Round 3: Wests Tigers vs Parramatta Eels

[DIEHARD]

Wests Tigers vs Parramatta Eels

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

The battle of the west is on its going to be a close game but i recon the parramatta eels will make easy work of the tigers

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Wests Tigers:
1.Mitch Brown
2.Lote Tuqiri
3.Chris Lawrence
4.Blake Ayshford
5.Beau Ryan
6.Benji Marshall
7.Tim Moltzen
8.Bryce Gibbs
9.Robbie Farah?
10.Keith Galloway
11.Todd Payten
12.Gareth Ellis
13.Chris Heighington

Interchange from:
14.Jason Cayless
15.Andrew Fifita
16.Mark Flanagan
17.Daniel Fitzhenry
18.Geoff Daniela
19.Junior Moors

Parramatta Eels:
1, Jarryd Hayne
2, Krisnan Inu
3, Joel Reddy
4, Timana Tahu
5, Eric Grothe
6, Daniel Mortimer
7, Jeff Robson
8, Nathan Cayless (C)
9, Matt Keating
10, Fuifui Moimoi
11, Nathan Hindmarsh
12, Ben Smith
13, Feleti Mateo

Interchange:
14, Kris Keating
15, Tim Mannah
16, Brendan Oake
17, Justin Poore

[DIEHARD]

Should be a cracker of a game. So many Sydney teams seem to be going well or have a bit of hype abpout them, meaning every weekend we get some awesome match ups.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

source nrl.com
Wests Tigers' Lote Tuqiri will remain on the wing for his side's clash with Parramatta on Friday after coach Tim Sheens opted to promote Mitch Brown to fullback with Tim Moltzen moving to halfback.

Sheens was forced into the switch after Robert Lui was ruled out for up to six weeks with an ankle injury, and despite speculation Tuqiri would don the No.1 shirt, 22-year-old Brown has been given the nod.

And with two tries in his opening two games for his new team following his return from rugby union, Tuqiri is happy to remain out wide.

"I'll to play wherever the coach wants me to, but I have been enjoying it on the wing, I came to this team to play in those open spaces so I can't complain, it has gone well so far," said Tuqiri on Tuesday.

Tuqiri will come up against former NSW Waratahs and Wallabies teammate Timana Tahu on Friday and the dual international is looking forward to facing his close friend.

"He has been a great player for over 10 years now, I have spent a lot of time with him in the past, and he looks in great shape and it will be good to see him again," he said.

Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson has rewarded Fuifui Moimoi for his excellent display off the bench against Manly last week, with a starting spot against Wests Tigers on Friday in his 100th NRL game.

Moimoi replaces NSW prop Justin Poore who is dropped to the bench, with Krisnan Inu coming in for the injured Luke Burt, who is sidelined with a knee injury.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Wests Tigers v Eels
SFS
Friday 7.35pm

Last weekend these two teams played in a furnace as warm weather hit Sydney on Sunday – but it’s likely the heat this Friday night will be generated mostly from sizzling attack.

Two out-and-out entertainment machines come together at the SFS, both with a 1-1 record, but Parramatta come in off a win while the Wests Tigers come in off a loss.

Coincidentally, both teams have beaten Manly with impressive late comebacks.

The home-side Tigers started well against the Roosters last week but were then blown off the park. Only some late tries added respectability to the score line of 44-32.

The loss, after an opening round win over Manly, has the joint venture club currently running 11th on the NRL ladder.

They will be without the services of young halfback Robert Lui for a few weeks at least due to injury, which sees Tim Moltzen move from fullback to halfback and Mitch Brown come in as custodian.

Beau Ryan is back from suspension on the wing, pushing Daniel Fitzhenry to the bench, while Bryce Gibbs also returns at prop seeing Junior Moors revert back to the reserves list.

Todd Payten joins the team in the second row, pushing Mark Flanagan out of the starting side and Jason Schirnack out of the squad all together.

Parramatta stormed back from 20-0 against the Sea Eagles last weekend to win 24-20 under controversial circumstances, but the points have been registered and they now sit in ninth on the ladder.

They will be without the services of winger Luke Burt, who injured his knee, with the more than capable Krisnan Inu slotting in as his replacement.

Fuifui Moimoi has been named to start in his 100th game, which sees Justin Poore start from the bench.

Watch out Wests Tigers: Fuifui Moimoi is ready to rip and tear in his centenary match in the NRL – and this spells danger for the Wests Tigers’ defenders.

