2020 NRL – Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs taking place? Thursday 12th March, 2020 – 09:05 (UK)
Where is Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs taking place? Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta
What is the expected weather for Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs? 20c in clear skies
What channel is Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
Where can I get tickets for Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs? Click here for ticket information on 2020 NRL matches
THE TEAM NEWS
PARRAMATTA EELS
Starting 13: Gutherson, Sivo, M. Jennings, Blake, Ferguson, D. Brown, Moses, Campbell-Gillard, Mahoney, Paulo, Lane, Matterson, N.Brown – Interchanges: Takairangi, Niukore, Evans, Terepo – Reserves: Stone, Kaufusi
Unavailable:
- Parramatta have plenty of support behind them this season and they will be quietly confident of competing in the finals once again having fallen short in their semi-final clash with Melbourne last year.
- Mitchell Moses has blossomed since his move from Wests Tigers and he could be the key man alongside Dylan Brown in the halves and they should be able to play behind a dominant pack.
- The Eels were able to
strengthen the pack in the off-season as they countered the loss of Manu
Ma’u and Tepai Moeroa with the additions of Reagan Campbell-Gillard and
Ryan Matterson.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Starting 13: Watene-Zelezniak, Meaney, R. Smith, Hopoate, Crichton, Wakeham, Lewis, Tolman, Marshall-King, Napa, Jackson, Stimson, Elliott – Interchanges: Britt, To’omaga, Faitala-Mariner, Holland – Reserves: Ogden, Averillo
Unavailable: Kieran Foran (Injured), Chris Smith (Injured), Sauaso Sue (Injured), Marcelo Montoya (Injured), Corey Harawira-Naera (Disciplinary), Jayden Okunbor (Disciplinary)
- Canterbury showed some glimpses of what they can do towards the back end of last season but need to find some more consistency after struggling for the majority of that campaign with their squad featuring very few additions in 2020.
- The Bulldogs have been rocked by some off-field drama on the eve of the season and that has resulted in Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor being stood down whilst the NRL conduct an investigation into their behaviour.
- Canterbury are also unlikely to be able to call upon Kieran Foran for the majority of the season due to a shoulder injury with Brandon Wakeham and Lachlan Lewis winning the battle to form a partnership in the halves in round 1.
THE PREDICTION
Parramatta were the dark horses to make the NRL Grand Final last year but could not quite deliver on the promise they showed in their annihilation of Brisbane in the first week of the play-offs. The Eels were 58-0 winners in that contest but could not back that up in their following game with Melbourne. They have made a few eye-catching additions to their pack in the off-season and will be confident of starting this campaign well with the Eels able to win this opening game of the season in some comfort against Canterbury.
