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Match Preview: Battle of the coaches
by Phil Sim
If last week was about defence, this week is about attack.
Parramatta takes on a Shark's outfit that is brimming with new faces after the sacking of NRL players Ben Pomeroy, Blake Green and Corey Hughes. With Paul Gallen playing State of Origin and a number of injuries, the Sharks will field this year's most inexperienced NRL lineup.
Trent Barrett will naturally be the player to watch but he's had trouble igniting the Sharks this year. Young half back Scott Porter comes into the side with a good rap on him but whether he can step up to NRL is a question no-one can answer.
And much of Cronulla's attack will be directed towards Anthony Tupou who carries an awful lot of responsibility with Paul Gallen out of the side.
One would think the Sharks are going to struggle for points. They've never been a point-scoring machine and without Gallen and a recognised halfback they will be even more challenged in that regard.
However, Parramatta are in much the same boat. They go into the game with their playmakers being Jeff Robson, who has struggled at NRL level to date, Joel Reddy a makeshift five-eighth and Daniel Mortimer, who is making his debut. What's more they don't have Jarryd Hayne who was responsible for creating all our points last week.
The Eels have the opportunity to dominate up front. They were exceptional against a Souths pack that was chockers full or rep experience and if they make that kind of go-forward this week, it will make the Eels task much easier. I expect Parramatta to play a very simple game again this week, work their way into the Sharks attacking zone and then look to put on planned, structured attacking moves in order to take advantage of a very inexperienced defensive line.
Halfback Jeff Robson needs to play a team game. He tried too many ad hoc plays last week and failed everytime. He just needs to do the job the coach asks of him and have a solid game.
All Parra fans will be tuning into this match 1) because it represents a chance for another win and 2) so that we can see if Daniel Mortimer can live up to the hype.
My own position on Mortimer, is that he plays more like a five-eighth then a halfback but he's too small to play six. It will be interesting to see how Anderson plays him. He may simply be asked to provide some dummy half relief like Kris Keating was when he made his debut, but given Kevin Kingston did that so well last week, it's more likely he'll slot into the halves. But will it be at six or seven? At least, if Robson is not working out, Anderson has a player he can call on to provide a bit more creativity. This is probably Robson's last chance. If he can't do the job against an experienced Sharks side and he's outshone by Mortimer, he'll struggle to ever see NRL again. After all, Albert Kelly is waiting in the wings, as well, and for mine is the most talented of the lot.
There has been some suggestion that the Eels will be complacent, but I don't see it. We're just not good enough to be complacent against anyone. Rather I think the boys will be fired up, because a win here will keep them well away from the bottom of the table and in touch with the eight.
If anything, I see this game as a battle of the coaches. Neither team has the luxury of just throwing the ball to their guns and letting them make things happen. Whatever tries eventuate are likely to be planned plays built on top of a discipline, structured gameplan. I feel that's why Anderson has made some of the selections he has this week. He's chosen more experienced players that should be able to execute.
Parramatta Eels:
1 Luke BURT 2 Eric GROTHE 3 Taulima TAUTAI 4 Ben SMITH 5 Etu UAISELE 6 Joel REDDY 7 Jeff ROBSON 8 Nathan CAYLESS [C] 9 Matthew KEATING 10 Fuifui MOIMOI 11 Nathan HINDMARSH 12 Joe GALUVAO 13 Todd LOWRIE
14 Daniel MORTIMER 15 Josh CORDOBA 16 Tim MANNAH 17 Brendan OAKE 20 Jeremy LATIMORE
Cronulla Sharks:
1. Nathan Stapleton 2. Blake Ferguson 3. Mathew Wright 4. Reece Williams 5. Luke Covell 6. Trent Barrett 7. Scott Porter 8. Johnny Mannah 9. Tony Caine 10. Kade Snowden 11. Atelea Vea 12. Luke Douglas 13. Anthony Tupou
14. Mitch Brown 15. Grant Millington 16. Jacob Selmes 17. Seu Seu
by Phil Sim
If last week was about defence, this week is about attack.