The burly prop with great explosive pace over short distances has earned himself a starting spot thanks to a mammoth effort against the Sea Eagles. He ran for 139 metres, had five tackle-breaks, a line-break and 13 tackles in 49 minutes of rip-snorting footy.

With talk his family might fly out for the occasion, Moimoi will be a man on a mission come Friday night.

Watch out Eels: If the Parramatta boys are planning complacency around the halves after young Robert Lui was ruled out, they should think again. Tim Moltzen has already proven himself a very capable playmaker and will ensure the Tigers’ attacking machine rolls on.

Moltzen leads the Wests Tigers with three line-breaks and three try assists and he has also notched up a line-break assist from fullback.

This week he gets a chance to be even closer to the action, so the Eels need to be aware of his ability to not just set up others, but to take the defence on in his own right.

Where it will be won: Riding the momentum. At this early stage of the season both the Wests Tigers and the Eels have shown they have some great football in their kitbags but they also have plenty of rust. In their opening two matches they have had patches of brilliance and patches of rubbish – and this is likely to continue in this match, so the trick is to ride the ups and take advantage so the downs can be tolerated.

Players will tell you that momentum shifts can be felt during a match and it’s hard to combat a team on a roll. When your side gets the flow going, you do not want to be the one who lets the opposition off the hook with a poor error.

In this contest, when the momentum heads to one side, the opposition needs to minimise the damage by trying to lift for one big scramble play or one big tackle that forces an error. We have all seen how players rush to the man who makes this type of play – they know how important they are.

Who wants it more? That’s what this game will come down to.

The History: Played 20; Wests Tigers 5, Eels 14, drawn 1. The Eels have it all over the Wests Tigers, winning seven of the past eight matches between the clubs – and they also won the only match at the SFS.

Conclusion: With both teams just as likely to put in a great performance or an average one, at this stage of the year this game becomes a toss-of-the-coin job.

Both teams have match turners, like Jarryd Hayne and Lote Tuqiri, and both teams are proven try scorers.

The Eels do have the momentum from winning last week and their defence is usually a little stronger than the Wests Tigers’. Add to this their impressive record in the head-to-head battle and you can probably lean their way.

Match officials: Referees – Tony Archer & Matt Cecchin; Sideline Officials – Paul Holland & Adam Devcich; Video Ref – Steve Clark.

Televised: Channel Nine – Live 7.30pm (NSW), delayed 9.30 (Qld); Fox Sports – Delayed 11.30pm.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Pirtek Parramatta Eels enforcer Fuifui Moimoi will celebrate his 100th game in the NRL by returning to the starting side in the Eels' Round 3 match against Wests Tigers at Sydney Football Stadium this Friday.

However winger Luke Burt, who celebrated his own milestone last week playing his 200th first grade game, will spend up to three weeks on the sideline with a knee injury.

Krisnan Inu comes onto the wing for Burt, with Moimoi taking the place of Justin Poore in the starting side the only other change.

Burt picked up a knee injury in the Eels' comeback win against Manly and was initially hopeful of playing this weekend but further scans have ruled him out for three matches.

This week the spotlight falls on Moimoi who started his career in 2004 with the Eels, playing four games at an average of 21 minutes per game. Last season Moimoi did not miss a match and was the highest try-scorer out of the NRL's props.

Coach Daniel Anderson has watched Moimoi develop from a park footballer in New Zealand and paid tribute to his forward's achievement.

"It's great to see Fui has achieved this milestone. I've known him since before he made his debut, since he was playing park football in New Zealand," Anderson explained.

"It's a credit to his commitment that he's reached this point in his career and will run out for his 100th match this weekend."

source rleague.com

[DIEHARD]

Parramatta five-eighth ruled out of NRL clash with Wests Tigers with a virus

PARRAMATTA star Daniel Mortimer has been ruled out of tonight’s match-of-the-round against Wests Tigers at the Sydney Football Stadium with a virus.

The Eels five-eighth was spotted at the club’s Parramatta headquarters earlier today and will be replaced in the starting side by interchange utility Kris Keating.

Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson will name another bench replacement one hour before kickoff. Tigers coach Tim Sheens is expected to trim Daniel Fitzhenry and Junior Moors from his six-man interchange bench.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225846077337

[DIEHARD]

Wests Tigers v Eels Preview
SFS - Friday 7.35pm

Last weekend these two teams played in a furnace as warm weather hit Sydney on Sunday ? but it?s likely the heat this Friday night will be generated mostly from sizzling attack.

