NRL Round 5 Preview and Prediction - Canberra Raiders v Parramatta Eels @ GIO Stadium

Canberra Raiders v Parramatta Eels @ GIO Stadium
 
Preview - Two teams struggling so far to live up to big expectations in 2017, in the Raiders and Eels, meet in a crucial Round 5 showdown on Saturday night at GIO Stadium in Canberra. The Raiders were one of the Premiership favourites coming into 2017, however have experienced a slow start to the season, winning just one from their opening 4 games. Last week they showed their quality in matches, however made far too many fundamental errors in their narrow 13-12 loss to the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium. The Eels have hit the wall in the past two weeks after starting the season in fine style. The 20-6 loss to Cronulla at ANZ Stadium was the second straight week Parramatta's attack had faltered and been held scoreless in the second half. Like the Raiders, the Eels were guilty of turning over cheap ball early in tackle counts and failing to build any real pressure on their opposition, despite a territorial advantage. 
 
History - It was contrasting fortunes when the two sides met in 2016. The Eels thumped the Raiders 36-6 in Round 6 where Kieran Foran and the majority of the Eels’ senior players were on the paddock. Later in the year, when injuries mounted up for Parramatta and the Raiders got on a massive roll, it was the Raiders that triumphed 28-18 at GII Stadium. 
 
Canberra Raiders Scouting Report - Elliott Whitehead has been outed for 1 week by the match review panel for tripping, which means Clay Priest comes back at prop and Dave Taylor wins a spot on the bench. The Raiders really need Josh Hodgson and Aiden Sezer to take control over this side like they did for large portions of 2016. Whilst I don't think the Raiders’ forwards have played at the level they did in 2016, I feel their spine are out of sync at the moment, and allowing Blake Austin too many kicking and passing duties when he should be left to focus on his running game. 
 
Parramatta Eels Scouting Report - Tepai Moeroa returns for the Eels in the starting back row after missing Round 4 through suspension. After their left side attack looked so dangerous in the first couple of rounds, both Michael Jennings and Semi Radrada have experienced quiet games in Round 3 and Round 4 as Parramatta’s attack has faltered inside the opposition red zone. 
 
Verdict - Eels by 1-6 in an upset

I'm going with an upset here and the Eels to bounce back from two very disappointing displays. I'm just a bit worried about the Raiders at the moment, as their only win this season was against the bottom placed Tigers in a game that proved nothing more than a training gallop. I think their spine, which has a lot of potential, has been really out of sorts this year, and their halves in Austin and Sezer are down on confidence and failing to take control of games. I was so impressed by the Eels in their first two games that I'm a little miffed what has happened the past couple of weeks, however I still think they have showed a lot more than Canberra at this early stage of the season. I'm expecting this game to be very physical and one of the higher standard games of the week, with both teams desperate for a win. I'm expecting this game to be higher scoring than people think and for it to go right down to the wire, with the Eels prevailing by a try or less.