R23 FNF - Melbourne v Parramatta

[Timmah]

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

MELBOURNE v PARRAMATTA
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne VIC :: Friday 17 August
Gates open 5:30pm, Curtain Raiser (TBA) 5:45pm
Please note the following events in the area
Bob Dylan - Rod Laver Arena 7:30pm; AFL Football - MCG 7:40pm
First Grade Kickoff 7:30pm
Live on Nine in NEW SOUTH WALES, Check Local Guides. LeagueUnlimited LIVE UPDATE.
2GB Full Game Call, check www.rugbyleaguelive.com for details.

GET TICKETS HERE.

TONY ARCHER
Sideline Officials: Steve Chiddy, Gerard Sutton
Video Referee: Bill Harrigan

Melbourne Storm lineup
1. Billy Slater
2. Matt Geyer, 3. Anthony Quinn, 4. Israel Folau, 5. Will Chambers
6. Greg Inglis, 7. Cooper Cronk
8. Ben Cross, 9. Cam Smith (c), 10. Brett White
11. Clint Newton, 12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Dallas Johnson

Int - 14. Jeremy Smith, 15. Adam Blair, 16. Garret Crossman, 17. Jeff Lima

Reserve - 18. Michael Crocker

Parramatta Eels lineup
1 Jarryd HAYNE
2 Krisnan INU, 3 Ben SMITH, 4 Timana TAHU, 5 Eric GROTHE
6 Brett FINCH, 7 Tim SMITH
8 Nathan CAYLESS ©, 9 Mark RIDDELL, 10 Fuifui MOIMOI
11 Nathan HINDMARSH, 12 Ian HINDMARSH
13 Feleti MATEO

Int - 14 PJ MARSH, 15 Josh CORDOBA, 16 Chad ROBINSON, 17 Daniel WAGON

Reserves - 18 Aaron CANNINGS, 19 Joel REDDY, 20 Todd LOWRIE

LOWER GRADES
Storm
JERSEY FLEGG Central Coast Storm v Manly at Gatorade Mingara Stadium, Saturday 1:00pm
Parramatta Eels
NSWRL PREMIER LEAGUE Bye
JERSEY FLEGG v Bulldogs @ Cabramatta, 3:00pm Saturday​

 

[gong_eagle]

http://nrl.com/News/MatchReports/MatchReportsArticle/tabid/336/NewsId/6616/Default.aspx

Storm v Eels Preview

Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 11:55 AM
One gets the feeling the Parramatta Eels wouldn’t be all that happy with the ongoing feud between the Storm and the Broncos as they prepare to take on the team that eliminated them from last year’s finals.
According to the Broncos this Melbourne Storm team isn’t really that good and don’t deserve to be classed as runaway favourites for this competition.
Forget the fact they lead the minor premiership after dropping just three of 21 games, this side are far from invincible.
According to the Broncos this Storm team is the reason why the grapple tackle is so prevalent and the reason why the NRL was forced into a more stringent crackdown of the dangerous tackle.
It almost seems that according to the Broncos, everything about Melbourne is rotten to the core.
Now there are two ways to look at this from an Eels perspective – who enter this clash off the back of a surprise golden point loss to Cronulla that has jeopardised their top-four aspirations:
1. The Storm will be distracted by all the media hype surrounding the week and not focussed solely on this blockbuster against the third-placed team in the NRL and therefore vulnerable; or
2. They will be so fired up after all of the criticism they will see the game against the Eels as the perfect scenario to exert some dominance and strike fear back into the rest of the competition.
Eels fans will be praying for the “A” scenario, especially considering a loss could see them fall as low as sixth.
They welcome back Nathan Hindmarsh for this game with Chad Robinson reverting to the bench which has an extended look about it with the inclusions of Joel Reddy and Todd Lowrie.
Melbourne have lost Matt King and Steve Turner to injury which will see Anthony Quinn start in the centres and young Will Chambers get another start on the flank. Garrett Crossman and Michael Crocker join a five-man bench.
Watch out Storm: Jarryd Hayne might still be finding his feet as a fullback but he is sneaking up the list of line breaks in the NRL having cracked through 15 times so far this season and is a real danger weapon if on his game.
He’ll see this game as a particular challenge against other young guns like Folau, Inglis and Chambers and will be out to prove he can match it with anyone.
He is currently averaging 125 metres a game, has scored eight tries, taken three intercepts and added 72 tackle breaks. He is also averaging a very respectable 11.3 metres for every kick return.
Watch out Eels: Michael Crocker still hasn’t tasted a loss in a Storm side and is seen as their lucky charm – although he considers it embarrassing personally.
Returning from a major shoulder problem for what will be just his fifth game this year and 18th in the Storm jersey, the former Queensland Origin star brings a hard edge and an X-factor into the Melbourne line-up.
There is no doubt he’ll be looking to make up for lost time. Crocker is a proud man who needs to feel he has contributed before he lets himself feel the warmth of success.
Where it will be won: There will be plenty in this game and tactics across the board will be complex for both sides but one area that will get a work-out is attacking kicks.
These two sides are the most prolific try scorers from the boot with 24 tries each so you’d expect they will continue to work to their strengths.
With leapers like Israel Folau and Billy Slater in the Storm line-up and athletes like Jarryd Hayne and Krisnan Inu in the Eels side, the prospect of some enthralling aerial and ground assaults is tantalising.
The Storm have the edge as they have defended kicks much better than the Eels over the course of the season.
The home side has conceded just eight tries from kicks while the Eels have leaked 18.
The History: Played 17; Storm 10, Eels 7. The Storm have won six of the past seven encounters between the two sides but the Eels’ record at Olympic Park isn’t too bad winning three of seven games there.
Conclusion: The last time the Eels travelled to Olympic Park it was for a semi-final where no-one but the club itself gave them a hope of winning but on that day they did themselves more than proud to fall by just six points.
They return a stronger line-up with reasonable form on the board and as such should be confident of not only putting up a good fight but doing what only Manly, the Wests Tigers and the Roosters have done this year – beating the competition leaders.
Melbourne are starting to feel a bit of siege mentality. Is the league world turning on this likeable bunch of players and coaching staff? Are they becoming the team others don’t like, thanks to their dominance?
Will they just take it as a compliment and bunker down to get the job done or will they start to crumble under the weight of it all?
All of these sub-plots are what make this competition still anyone’s but we’ll get a real look at Parramatta’s claims as the finals come early in Melbourne. Storm to win in a cracker.
Match officials: Referee – Tony Archer; Sideline Officials – Steve Chiddy & Gerard Sutton; Video ref – Bill Harrigan.
Televised: Channel Nine – Live 7.30 (NSW), delayed 9.30pm (Qld); Foxsports 3 – Delayed 1am
* Statistics: NRL Stats

