Super League Round 17 Preview

Central Coast need to win to entertain any thoughts of making the top-five, while Fraser Park need no further motivation than avoiding relegation. Their 1-1 draw in round six was their Super League first after three wins to the Lightning and two to Fraser Park. Central Coast have won both of their previous Pluim Park fixtures.
Neighbours Granville Rage and PCYC Parramatta Eagles face-up at Garside Park on Saturday night (7.30pm). Parramatta can use victory to push past Rockdale on the points ladder but will be cautious of their cross-town rivals, with Granville, who are also looking to press for a finals berth, proving quite effective against the Eagles. Both sides have won twice and there has been a draw from their five Super League meetings to date. Parramatta won 3-0 at Melita in round six.
A rattled Spirit FC take on a rejuvenated Sydney University at Christie Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off). Spirit FC lost to St George last week to upset hopes for a minor premiership in their first Super League season and will be determined to return to the winners list this weekend. But they tackle a super-hot Uni side who have blasted 12 goals in the past three wins to seriously threaten a top-five spot. The game should provide more than the 0-0 draw played out between the teams in round six.
Northern Tigers will need to lift their game against Bossy Liverpool at Ernie Smith Reserve on Sunday afternoon (3pm). After a tidy run through June, the Tigers were a different team in their one-goal loss to Granville last week. At the same time, Liverpool extended their unbeaten run to five weeks following their first win at home, 2-1 over Central Coast. It will be tight, in four years of Super League, Northern have won four encounters to Bossy?s three.
A depleted Macarthur Rams welcome bogey side Mount Druitt Town Rangers to Lynwood Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). The Rams are in glandular fever crisis and are struggling to get players to training, let alone fielding a full-strength team on weekends. Now in a three-way battle for fourth and fifth spot, Macarthur also face a team they haven?t yet beaten in Super League. Mount Druitt claim the only win, a 3-2 win back in March 2007, to go with two draws, including a 2-2 result in round six.
Rockdale City Suns and St George Saints take to the field in a cross-town derby at the Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Both teams won last week with the Suns taking top spot and the Saints moving into equal-fourth, but there will be more at stake this weekend. St George claimed their first Super League victory in six tries over Rockdale when they won 2-1 at home in round six, and they will be keen to make it a double at Ilinden, where they have lost twice (2-0 and 4-0).

-By Daniel De Nardi