The Dyldam Parramatta Eels take on the Wests Tigers on Saturday, July 30, at ANZ Stadium in Round 21 of the NRL Telstra Premiership.
Previewing the game thanks to betting.club, Blue and Gold Assistant Coach Steve Murphy says the Eels will need to be prepared to take on a dangerous 10th placed Wests Tigers outfit that boasts plenty of dangers in their side.
“They have a lot of strike in their football team and they play very quickly ball in hand,” Murphy said.
“Woodsy is an Origin player and gets them on the front foot, I think Elijah Taylor has been a real key to their mid season form as well playing that little bit extra football out of the middle of the park.”
“Tedesco out the back and two young halves in Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks, so they are a quality team but everyone is in this competition.”
With so many dangers in their outfit, Murphy says the Eels will need to control where the opposition receive the football, with a key focus on the attitude and intensity of our defence this week.
“It is important to shut down their momentum. We have the things we need to do well in the game and one of them is controlling where they receive the football and how much time we spend defending our own try line,” Murphy said.
“If you are camped on your try line and you give them time and space with the ball their young halves will carry the ball deep into the line, create space for Tedesco and he will be good enough to do the rest.”
“We will have to defend really well this week and if we do that with plenty of attitude and intensity, we will control what they are doing with the ball.”
“Their halves play with great confidence and they play on the front foot. They are great front foot players if you like and hopefully we can create some pressure there, and like all teams we will try and put pressure on halves and we will have to make sure we do that to limit their effectiveness.” Murphy added.
Faced with depleted stocks in the outside backs in recent weeks, Murphy says that the inclusion of John Folau to partner Vai Toutai, in place of second-rower Manu Ma’u who has been ruled out through suspension, will be prepared to do his job in his first grade return.
“Much has been made of the combinations we are lacking at the moment, with different edges again this week, but the boys will be there to do the job and it won’t be an excuse on our part,” Murphy said.
“We are really proud of Johnny. He has worked really hard on his game and on his fitness. You will see a different body shape from Johnny when he runs out this week, but he has done well, dropped kilograms where he needed to and has got fitter and I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes against the Tigers this week.”
Kick off is at 5.30pm on Saturday, July 30. The match is an Eels home game, with Wests Tigers ticketed Members receiving reciprocal entry to ANZ Stadium.
