening 40 minutes. That?s a worry for the Tigers who concede the fourth-most metres every week.

Danger Sign: If the Eels forwards get on a roll and Chris Sandow puffs out his chest. Sandow starred when playing behind a dominant pack last week, scoring two tries and directing play with energy. Halting the forwards at the advantage line will keep Sandow quiet.

Watch Out Eels: Attacking kicks from Robbie Farah, Benji Marshall and even Beau Ryan out wide will be tough to defuse. The Tigers scored three of their 19 tries from kicks in 2012 against the Eels in Round 8 ? and Parramatta haven?t the best track record under high balls and getting to grubbers, leaking 21 tries so far (second most).

Benji Marshall says he?s been trying too hard to win games for his side ? well someone?s got to and Benji is certainly their go-to man. He has been the benchmark schemer in the NRL in 2012, leading all players for try assists with 26. We have no doubt he?ll add to that tally here, or else cross himself.

Danger Sign: Any time the Tigers head left. The Eels have conceded a whopping 43 tries on the left side of the field, by far the most by any team. Expect Farah and Marshall to drift across the park when they get in close range and either pick up an inside runner or shift it wide. Targeting Cheyse Blair could prove fruitful; he?s missing more tackles than any centre (4.5 per game).

Aaron Woods v Tim Mannah: One of the highlights of their last meeting was the no-holds-barred confrontation between these two powerful props. Tigers youngster Woods threw his hat into the ring for State of Origin selection with a barnstorming display up front ? he ran 23 times for 179 metres with 33 tackles in a devastating 59-minute spell. Mannah returned fire with a blistering 48 minutes that included 17 hit-ups, 166 metres and 24 tackles. Woods made 163 metres and 34 tackles in the loss to Souths last week, while Mannah ploughed out 130 metres and 31 tackles in the win over the Broncos. The energy they bring to the centre of the park could be their team?s key motivator.

Where It Will Be Won: Busting loose. This match pits the two least-dominant running units, with the Eels languishing at the bottom of the tackle-breaks category with 27 per game, narrowly ahead of the Tigers who average 28. However Parramatta fans can draw comfort from their riotous performance last Monday night when they racked up 64 tackle-breaks and 13 line-breaks when taking down the Broncos. That?s not great news for Tigers fans, given their boys leak the most line-breaks every week (5.9). If they can?t force their way through the Eels the Tigers may resort to some razzle-dazzle second-phase ? Parramatta concede the third-most offloads, plus they have yielded the most territory to oppositions every week.

The History: Played 25; Eels 15, Wests Tigers 9, drawn 1. The Wests Tigers hold a slight advantage in recent history, winning five of the past eight clashes between the sides. This is the first time the teams have met in Campbelltown.

The Last Time They Met: Fans of both clubs rode a rollercoaster of emotions as the Wests Tigers escaped with a dramatic 31-30 victory over the Eels at Parramatta Stadium in Round 8.

In one of the craziest games of rugby league in recent memory the visitors seemed in control when they led 19-nil at halftime and they had many Parramatta supporters heading for the turnstiles when vaulting to a 31-nil advantage with just 18 minutes remaining.

But incredibly the Wests Tigers put their cues in the rack and allowed the Jarryd Hayne-inspired Eels to cross for five unanswered tries from the 67-minute mark ? including three in the final three minutes ? to fall short of a stunning comeback win by the narrowest of margins.

Chris Lawrence opened the afternoon?s scoring in the 11th minute after receiving an inside ball from skipper Robbie Farah 10 metres from the try-line; Farah had mesmerised the Eels? defence when drifting to the left out of dummy-half.

Beau Ryan scored an inventive try in the 20th minute, grubber-kicking into the in-goal from five metres out then regathering for a 10-nil scoreline. Five minutes later Liam Fulton got in on the act, brushing aside Eels five-eighth Ben Roberts like he was a department store mannequin for a 16-nil lead that became 19-nil through a Tim Moltzen penalty goal (31st minute) and Benji Marshall field goal on the stroke of halftime (which would prove the difference on the afternoon).

Two tries to Ben Murdoch-Masila off Benji Marshall kicks in the 57th and 62nd minutes looked to bury the Eels before Matt Ryan opened their account in the 67th minute, spinning over from close range. Thereafter in rapid succession tries were posted by Willie Tonga (off a Hayne assist in the 71st minute), Ken Sio (off a Casey McGuire assist in the 72nd minute), Hayne (from a solo burst in the 78th minute) and finally Cheyse Blair (from long range in the dying seconds).

