HE Parramatta Eels plan to host the highly anticipated "discus inferno" between the sport's world champion Dani Samuels and India's Commonwealth Games gold medallist Krishna Poonia on a match day at Parramatta Stadium next year. There has been overtures for the duel of which the seeds were sown when Poonia triumphed in New Delhi in October when Samuels withdrew from the Commonwealth Games after citing health and security concerns to be staged in India or New York City, where a US-based entrepreneur insists there's enough people of Indian descent to ensure it would be a success.
Samuels, who became the youngest female world discus champion when, at 21, she won gold at Berlin last year is a VIP Eels supporter who grew up in the area and trains alongside the likes of Jarryd Hayne, Fuifui Moimoi and Nathan Hindmarsh at the team's state-of-the-art gymnasium.
Parramatta chief executive Paul Osborne confirmed the club was interested in hosting the event in between a National Youth Championship match and first-grade kick-off.
"It has tremendous appeal, and we're considering it" he said.
Samuels's manager Hayden Knowles, who also serves as the Eels' strength and conditioning coach, said the head-to-head event would be a great coup in a world championships year and it also complemented the club's desire to embrace the Parramatta district's Indian community.
"The $20,000 winner-take-all event has the potential to be watched by 20,000 people at Parramatta Stadium and by millions on television in India," he said.
"The news Paul Osborne wants to bring out India's first Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 52 years should excite our Indian community, because Krishna Poonia has become a superstar over there.
"We've had Indian dancers at a Parramatta game, now we're having a genuine Indian sporting star.
"Discus might be a long way behind cricket in terms of popularity in India but they're very proud as a nation of what Poonia achieved."
Samuels said she would welcome the opportunity to take Poonia on after news of their duel has dominated headlines in India.
"I've heard she's injured her knee and wants a rest," said Samuels of her rival.
"The world championships is my priority in 2011, but I would definitely welcome the opportunity to compete against world-class competition."