Two out-and-out entertainment machines come together at the SFS, both with a 1-1 record, but Parramatta come in off a win while the Wests Tigers come in off a loss.

Coincidentally, both teams have beaten Manly with impressive late comebacks.

The home-side Tigers started well against the Roosters last week but were then blown off the park. Only some late tries added respectability to the score line of 44-32.

The loss, after an opening round win over Manly, has the joint venture club currently running 11th on the NRL ladder.

They will be without the services of young halfback Robert Lui for a few weeks at least due to injury, which sees Tim Moltzen move from fullback to halfback and Mitch Brown come in as custodian.

Beau Ryan is back from suspension on the wing, pushing Daniel Fitzhenry to the bench, while Bryce Gibbs also returns at prop seeing Junior Moors revert back to the reserves list.

Todd Payten joins the team in the second row, pushing Mark Flanagan out of the starting side and Jason Schirnack out of the squad all together.

Parramatta stormed back from 20-0 against the Sea Eagles last weekend to win 24-20 under controversial circumstances, but the points have been registered and they now sit in ninth on the ladder.

They will be without the services of winger Luke Burt, who injured his knee, with the more than capable Krisnan Inu slotting in as his replacement.

Fuifui Moimoi has been named to start in his 100th game, which sees Justin Poore start from the bench.

Watch out Wests Tigers: Fuifui Moimoi is ready to rip and tear in his centenary match in the NRL ? and this spells danger for the Wests Tigers? defenders.

The burly prop with great explosive pace over short distances has earned himself a starting spot thanks to a mammoth effort against the Sea Eagles. He ran for 139 metres, had five tackle-breaks, a line-break and 13 tackles in 49 minutes of rip-snorting footy.

With talk his family might fly out for the occasion, Moimoi will be a man on a mission come Friday night.

Watch out Eels: If the Parramatta boys are planning complacency around the halves after young Robert Lui was ruled out, they should think again. Tim Moltzen has already proven himself a very capable playmaker and will ensure the Tigers? attacking machine rolls on.

Moltzen leads the Wests Tigers with three line-breaks and three try assists and he has also notched up a line-break assist from fullback.

This week he gets a chance to be even closer to the action, so the Eels need to be aware of his ability to not just set up others, but to take the defence on in his own right.

Where it will be won: Riding the momentum. At this early stage of the season both the Wests Tigers and the Eels have shown they have some great football in their kitbags but they also have plenty of rust. In their opening two matches they have had patches of brilliance and patches of rubbish ? and this is likely to continue in this match, so the trick is to ride the ups and take advantage so the downs can be tolerated.

Players will tell you that momentum shifts can be felt during a match and it?s hard to combat a team on a roll. When your side gets the flow going, you do not want to be the one who lets the opposition off the hook with a poor error.

In this contest, when the momentum heads to one side, the opposition needs to minimise the damage by trying to lift for one big scramble play or one big tackle that forces an error. We have all seen how players rush to the man who makes this type of play ? they know how important they are.

Who wants it more? That?s what this game will come down to.

The History: Played 20; Wests Tigers 5, Eels 14, drawn 1. The Eels have it all over the Wests Tigers, winning seven of the past eight matches between the clubs ? and they also won the only match at the SFS.

Conclusion: With both teams just as likely to put in a great performance or an average one, at this stage of the year this game becomes a toss-of-the-coin job.

Both teams have match turners, like Jarryd Hayne and Lote Tuqiri, and both teams are proven try scorers.

The Eels do have the momentum from winning last week and their defence is usually a little stronger than the Wests Tigers?. Add to this their impressive record in the head-to-head battle and you can probably lean their way.

Match officials: Referees ? Tony Archer & Matt Cecchin; Sideline Officials ? Paul Holland & Adam Devcich; Video Ref ? Steve Clark.

Televised: Channel Nine ? Live 7.30pm (NSW), delayed 9.30 (Qld); Fox Sports ? Delayed 11.30pm.

Source: http://www.nrl.com

[Ryan]

I love watching the Tigers play like that. Lote is getting better every game. Eels were lucky Benji couldn't kick, the margin would have been embarrasing.
And I hope to see Hayne play fullback for NSW, he'll let in way more tries than he has a hope of scoring....