Super League Round 8 Preview
The Eagles are flying high with the league?s best for record of 15 goals scored. Fraser Park is also on the rise and might trouble the competition heavyweights if they can plug the holes in a defence that has leaked a league worst 27 goals. Fraser Park has not beaten Parramatta in four Super League encounters.
Undefeated Spirit FC host second-placed Macarthur Rams in a showdown at Christie Park on Saturday night (7.30pm). Spirit has done enough in every game to bag valuable competition points, including against some formidable foes, and earn a place in the top-five. Interestingly, Macarthur hasn?t lost an away game this year, while Spirit haven?t dropped a home fixture, which will make it interesting come the weekend?s action.
Besieged champions Bossy Liverpool host strugglers Granville Rage at Ernie Smith Reserve on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off) in a match that means plenty to both sides. Desperate for a win to clear away from the relegation quagmire, Liverpool will need to be on their game: they haven?t beaten the Rage at Moorebank since 2005. In seven league meetings, there have been three draws and two wins each.
A stalling Mount Druitt Town Rangers tackle powerhouse Rockdale City Suns at Popondetta Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Rockdale are starting to find top gear but face a thorn in their side in Mount Druitt. The Rangers wiped the Suns from the face of Popondetta with a 4-0 win there in 2007 and followed it up last year with a 3-0 thrashing at the same ground. But Rockdale have chalked up a steady string of solid results of late and will be tough to beat, as usual.
The Northern Tigers are on a three game winning streak and face a St George Saints outfit ? at St George Stadium on Sunday afternoon (3pm) ? desperate to shake their run of rotten luck. The Saints have won both their previous meetings at the Stadium, including a 6-1 rout of the Tigers there in 2007. But St George hasn?t beaten Northern since and the Tigers are on a terrific roll this year, scoring in every game so far.
Sydney University welcome Central Coast Lightning to Uni Oval on Sunday afternoon (3pm) with both sides peeping into the competition?s top five spots. Uni suffered their first loss of the year last week, while the Lightning hasn?t lost in over a month. Interestingly, the Coast also hold onto a convincing historical advantage over Uni having chalked up four wins from four match-ups, scoring twice in each of those victories.
-By Daniel De Nardi