Offloads were pivotal to the Tigers? win ? they managed 17 throughout the afternoon. However, the Eels won bragging rights with their attack, which broke open the Tigers? defence on nine occasions.

Hayne was dynamite in a beaten side, scoring a try, running 152 metres and breaking 13 tackles.

Match Officials: Referees ? Jared Maxwell & Tony De Las Heras; Sideline Officials ? Nick Beashel & Dave Munro; Video Referee ? Russell Smith.

The Way We See It: It?s difficult to know which way to jump here. The Eels are playing a dashing brand of football but the Tigers will surely refocus with a finals berth essentially on the line. Providing Tim Moltzen and Keith Galloway have retained some fitness their additions will likely prove decisive. We?re tipping the Tigers to warm the hearts of their fans on a cold, cold night in Campbelltown. Tigers by eight points.

Televised: Fox Sports 2 ? Live 7pm.

[Rage]

Ed Jackson AAP Fri, Aug 03, 2012 - 4:43 PM

For most associated with Parramatta's disastrous NRL campaign, 2012 has been a year to forget.

Not so for several just relishing the opportunity to call themselves first-grade footballers.

Discards Nathan Smith and Jake Mullaney, youngster Ken Sio and former Test player Reni Maitua are among those finding a home at Parramatta Stadium.

On the verge of being shown the door at the start of the season, young winger Sio is the proud owner of a new two-year deal.

Smith and Mullaney, deemed surplus to requirements at Canterbury and Wests Tigers respectively, have both used a fresh start at the Eels to make their NRL debuts.

Even an experienced recruit such as Maitua is starting to shine after taking a while to find his feet following last year's return from a two-year drugs ban.

Hooker Smith, 24, said the band of players who had all faced NRL career oblivion had used their experiences to help each other.

"We've waited a long time to get the opportunities so we've taken the bull by the horns and given it absolutely everything we've got," Smith told AAP.

"We talk about it quite a bit. We've all had different journeys and we all have a bit of a chat about them."

Those individual stories might be uplifting but the team's displays haven't been - the Eels still sitting last on the ladder despite back-to-back wins over Melbourne and Brisbane.

But Smith believes a more-settled playing group will be better come next season under the new leadership of Ricky Stuart.

"A few of us guys that have just started to come in have brought even the older blokes together because we like to do things as a group and as mates," he said.

"We've brought everyone on board and it'll show next year, I'm sure of it."

There's still plenty to prove before Stuart takes over as coach in November.

And the NSW State of Origin mentor's reputation as a hard taskmaster is already making waves.

"I'm excited but also nervous," Sio told AAP.

"The boys talk about him heaps. He's strict and all that but he's also one of the best coaches out there and we've got to learn from him."

[Rage]

Russell Jackson AAP Fri, Aug 03, 2012 - 4:23 PM

Wests Tigers centre three-quarter Beau Ryan will celebrate becoming a fully-fledged rugby league player on Monday night.

Ryan plays his 100th NRL game when the Tigers take on Parramatta at Campbelltown and the occasion will be a most satisfying one for the 27-year-old.

"I'm very proud of the achievement. The coach (Tim Sheens) says you're not a first grader until you've played 100 games and I've always been thinking about that in the back of my mind getting up in the high 90s," he said.

The milestone is even more satisfying for Ryan given he was told by several critics he would never make it at the top level of the game.

Known for being one of rugby league's jokers from his role on The Footy Show, Ryan was deadly serious and quite emotional when talking about his journey to the top of the game.

"I got told when I was younger that I'd never play first grade by a lot of people," he said.

"My family and a lot of people close to me have supported me and it just makes it that little bit more sweet.

"It just shows that hard work and dedication pays off and I'm very proud to play 100 games at the one club.

"To be out there and playing 100 games with my best mates is something I'm really looking forward to on Monday night.

"Hopefully we can win in front of a big crowd at Campelltown because I'm sure Parramatta won't like playing there."

Ryan has done an outstanding job for Sheens this year, playing fullback, wing and centre during a tough season for the Tigers, who have been hit hard by injuries.

But Ryan offered no excuses for the Tigers' losing their past two games and said his side knew what to do against the Eels.

"We've got to do a few things. Obviously we've got to work for each other and defence is a big issue for us," he said.

