Super League Round 2 Preview

While most fans will be salivating at the Rockdale versus Parramatta outing on Sunday (two teams widely picked as this year?s potential grand finalists), there is a feast of action to satisfy even the hungriest of football appetites.
League newcomers GHFA Spirit FC play their second successive match at Christie Park on Saturday night (kickoff 7.30pm), this time against Granville Rage. Spirit FC did well to hold last year?s beaten grand finalists Parramatta to a 2-2 draw at home last week and will be keen to knock over another predicted competition finalist when they face Granville. The Rage blasted in three first half goals at Mount Druitt in round one and will hope for a better second half against Spirit FC this weekend.
Fraser Park FC welcome Sydney University to Fraser Park on Saturday night (7.30pm) eager to back up coach Jeff Suzor?s support for them following last week?s 6-1 loss to St George. Interestingly, these two clubs (along with Northern Tigers) form the veteran brigade having been in Super League together since 2004. Unfortunately, history is kinder to Uni, who have won three of their nine league meetings, including both fixtures last year. Four of the games have ended at 2-2, with Fraser Park victorious just once (a 3-2 win in May 2005).
In what promises to be a great game of football, six-goal season starters St George Saints and Macarthur Rams battle it out at Lynwood Park on Saturday night (7.30pm). Despite the two sides scoring 12 goals together in the opening round, they have only managed seven goals from the four occasions they have met in Super League (in 2006 and 2007). St George can boast two 3-0 victories, both at Lynwood, to Macarthur?s sole 1-0 win and 0-0 draw at Saints Stadium.
On Sunday, Mount Druitt Town Rangers travel to take on defending champions FC Bossy Liverpool at Ernie Smith Reserve on Sunday (3pm kick-off). The Rangers lost 1-3 to Granville last weekend, but held the highly fancied Rage scoreless in the second half, taking some momentum into this weekend. Liverpool drew 1-1 with Uni but will be buoyed by the fact that they are yet to lose to Mount Druitt in Super League. After a 1-1 draw in 2007, Bossy have beaten the Rangers 2-1, 3-1 and 5-0 (last July).
Northern Tigers take on Central Coast Lightning at Mills Park on Sunday (3pm), but you would question the notion of any sort of home field advantage. Out of six matches played between them, only one has been won by the home team, a 2-0 win to the Tigers at nearby Valentine Park in 2007. Northern have claimed all three games on the Coast, but were well beaten by the Lightning 1-3 at Mills Park in their latest affair. A 1-1 round one draw against title hotshots Rockdale should have the Tigers pumped against Central Coast, who lost 0-6 to Macarthur.
PCYC Parramatta Eagles play Rockdale City Suns in a battle royale at Hajduk Stadium on Sunday (3pm). If first-up draws to both sides isn?t enough incentive to go for maximum points, the fact that Parramatta have won all four of their Super League fixtures should push both sides to the edge. The Eagles have finished the past two seasons in third and second place, with the next obvious step one that leads to Premier League. But Rockdale have spent big and acquired the services of 2008 grand final winning coach Mile Todorovski, who plotted Parramatta?s downfall in last year?s competition decider.
-By Daniel De Nardi