Round 4: Eels v Wests Tigers preview
Rob runs the rule over Monday's clash between the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal.
Eels, Tigers to turn up on a day off
The Easter long weekend comes to a close on Monday afternoon with the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers facing off in a newly traditional derby at CommBank Stadium.
Sitting alongside seven teams closing out the first month of the season with two wins and a loss, the Parramatta Eels will be looking to follow up a resilience building victory last Sunday.
Clawing back an early 0-14 deficit to emerge with a 28-24 win over the Sea Eagles, coach Brad Arthur has been forced into a major change with Blaize Talagi replacing Mitchell Moses in the halves; the Eels have underperformed without Moses, winning seven out of 16 matches in his absence.
The blue and golds will also welcome back Maika Sivo for the first time this season after the Fijian flyer completed a suspension incurred during the pre-season.
The Eels have dominated all meetings against the Tigers since the opening of CommBank Stadium with eight wins from nine clashes.
Riding high following their first win under coach Benji Marshall last Saturday, the Wests Tigers will be eyeing off back-to-back wins for only the sixth time this decade.
Showing vast improvement from their previous effort with a thorough 32-6 victory over the Sharks at Leichhardt Oval, underrated forward Alex Seyfarth will make his 50th appearance for the club while Asu Kepaoa will replace Alex Twal on the bench.
The Tigers hold a 33% record from 24 appearances at CommBank Stadium; the joint venture emerged with a last-gasp victory over the Dolphins in their most recent visit to the venue in the final weeks of last season.
The Easter Monday derby between Parramatta and Wests Tigers was first contested a decade ago with the Eels holding a narrow lead with five wins from nine clashes.
Last meeting: Round 6 2023 - Wests Tigers 22 Eels 28
Who to watch: Set to take on added responsibility as Parramatta's dominant playmaker for the foreseeable future, Dylan Brown will be looking to continue his strong form displayed during the early weeks of the premiership. Bringing up a century of appearances in the opening round, the 23-year-old playmaker has produced four try-assists to go with more than 100 running metres on average over the first three rounds. Wearing the number seven jersey for only the third time in first grade, the Eels will be looking for Brown to retain his running game, while stepping up to handle last play options, to ensure they get the chocolates on Easter weekend.
Beginning his NRL career with Parramatta before shifting to the joint venture three years ago, Stefano Utoikamanu will be aiming to assert his standing as a formidable front-rower against one of the best packs in the league. Producing a much-improved performance in last week's win over the Sharks with nearly double the output with the ball in hand from a week earlier, the 23-year-old shapes a pivotal figure in improving the Tigers fortunes in both the short and longer-term. Facing off against fellow Samoan and New South Wales prop Junior Paulo in a key positional duel, the Tigers will be looking for Utoikamanu to make his presence felt through the middle of the field.
Favourite: The Eels are expected to make the most of a rare opportunity to play consecutive matches in daylight hours.
My tip: The two previous Easter Monday clashes between the Eels and Tigers at CommBank Stadium have seen the victors kick a field goal. Eels by 7.