"Now it's time for us to go out and walk the walk. It's a very important game for our club.

"We are a proud club and we've got a lot of proud fans who are at every game and the least we can do is have a win on Monday night for them."

[shamus]

A Milestone..............I hope it goes the same way Titans milestones go..:p

[TITAN PETE]

Last Time Played: Wests Tigers v Eels

NRL.com Mon, Aug 06, 2012 - 12:00 PM


Fans of both clubs rode a rollercoaster of emotions as the Wests Tigers escaped with a dramatic 31-30 victory over the Eels at Parramatta Stadium in Round 8.

In one of the craziest games of rugby league in recent memory the visitors seemed in control when they led 19-nil at halftime and they had many Parramatta supporters heading for the turnstiles when vaulting to a 31-nil advantage with just 18 minutes remaining.

But incredibly the Wests Tigers put their cues in the rack and allowed the Jarryd Hayne-inspired Eels to cross for five unanswered tries from the 67-minute mark ? including three in the final three minutes ? to fall short of a stunning comeback win by the narrowest of margins.

Chris Lawrence opened the afternoon?s scoring in the 11th minute after receiving an inside ball from skipper Robbie Farah 10 metres from the try-line; Farah had mesmerised the Eels? defence when drifting to the left out of dummy-half.

Beau Ryan scored an inventive try in the 20th minute, grubber-kicking into the in-goal from five metres out then regathering for a 10-nil scoreline. Five minutes later Liam Fulton got in on the act, brushing aside Eels five-eighth Ben Roberts like he was a department store mannequin for a 16-nil lead that became 19-nil through a Tim Moltzen penalty goal (31st minute) and Benji Marshall field goal on the stroke of halftime (which would prove the difference on the afternoon).

Two tries to Ben Murdoch-Masila off Benji Marshall kicks in the 57th and 62nd minutes looked to bury the Eels before Matt Ryan opened their account in the 67th minute, spinning over from close range. Thereafter in rapid succession tries were posted by Willie Tonga (off a Hayne assist in the 71st minute), Ken Sio (off a Casey McGuire assist in the 72nd minute), Hayne (from a solo burst in the 78th minute) and finally Cheyse Blair (from long range in the dying seconds).

Offloads were pivotal to the Tigers? win ? they managed 17 throughout the afternoon. However, the Eels won bragging rights with their attack, which broke open the Tigers? defence on nine occasions.

Hayne was dynamite in a beaten side, scoring a try, running 152 metres and breaking 13 tackles.

[Chaos]

Now that,
Titans, Dragons and Warriors blew their chance for a top 8 spot.
and Knights have no chance with their hard run home.

Tigers can turn their whole season around with a convincing win tonight...if they lose they join the other sides above.

Canberra have a good chance of making the top 8 if the Tigers can't pick themselves up...their run home is probably the easiest.

[Rage]

Gonna be cheering for the Eels tonight so we're still in the hunt for that 8th position!

[Rage]

Glenn Jackson
Rugby League Writer

IF A call to arms is what Wests Tigers need, a call to arms is what they will get. Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens yesterday declared his team would not deserve to make the finals should they succumb tonight.

The fact that the Tigers could climb into eighth position, should they defeat Parramatta at Campbelltown Stadium, emphasises how quickly fortunes can change.

The Tigers have lost five of their last six matches, but after Gold Coast, Newcastle and St George Illawarra were defeated at the weekend, they could scramble into eighth by the end of the round.

So a competition which appeared rather predictable a few weeks ago continues to be altered not only by the round, but also by the game. Cronulla's 45-4 win over the Warriors has now put some breathing space between them and the chasing pack. Realistically, five clubs - Canberra (whose upset win over Brisbane thrust themselves back into contention), the Tigers, the Titans, the Knights and the Dragons - are likely to be chasing one spot, although the Broncos and North Queensland are still susceptible after each dropping matches they were expected to win.

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Should the Tigers win tonight, they will give themselves a significant advantage over the other four teams. But having been so poor over the past two months, Sheens has called on his players to show the desperation which has been missing in that period.

Asked if he felt the Tigers would not deserve to make the play-offs should they miss their chance tonight, he said: ''There's no doubt. When you get to a point where you've got to [win], if that doesn't bring the energy out of a football team ? the thing you've got to watch, though, is that it doesn't hinder you.

