Parramatta Eels vs Cronulla Sharks

The first of today’s NRL Round 5 matches is between Parramatta Eels and Cronulla Sharks. The opening kick is set to commence at 5:30pm local time with the game to be played at Parramatta Stadium. The away team Cronulla are the current favourites in the odds. View our preview and teams for the match between Parramatta Eels and Cronulla Sharks.

Parramatta’s left-edge defence is certain to come under fire from Cronulla’s playmakers this week given how poorly they’ve coped with a barrage over the past fortnight. Jacob Loko and Vai Toutai certainly haven’t had it easy by any means but the fact that the Roosters scored four tries on their edge – three of them in the first half as they raced to a 22-0 lead – is a concern.

Toutai in particular has struggled under the high ball while twice he was caught coming in too far last week (he’s missed five tackles in three games). Sharks coach Shane Flanagan is too clever not to have noticed the weak spots.

Watch Out Sharks: If there is one man likely to cause Cronulla some troubles it is Eels halfback Chris Sandow. While fullback Jarryd Hayne continues to search for his top form, Sandow has been scintillating so far in 2013 with four try assists, a try, two line-breaks and eight tackle-breaks.

Sandow played a starring role in the Eels’ Round 1 thrashing of the Warriors and was by far the most dangerous with the ball in hand in losses to Canterbury and Wests Tigers. His favourite play is to drift casually across field looking for runners before exploding through a gap if he spots a lazy defender. The Sharks must be on guard.

Plays To Watch: The Sharks absolutely love hitting the lead runner when set up for a backline play – and they’ve enjoyed plenty of success in doing so this season.

It’s all quite simple in theory: with players in position out wide and bodies in motion, the playmaker looks to throw a second-man pass behind the decoy runner but instead throw a short, flat pass to the decoy or ‘lead’ runner at the last minute. It’s a play that requires perfect timing if it is to confuse the defence but Cronulla found success with it in the lead-up to their second try against the Gold Coast in Round 1 and saw it work on multiple occasions against the Warriors a fortnight ago.

Key Match-Up: Jarryd Hayne v Michael Gordon. How Parramatta could do with a Jarryd Hayne master-class this week! Coach Ricky Stuart has worked hard to ease the burden on Hayne this season but there is no doubt they still need him at his best if they are to be any sort of force in 2013. And it’s no surprise that he has been particularly quiet the past three weeks during the Eels’ losing run.

Michael Gordon, on the other hand, has been superb for his new club Cronulla – adding plenty of spark to their backline (averaging 152 metres and five tackle busts a game). He will be even more important this week given the absence of Todd Carney. Watch for him to inject himself heavily.

Where It Will Be Won: Defence will be the key after both sides fell flat in this area last week. In fact, it has now been two consecutive weeks that the Eels have seen their line crossed with far too much ease and conceding 81 points in that time is simply unacceptable.

Likewise, Cronulla must improve upon their efforts last week when they conceded 25 points against a Dragons outfit that had been heavily criticised for its wayward attack during the opening rounds.

The History: Played 76; Sharks 40, Eels 36. The Sharks have been victorious in six of the past nine clashes and incredibly they hold a 12-9 advantage over the Eels at Parramatta Stadium. However, the Eels have won the past two times they’ve met at the venue, including a 29-20 win in Round 13 last season.

Match Officials: Referees –  Gavin Badger & Henry Perenara; Sideline Officials  Ricky MacFarlane & Matt Noyen; Video Referee – Jason Robinson & Matt Rodwell.

The Way We See It: This is a huge game for Parramatta – not only to get their season back on track but to regain some level of credibility after last week’s thrashing. That they face a Cronulla side missing key playmaker Todd Carney will give them hope but we can’t help but suspect Ricky Stuart’s observation that the Eels simply don’t have the cattle in 2013 is pretty much on the money. They will win some games on the back of the Hayne-Sandow combination but tipping them on their form over the past fortnight can’t be a sound decision. Sharks by 10 points.