Jul 21, 2017Jul 21, 2017.
ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Sunday 23rd June 2017, 4pm AEST.
Overview
It has been a long season for the Wests Tigers in 2017. After a coaching change early in the season, Ivan Cleary has failed to get the results out of the squad he has inherited. With mass changes due next season, these last few weeks look like a chance to farewell the departing players and attempt to spring some upsets.
It is the complete opposite for their opponents, the Parramatta Eels. On course to make their first finals appearance since making the Grand Final all the way back in 2009, the visitors have plenty to play for. Add the extra incentive for Mitchell Moses to exact some revenge against his former team-mates, this clash still will have plenty of feeling on Sunday afternoon.
Recent Meetings
2017 – Rd 7 Eels 26 def. Tigers 22 at ANZ Stadium
2016 – Rd 21 Tigers 23 def. Eels 8 at ANZ Stadium
2016 – Rd 4 Eels 8 def. Tigers 0 at ANZ Stadium
2015 – Rd 17 Eels 28 def. Tigers 16 at ANZ Stadium
2015 – Rd 5 Tigers 22 def. Eels 6 at ANZ Stadium
It has been fairly even between the two sides over the last few years with the annual Easter Monday clash becoming a large part of the rugby league calendar.
The Eels were able to come away with the two points in that clash earlier in the season and will be looking to get the clean sweep when the two sides meet on Sunday.
Overall, the two sides have met on 34 occasions with the Eels having the advantage 19-14 (with one draw).
Selected Teams
The Facts That Matter
Wests Tigers
All of the form guides lean towards a comfortable Parramatta victory but while Moses will be looking to get revenge, so will the Tigers to a degree. Moses will be looking to show that the Tigers missed out on a great player, while the home side will be out to prove that they made the right decision to not re-sign the halfback.
Luke Brooks has been in solid form the last two games, both of which have included tries for the halfback. Coming up against one of his best mates and roommate in Moses, that will give him extra motivation to step up and carry the team to a victory.
Wests showed some positive signs last week in the back end of the first-half and early in the second-half against Manly as they skipped out to a lead. Ivan Cleary will be hoping if that happens again this week, they can show the effort in defence to hold on. Lapses in concentration have been an issue for them all season so they will need to compete for the full 80 minutes against a side that can pile on points quite quickly.
Parramatta Eels
The Eels will certainly be rested after having the bye last weekend. They have been in better form this season and the addition of Moses has seen some improvement in their attack.
With the weeks counting down on the rugby league career of Fijian wrecking ball, Semi Radradra, he will be looking for another big game against the Tigers as he currently has four tries in four games against the side. On the other wing is one of the most electrifying players in the game, Bevan French, but despite 25 tries in 25 games he is yet to score against the joint-venture club.
Tigers do tend to concede tries out on the flanks and with that being one of the Eels strengths, they will be looking to expose that weakness. To do that they will need to make some strong carries in the middle, something that former Tiger Nathan Brown and Manu Ma’u have no issues doing.
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