Preview : Eels v Storm
Ross Smart
Pirtek Parramatta Eels Media
Monday, July 20, 2009
© Action Photographics
Nathan Hindmarsh takes on the Storm defence in 2008 - he'll play his 250th First Grade game in Monday night's clash with Melbourne.
The Pirtek Parramatta Eels got the chocolates when they last went head to head with the Melbourne Storm – can they secure another win and give Club legend Nathan Hindmarsh the ultimate 250th present in the process?
Form Lines
Goal kicking hurt the Eels last Monday night, missing all three attempts in an 18-12 defeat at the hands of the Titans on the Gold Coast. The Storm had the week off but have no less than five nominated starters – and coach Craig Bellamy – backing up from State of Origin three, including hooker and skipper Cameron Smith, who’s rated no certainty of playing due to a shoulder injury. Former Eels turned Storm five eighth Brett Finch has also been named despite struggling with a collapsed lung.
Eels: LWWLLLLWBLDLWLBWLL
Storm: WLWLWLDWWWLBWWWLWB
The Ladder
The Eels come into the match on 15 competition points and in 14th position on the NRL ladder, with five wins and a draw for the season. The Storm has won twice as many matches and also has a draw to its name, which sees the visitors in fourth on the ladder on 25 competition points. Third place is theirs if they win here, while the Eels could leapfrog the Raiders into 13th position with a victory.
History – 2008 and All Time
2008: The Eels and Storm met just once in 2008, with the Eels edging out an Origin-depleted Storm 24-22 at Parramatta Stadium.
The Storm take the honours in the head to head rankings, having won 12 out of 20 encounters between the two sides, five out of nine at Parramatta Stadium, and six out of the last eight clashes between the two Clubs.
All Time: Played 20, Storm 12, Eels 8
At Parramatta Stadium: Played 9, Storm 5, Eels 4
Last 8 Clashes
2008
EELS 24 d. STORM 22 at Parramatta Stadium.
2007
STORM 26 d. EELS 10 at Telstra Dome;
STORM 14 d. EELS 10 at Olympic Park.
2006
STORM 12 d. EELS 6 at Olympic Park;
STORM 34 d. EELS 22 at Parramatta Stadium.
2005
EELS 26 d. STORM 14 at Olympic Park.
2004
STORM 22 d. EELS 16 at Olympic Park;
STORM 36 d. EELS 16 at Parramatta Stadium.
Biggest Head To Head Wins
EELS 54 d. STORM 10 at Telstra Dome, 2001.
STORM 50 d. EELS 12 at Olympic Park, 2003.
The Wrap, thanks to NRL.com
If it isn’t already, time will be well and truly up on the Parramatta season if they can’t find a way to win this Monday night.
The Eels are already way down the list in 14th on the NRL ladder, five competition points adrift of eighth place but with an awful differential (-129) to go with it.
They must buck the trend and upset the fourth-placed Storm but if there is a time to make it happen perhaps this weekend is it – with Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Dallas Johnson, Greg Inglis and Brett White backing up from Wednesday night’s Origin.
The Eels only supplied Jarryd Hayne to Origin, with his return seeing Luke Burt shift back to wing, while Krisnan Inu moves from wing to centre with youngster Johnathan Wright missing out.
For the Storm, assuming the Origin boys back up, the only changes will be James Maloney coming onto the bench for the suspended Ryan Hinchcliffe, with Matt Cross added to an extended bench.
Melbourne ground out a late win over Newcastle before the bye so they enter with a little bit of form, while the Eels lost against the Titans last Monday night, their second loss on the trot.
Team Lists
Eels: Jarryd Hayne, Luke Burt, Krisnan Inu, Joel Reddy, Eric Grothe, Daniel Mortimer, Jeff Robson, Nathan Cayless (c), Matthew Keating, Fuifui Moimoi, Nathan Hindmarsh, Joe Galuvao, Todd Lowrie. Interchange: Kevin Kingston, Broderick Wright, Tim Mannah, Ben Smith.
Storm: Billy Slater, Steve Turner, Will Chambers, Greg Inglis, Joseph Tomane, Brett Finch, Cooper Cronk, Brett White, Cameron Smith (c), Adam Blair, Sika Manu, Ryan Hoffman, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: James Maloney, Scott Anderson, Aiden Tolman, Jeff Lima, Matt Cross (one to be omitted)
http://www.parraeels.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=18488
so I thought I would start it.
