I am the eternal optimist and therefore am expecting an Eels victory by 12+.
I think the confidence the team got from yesterday's semi-opposed training run will be enough to get them off to a flying start. I think our young players like Drown, Sivo and Mahoney have enough self-belief and confidence just to play their game come hell or highwater. I don't see Ferguson, Jennings or Waqa being scared of Melbourne - they will take it to them in both attack and defence.
Nrown, Ma'u, Evans and Junior will be fired up and full of aggression, ready to prove that they can mix it with the best. Lane is Lane. He will just do what he does week after week.
That leaves our key playmakers in Gutho and Moses. If they stay composed and stick to the plan BA gives them, we will see a game full of second phase play mixed with some individual brilliance.
If our benchies all bring their A game (Alvaro and Tepai for the second week in a row),we got 'dis.