Preview: Sharks v Eels
Adam Lucius
VENUE & TIME: Toyota Stadium, Sunday June 22, 3:00pm (AEST)
COVERAGE: Channel 9
LAST TIME: Sharks 25 - Eels 24 at Parramatta Stadium, Round 22, 2007
WALKING WOUNDED: Parra's casualty list is thin, with centre Ben Smith the only notable absentee. Jarryd Hayne is still suspended. The Sharks have also kept away from the doc in recent weeks, but will have to wait another week for the return of explosive full-back Brett Kearney. Or will they? There is a rumour he may play
FORM: Two sides in good form meet at what should be a packed Shark Park. After a dusty start to the season, the Eels have begun to find some form and were far too good for Wests Tigers' pygmies last weekend. Parra has won two straight and is on the verge of breaking into the top eight. The Sharkies have caught many by surprise by entering Round 15 with a share of the competition lead on the back of three consecutive wins.
WHO'S HOT: Feleti Mateo is a man in demand. Tonga wants him for the World Cup and the Blues are courting him for Origin III. But a man can only be in one place at one time and at this stage Mateo won't be giving up a Tongan jersey for a blue one. Why the sudden interest? Well how many 194cm, 104kg ball-playing No.6s with speed, enterprise and sledge-hammer defence do you see running around? The big fella is great to watch and can turn a match on its ear with a piece of sublime brilliance.
WE THINK: The Cronulla hierarchy has called on the Sharks faithful to get to this one in big numbers after some dismal turn-outs at recent home matches. Those that do make the effort should be rewarded with a cracker. The Sharks boast one of the NRL's best defences and their attack has picked up in recent weeks. The Eels have plenty of points in them and won't die wondering. In recent years the away team has done better in clashes between these two and that may be the case here again. Parramatta by two.
