Match Centre

Round 1: Eels v Bulldogs preview

Old foes kick off new season

The Parramatta Eels take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in a grudge match to kick off the 2020 NRL season on Thursday evening.

Coming into the new season with premiership aspirations after bowing out in the semi finals last year, the Parramatta Eels will be determined to make an early statement in an effort to establish Bankwest Stadium as a blue and gold fortress.

Showing signs of promise in the pre-season despite going down to South Sydney (28-24) and drawing with Penrith (22-22), coach Brad Arthur will be quietly confident in his team's ability having won six of their past eight clashes against Canterbury-Bankstown.

Winning six of their past ten opening round matches, the Eels have named an impressive squad headlined by new recruits Ryan Matterson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard, while Fijian speedster Waqa Blake will start in the centres after recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.

Finishing last season as one of the in-form teams of the premiership with five wins from their final six matches, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will be hoping to carry their winning ways into the new decade.

Holding a dismal round one record in recent years with six losses over the past seven seasons, coach Dean Pay will be looking for improvement from his side having been pipped in their lone trial by Canberra (12-10).

Handing new recruits Joe Stimson and Dean Britt their first starts in blue and white colours, the biggest selection decision sees 21-year-old Fijian international Brandon Wakeham named to fill the void created by injured playmaker Kieran Foran in the halves.

Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor have been stood down indefinitely after being served with show cause notices by the NRL.

Thursday evening marks the third time the Eels and Bulldogs have clashed in the opening round during the NRL era. In 2004, Sonny Bill Williams debuted for the Bulldogs in a massive 48-14 victory, while the Eels overcame a 20-0 halftime deficit to win 28-20 in 2008.

Last meeting: Round 23 2019 - Eels 6 Bulldogs 12

Who to watch: Coming from relative obscurity to finish last season as the competition's leading try-scorer, Maika Sivo will be determined to avoid becoming the latest casualty of the dreaded second year syndrome. Crossing for 22 tries in 25 appearances to become a crowd favourite among the blue and gold faithful, the 26-year-old Fijian speedster will need to evolve in 2020 as opposition teams look to nullify his effectiveness with the ball. Averaging close to 150 metres per game and finishing alongside James Tedesco as the leading line breaker in the premiership, expect the "Sivo" chant to resonate around Bankwest Stadium every time the electrifying number two touches the ball.

Developing into one of the finest up-and-coming wingers in the game over the past two seasons, Reimis Smith will be out to make an impression as a centre. Averaging just over a try every two games during Dean Pay's tenure, the 22-year-old has been the Bulldogs primary attacking weapon in recent times with his finishing ability and dazzling footwork gaining recognition, including a place in the New Zealand team for last year's World Cup 9s. Thrown into the deep end opposite damaging centre Waqa Blake on Thursday night, the decision to move Smith in-field could prove to be a game-changing move for the blue and whites.

The favourite: Scoring an additional 12 points and conceding 10 fewer in matches played at Bankwest Stadium, the Eels are expected to prove too strong for a Bulldogs team renown for struggling over the early rounds.

My tip: Winning nine of 11 matches at Bankwest Stadium last year off the back of a vocal home crowd, the opening night atmosphere should see the Eels prevail in the latest instalment to one of league's great rivalries. Eels by 13.