''[But] we should have a good reason to win the game, and if at the 60th minute, we're in the game and we haven't got a reason to come home strong over the last 20, we probably don't deserve to be there.''

What Sheens will know is that it does not take much for fortunes to turn, either way. While the top seven teams are expected to be fighting for the top seven places, eighth place has been almost a lottery in recent weeks. The Warriors, the Tigers and the Titans have each held the position in recent weeks.

Whether the Titans drop out of the position depends on tonight's result.

'You've got 10 points on offer from five games,'' Sheens said. ''It'd be nice to win all five, but at the moment, we just want to win this one, and go from there, to stop the slide.''

South Sydney and the Bulldogs have had no such issues.

Both continued winning streaks at the weekend - the Bulldogs (10 straight) against Newcastle on Saturday, and the Rabbitohs (six straight) against the Titans yesterday.

Melbourne, though, are still pressuring them. Their 46-6 win over Penrith was notable for the form of the key players - halfback Cooper Cronk, fullback Billy Slater and hooker and captain Cameron Smith.

The Sharks also put a stop to their slide, having been bolstered by the returns of lock Paul Gallen and five-eighth Todd Carney.

''Every team hits a flat spot and we happened to get four or five injuries when we did hit it,'' Gallen said after the victory over the Warriors.

''We're getting some troops back now and it's good to get back on the winners' list. It gives the team and the club some confidence.''

The Warriors, last year's beaten grand finalists, appear to be out of contention. ''This would be our darkest day this year,'' coach Brian McClennan said.

[Hail Sezer]

I like that tigers winger. I'm not even going to attempt to spell his name though.

[TITAN PETE]

What a Flogging 51-26 to the Tigers & they unearth another Fijian Superstar Winger

[Hail Sezer]

Exciting game but yeah Eels had no show in the second 40.

[Rage]

Damn...And we're out of the 8 with that result.

[Rage]

Ian McCullough AAP Mon, Aug 06, 2012 - 10:01 PM

From a tiny village in Fiji to scoring four tries for Wests Tigers in his second game, Marika Koroibete is enjoying a dream start to his NRL career.

Hailing from Navaiyawa on Fiji's largest island Viti Levu, the 20-year-old produced one the hits of the season on Parramatta's Chris Sandow before running home four tries in the last half hour to seal a 51-26 win for the Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium.

"It was a fantastic experience. I scored four tries. I couldn't dream of it happening in my second game. I just have fun playing," said the painfully shy Koroibete, via a Tigers official after the game.

Coach Tim Sheens said he was delighted with his performance, but said the young flyer had a great deal to learn.

"He's got a lot of speed and a lot of ability, but he's a long way from being a first-grade winger just yet," Sheens said.

"He's got lots of issues still but he's got raw pace and ability.

"I think if Lote Tuqiri was available, he might still be playing 20s.

"There's a whole heap of guys that will say they started their first grade careers because of an injury to someone else. Now that he's in, he's going to be hard to put out."

Recruitment manager Warren McDonnell said Koroibete's talent was instantly recognisable and he had clocked 10.9secs running the 100 metres in his homeland.

"He's got pace but he is raw as raw. You can't get to his village by car, he's from up in the hills in Fiji," McDonnell said.

"He's just a good kid, he has good speed, he has no fear and he is willing to learn.

"Lote Tuqiri was one of the first ones who spoke to him, when he came.

"He's from a village nearby and has been a good mentor for him.

"It was always going to take time and we thought he would play next year."

[Titanic]

The Tigers were always going beat the 2012 wooden-spooners, the fact that they made such a hard job of it is why we shouldn't worry about them, they play Dragons, Bulldogs, Roosters and Storm ... that should 2-2.

[Chaos]

The Tigers were always going beat the 2012 wooden-spooners, the fact that they made such a hard job of it is why we shouldn't worry about them, they play Dragons, Bulldogs, Roosters and Storm ... that should 2-2.

They'll beat dragons and roosters...that will give them enough for eighth spot

[DIEHARD]

I read some young Fijian scored four tries?!? Amazing!

[DIEHARD]

What a Flogging 51-26 to the Tigers & they unearth another Fijian Superstar Winger

I wonder how long till NSW or QLD try to claim him. If we put effort in Fiji would field a strong and impressive team.

[TITAN PETE]

I wonder how long till NSW or QLD try to claim him. If we put effort in Fiji would field a strong and impressive team.

It wouldn't be the 1st time ;)