Parramatta takes on a Shark's outfit that is brimming with new faces after the sacking of NRL players Ben Pomeroy, Blake Green and Corey Hughes. With Paul Gallen playing State of Origin and a number of injuries, the Sharks will field this year's most inexperienced NRL lineup.
Trent Barrett will naturally be the player to watch but he's had trouble igniting the Sharks this year. Young half back Scott Porter comes into the side with a good rap on him but whether he can step up to NRL is a question no-one can answer.
And much of Cronulla's attack will be directed towards Anthony Tupou who carries an awful lot of responsibility with Paul Gallen out of the side.
One would think the Sharks are going to struggle for points. They've never been a point-scoring machine and without Gallen and a recognised halfback they will be even more challenged in that regard.
However, Parramatta are in much the same boat. They go into the game with their playmakers being Jeff Robson, who has struggled at NRL level to date, Joel Reddy a makeshift five-eighth and Daniel Mortimer, who is making his debut. What's more they don't have Jarryd Hayne who was responsible for creating all our points last week.
The Eels have the opportunity to dominate up front. They were exceptional against a Souths pack that was chockers full or rep experience and if they make that kind of go-forward this week, it will make the Eels task much easier. I expect Parramatta to play a very simple game again this week, work their way into the Sharks attacking zone and then look to put on planned, structured attacking moves in order to take advantage of a very inexperienced defensive line.
Halfback Jeff Robson needs to play a team game. He tried too many ad hoc plays last week and failed everytime. He just needs to do the job the coach asks of him and have a solid game.
All Parra fans will be tuning into this match 1) because it represents a chance for another win and 2) so that we can see if Daniel Mortimer can live up to the hype.
My own position on Mortimer, is that he plays more like a five-eighth then a halfback but he's too small to play six. It will be interesting to see how Anderson plays him. He may simply be asked to provide some dummy half relief like Kris Keating was when he made his debut, but given Kevin Kingston did that so well last week, it's more likely he'll slot into the halves. But will it be at six or seven? At least, if Robson is not working out, Anderson has a player he can call on to provide a bit more creativity. This is probably Robson's last chance. If he can't do the job against an experienced Sharks side and he's outshone by Mortimer, he'll struggle to ever see NRL again. After all, Albert Kelly is waiting in the wings, as well, and for mine is the most talented of the lot.
There has been some suggestion that the Eels will be complacent, but I don't see it. We're just not good enough to be complacent against anyone. Rather I think the boys will be fired up, because a win here will keep them well away from the bottom of the table and in touch with the eight.
If anything, I see this game as a battle of the coaches. Neither team has the luxury of just throwing the ball to their guns and letting them make things happen. Whatever tries eventuate are likely to be planned plays built on top of a discipline, structured gameplan. I feel that's why Anderson has made some of the selections he has this week. He's chosen more experienced players that should be able to execute.
Parramatta Eels:
1 Luke BURT 2 Eric GROTHE 3 Taulima TAUTAI 4 Ben SMITH 5 Etu UAISELE 6 Joel REDDY 7 Jeff ROBSON 8 Nathan CAYLESS [C] 9 Matthew KEATING 10 Fuifui MOIMOI 11 Nathan HINDMARSH 12 Joe GALUVAO 13 Todd LOWRIE
14 Daniel MORTIMER 15 Josh CORDOBA 16 Tim MANNAH 17 Brendan OAKE 20 Jeremy LATIMORE
Cronulla Sharks:
1. Nathan Stapleton 2. Blake Ferguson 3. Mathew Wright 4. Reece Williams 5. Luke Covell 6. Trent Barrett 7. Scott Porter 8. Johnny Mannah 9. Tony Caine 10. Kade Snowden 11. Atelea Vea 12. Luke Douglas 13. Anthony Tupou
14. Mitch Brown 15. Grant Millington 16. Jacob Selmes 17. Seu Seu
