Kenny Edwards happy to return to halves for Parramatta Eels
Parramatta second-rower Kenny Edwards has put his hand up to fill the empty No.6 jersey for the Eels next week amid the club's halves crisis.
Denied Mitchell Moses by the Wests Tigers for the rest of the season, the Eels were dealt another blow during their 18-12 win over Penrith on Saturday when makeshift five-eighth Brad Takairangi was taken from the field with a knee injury.
Parramatta made it back-to-back wins as they beat Penrith in the western Sydney derby.
His status was still unknown on Sunday morning, but there were concerns he could have damaged his posterior cruciate ligament - an injury usually resulting in about a month on the sidelines.
Takairangi's first-half injury pushed Edwards into the halves on his return from an NRL-imposed suspension and the 27-year-old is happy to return there next week.
"I'm comfortable and confident in whatever I do," Edwards said.
"That's the kind of person I am. I like to attack things at 100 per cent.
"And I'll do that if need be, I'll play five-eighth next week."
Complicating the matter further for Parramatta is the fact their first-choice No.6 for 2017, Clinton Gutherson, is currently filling in at fullback for the injured Bevan French.
French was not due to return from his knee injury until after the representative round in three weeks, but Eels coach Brad Arthur said he may return against North Queensland next week.
Winger Josh Hoffman also has experience at five-eighth, while the Eels have uncapped rookie Jamal Fogarty playing in reserve grade.
But Edwards has played alongside Corey Norman in the halves five times, and he is more than happy to recall his record there.
"It's nothing me and Normy haven't done before," he said.
"I think I won four from five games there last year. And the one we lost was against the premiers Cronulla."
Arthur also gave Edwards' the stamp of approval, despite the team falling away late after Norman set up one try and scored two earlier to build an 18-0 lead.
"I thought Kenny Edwards done a good job," Arthur said.
"The whole team performance in the second half in terms of controlling the game wasn't good enough."
AAP
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...lves-for-parramatta-eels-20170423-gvqids.html