 

[Timmah]

Statistically speaking... from Big League magazine

Head to head
Overall 17, Melbourne 10-7
At Olympic, Melbourne 4-3

Last meetings
Melbourne 12-6 @ Olympic, Melbourne 34-22 @ Parramatta, 2006

Biggest victories
Melbourne 50-12 @ Olympic, 2003
Parramatta 54-10 at TelstraDome, 2001

Grand Finals
Never met in GF


Opening market Melbourne 1.35 Parramatta 3.10
(TAB Sportsbet)

 

[Ice777]

I'm looking forward to and anticipating this game probably more than i have any other this year as it should be an absolute cracker. Being at home i'll go the Storm by 1-12 and if i had to pick the exact margin i'll go 8.

In saying that i can see this match going either way and if we don't step up a notch we could find ourselves on the end of a loss......But after the week of turmoil we've had i think the boys will come out firing and this could very well be the game that turns our last month or so around and get us back on track.

 

[Captian_Klutz]

The game against the Broncos was a bruising encounter.

Storm should still be extra fired up and take this one in a close tough game.

 

[Shorty]

This game should be interesting considering the new rule interpretation.

 

[Hurriflatch]

 

[brooksy19]

Smack the bastards parra.

 

[Hurriflatch]

it's up to the forwards

If Parra can break even in the forward battle the backline should have enough points to get over Melbourne, especially with the player Melbourne have out.

Matches between Parra and Melbourne in Melbourne and generally very close

1999: Parramatta 20 d Storm 6
2000: Storm 16 d Parramatta 12
2001: Parramatta 54 d Storm 10 (Telstra Dome)
2002: Parramatta 22 d Storm 20
2003: Storm 50 d Parramatta 12
2004: Storm 22 d Parramatta 16
2005: Parramatta 26 d Storm 14
2006 (finals): Storm 12 d Eels 6

 

[gong_eagle]

it's up to the forwards

If Parra can break even in the forward battle the backline should have enough points to get over Melbourne, especially with the player Melbourne have out.

Matches between Parra and Melbourne in Melbourne and generally very close

1999: Parramatta 20 d Storm 6
2000: Storm 16 d Parramatta 12
2001: Parramatta 54 d Storm 10 (Telstra Dome)
2002: Parramatta 22 d Storm 20
2003: Storm 50 d Parramatta 12
2004: Storm 22 d Parramatta 16
2005: Parramatta 26 d Storm 14
2006 (finals): Storm 12 d Eels 6

if thats the case then, put your $$ on

Parramatta 21 Storm 18

 

[Hurriflatch]

18.75 is closer to 19 then 18 :lol:

 

[gong_eagle]

18.75 is closer to 19 then 18 :lol:

Parramatta 21 Storm 18
looks better than
Parramatta 21 Storm 19
but would prefer 21 - 0 :sarcasm:

 

[Jobdog]

I heard somewhere that Nathan Hindmarsh was out. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

 

[gong_eagle]

I heard somewhere that Nathan Hindmarsh was out. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

:crazy:
no nothin on the vine yet

 

[Hurriflatch]

Parramatta 21 Storm 18
looks better than
Parramatta 21 Storm 19
but would prefer 21 - 0 :sarcasm:

actually

19 all at full time

Eels get a penalty for a grapple tackle right in front 15 metres out in the 89th min

Eels win 21-19

 

[Hurriflatch]

I heard somewhere that Nathan Hindmarsh was out. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

AS he pulled out just before the game last week and the fact that Parra named 20 players to travel down to Melbourne rumours would be around, but TBH this is the first I've heard about it.

 

[gong_eagle]

actually

19 all at full time

Eels get a penalty for a grapple tackle right in front 15 metres out in the 89th min

Eels win 21-19

that would pay good on pick the score

 

[Hurriflatch]

speaking of pick the score

do they pay on after 80 mins or after full time??

 

[Cletus]

Not sure who's going to win this, you'd think Melbourne, but watching the ref is going to be interesting. I don't think Melbourne can win if they're penalised for slowing down the play the ball with their 'interesting' techniques.
I'll go for Parra by 4, but neither team strikes me as good things despite being 1st and 3rd on the ladder.

 

[Cranky]

I'm going tonight with a few mates. Parra are a geniuine threat particulary with two of our outside backs out and the form of the Parra backline. It should be a ripper! Could be a GF preview.