Round 18: Sea Eagles v Eels preview
Eels eye redemption against archrivals
Enjoying a fierce rivalry since entering the premiership together in 1947, the Manly Sea Eagles and Parramatta Eels will face off in a clash set to have ramifications for both team's top eight aspirations.
Coming off a hard-fought 21-20 loss to South Sydney last Saturday, the Sea Eagles have consistently defied expectations in 2019 to sit fifth on the ladder with a roster embodying the adage of playing as a team.
Dominating the Eels at Lottoland since returning to the NRL as a single entity with nine wins from 14 fixtutes, coach Des Hasler will have high hopes of another strong performance having won all three daytime matches contested on the northern beaches this season.
Set to move within striking distance of the top four with a win, a loss would see the side remain inside the top eight given their impressive for-and-against differential; however with every team still a mathematical chance of qualifying for the finals, the Sea Eagles can ill afford to post back-to-back losses given the congested nature of the competition.
Boosted by the return of superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic after being rested in the wake of Origin III, Lachlan Croker retains his place on the bench ahead of unsung hero Brendan Elliot.
Chasing four straight wins for only the third time since making the grand final a decade ago, the Parramatta Eels will have additional incentive to come away with two points on Sunday having endured a record loss at Lottoland in their last appearance.
Suffering a humiliating 54-0 defeat that effectively killed their premiership aspirations a fortnight into 2018, coach Brad Arthur will be sure to remind his players of the embarrassment felt during the record rout as the Eels strive to record their sixth win from seven daytime matches this season.
Winning seven of their past eight matches against the Sea Eagles, including three in a row at Lottoland prior to last year, the short-term implications of Sunday's result will be minimal for the sixth-placed Eels with a win moving them into fifth and a loss seeing them slip to seventh pending other results; however with just five points separating fifth and 13th, the importance of accruing competition points should ensure the final 17 players have their sights set on the job at hand.
Unchanged from the team that downed the Wests Tigers 30-18 last Sunday, the Eels will field seven members of the side beaten 54-0 in the corresponding fixture last year.
Last meeting: Round 7 2018 - Eels 44 Sea Eagles 10
Who to watch: Stringing together a number of appearances in the top grade after spending the first half of the season in Canterbury Cup NSW, Kiwi prop Taniela Paseka looms as a player of untapped potential for Manly. Signed from Wests Tigers as a teenager, the 21-year-old powerhouse has averaged just under 80 metres in 24 minutes per game this season to give coach Des Hasler plenty to consider as competition for places heats up in the run towards the finals. Extending his deal until the end of 2021, look for Paseka to make an impact capable of putting the Sea Eagles on the precipice of the top four.
Enjoying a career renaissance in the final year of his current deal, Josh Hoffman has thrived in his role as a centre this season. Averaging just under 100 metres in nine appearances in 2019, the 31-year-old veteran outside back has wound back the clock following two underwhelming years with the blue and golds playing exclusively on the wing. Drawing upon his years of experience with Brisbane and the Gold Coast after being handed a chance to re-establish a regular backline position two months ago, look for Hoffman to give a good account of himself on Sunday afternoon opposite emerging talent Moses Suli in a key match-up for both teams.
The favourite: With the Sea Eagles winning every match Tom Trbojevic has featured in this season, the return of the superstar fullback has the home side favoured to come away with an important victory.
My tip: Having shown glimpses of brilliance and mediocrity in equal measure throughout 2019, look for the Eels to step up and bury their Lottoland demons with a last-gasp win. Eels by 4.
