RD 20: West Tigers vs Eels

[Queenslander]

Wests Tigers Vs Parramatta Eels
Telstra Stadium; Sunday 23rd July, 2.30pm

Referee: Shayne Hayne

Team Notes:

Tigers

Hooker Robbie Farah will play his 50th game for the Wests Tigers.

The Tigers' hopes of defending its title may suffer another major blow with key playmaker Robbie Farah in serious doubt or Sunday's showdown with Parramatta.

Sheens has moved Brett Hodgson into five-eighth to meet the flying Eels.

Eels

The Eels have won the past three matches by similar scores ? 28-12, 26-16 and 28-16.

Wests Tigers

1. Shannon McDonnell
2. Daniel Fitzhenry
3. Dean Collis
4. Shane Elford
5. Jamaal Lolesi
6. Brett Hodgson (c)
7. Scott Prince
8. Bryce Gibbs
9. Robbie Farah
10. John Skandalis
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Todd Payten
13. Ben Galea

Interchange:

14. Ryan O'Hara
15. Chris Heighington
16. Dene Halatau
17. Keith Galloway

Eels

1. Wade McKinnon
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Luke O?Dwyer
4. Ben Smith
5. Eric Grothe
6. John Morris
7. Jeremy Smith
8. Nathan Cayless (c)
9. Mark Riddell
10. Fuifui Moimoi
11. Nathan Hindmarsh
12. Chad Robinson
13. Glenn Morrison

Interchange

14. PJ Marsh
15. Dean Widders
16. Josh Cordoba
17. Daniel Wagon

***Use this thread for game day spoilers***

[Eel 33]

Local derby's, don't you just love them. Ill be there, with Parra looking to continue their winning run on sunday................not by much though, 1-12 for the punters.

[Darren Lockyer]

it will be a very tight game with the eels to win by 6.

[Luke]

Should be a great game to watch. Both teams are trying to make it into the finals. Im going to tip the Tigers by 1-12

[Supergoose]

What a difference a couple of weeks in footy makes. The Tigers have been admirable since the loss of Benji but if Parra can capture the form from a couple of weeks ago they will win this one. The Eels got lucky against the Warriors and if the Tigers halves can get on top and provide some quality ball they Tigers can win but it is the Eels for mine by 4.

[jimmy_the_greek]

eels by 8

[Queenslander]

Back injury floors Farah
By James Hooper and Steve Mascord
July 19, 2006

WESTS Tigers' hopes of defending its title may suffer another major blow with key playmaker Robbie Farah in serious doubt or Sunday's showdown with Parramatta.

Granted two days off training after missing half the Tigers' golden-point loss to Canberra with a lower back problem, Farah has admitted fearing a bulging disc in his back may require surgery.

"I kind of get like nerve-impingement and then just struggle in flexion, bending forward and picking the ball up again ... it feels like my back is going to snap," Farah said.

"I get pains down my leg and it's pretty difficult when that happens, I can't really do much. It's do or die this week against Parramatta and I'd love to be on the field.

"But at the same time if it's not going to be right and it might not be the best thing for the team then I will have be smart about it."

After suffering four of their past six losses by less than four points, Sunday shapes as a high stakes game for the premiers.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens admitted rival NRL teams had improved tactically in terms of how to handle Wests -who were the masters of getting quick play-the-balls last season.

"Last year we probably crept up on a few sides and then once we got into our rhythm it was too hard to stop us," Sheens said.

Sheens remained confident about Farah's chances of playing against Parramatta with a decision expected to be made later this week.

"I'm not feeling the best at the moment but hopefully a couple of days off and then I'll train with the team on Thursday," Farah said.

Sheens yesterday moved Brett Hodgson into five-eighth to meet the flying Eels.

Foxsports.com.au

[Chaos]

I think their fate lies with Robbie Farrah...I he is fit, the Tigers should have the edge.

[Queenslander]

FINAL SCORE

Tigers 6
Try scorers: Farah
Goals: Prince

Eels 34
Try scorers: Hayne 2, J Smith, McKinnon, O'Dwyer, Hindmarsh
Goals: Hayne, Riddell 3

RD20-Eels stun Tigers
Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 4:56 PM

Wests Tigers' premiership defence is in tatters after captain Brett Hodgson sustained a serious knee injury in their 28-6 NRL loss to a resurgent Parramatta at Telstra Stadium.

Teenaged Eels sensation Jarryd Hayne continued his try-scoring feats, bagging a double to take his tally to 12 tries from nine appearances as the visitors kept their finals hopes alive with their fifth-straight win.

The Eels now leapfrog the Tigers on the competition table and are just one win out of the top eight, while the premiers will need to win at least four of their remaining five matches to have any chance of defending their title.

Hodgson sustained suspected medial ligament damage when his right knee twisted awkwardly in a 18th minute tackle by centre Luke O'Dwyer. The makeshift pivot was medicabbed off the field and is expected to be out for at least a month.

While Hayne, who has now scored 10 tries in his last four games, provided the sparkle with the football, it was the Eels' goal-line defence which was again the key to the result.

After repelling the Tigers for 21 consecutive tackles early in the match, O'Dwyer intercepted a Robbie Farah pass and linked up with Hayne, who completed and then converted the 90-metre movement.

The premiers, enjoying the majority of possession and field position, levelled the scores in the 35th minute when Farah burrowed over from dummy half. Replays suggested opposing rake Mark Riddell may have prevented the ball from being grounded, but video referee Steve Nash gave the benefit of the doubt to the home side.

But the Eels quickly regained the advantage, scoring two tries in the three minutes before the main break. Halfback Jeremy Smith scored the first, stepping and spinning past three tacklers in a solo 20-metre run to the line.

And then with the halftime buzzer sounding in the background, Hayne intercepted a Scott Prince pass to run 97m to score his 12th try of the year and hand his side a 16-6 advantage.

Just three minutes after the resumption, Eels fullback Wade McKinnon all but ended the contest when he finished a superb long-range movement.

And late tries to O'Dwyer and workaholic forward Nathan Hindmarsh not only ensured victory but an improved for-and-against for the Eels.

Source: AAP

[Darren Lockyer]

Hayne is a try scoring machine.

[Steelers]

Jason Taylor is a godsend for the Eels... they now have a good chance of making the 8! Can't believe they let him go to Souths next year.

[Eel 33]

Very happy with how the game went today, much better play. A continued effort will ensure we will not be left out of the semi's without a fight.

[Darren Lockyer]

Jason Taylor is a godsend for the Eels... they now have a good chance of making the 8! Can't believe they let him go to Souths next year.

Yeah he has helped the eels alot by making reserve grade players like O'dwyer and hayne into the starting side.

[Titanium_BD1103]

WOOT... I tipped Parra... GO PARRA GO...

Shame to see Brett Hodgson go down and be injured...

WOOT to the Parramatta Eels, they are making me eat humble pie but I like Jarrad Hayne, and therefore its all good... oh and my Parra friends have finally stopped complaining..