Super League Round 7 Preview

It will be a tough test though, with the Eagles having led from the kickoff to the season and showing no real signs of easing up. With seventeen goals for and only three against, Parramatta have both the best attack and best defence in the competition and last week?s 4-0 roll of Fraser Park only confirms their intentions this season. Not to mention their 4-1 McDonalds Cup win over Balmain.
But Central Coast have proved that they are no walkover as Mount Druitt found out to their cost last Monday. And it may also be best to overlook their Cup defeat to Collaroy Cromer, with the Coast indicating that they would be resting some regulars for that match. The Eagles will need to be wary although the likely return of Ben Delicata will be welcome.
Fraser Park, the team who replaced Central Coast on the bottom rung, meet Northern Tigers at home, and if the Tigers keep up their form from last Sunday, it will be very dangerous indeed for Fraser. It has been difficult for the side from Sydenham who have battled away each week but just failed to get themselves over the line.
Northern Tigers felt that, last week, it all came together for them and they wont want to lose that impetus so soon. With the league?s leading scorer, Michael Simmonds in hot form, goals can be expected. The Tigers overcame a difficult Cup game away at Bulli, by 3-2, midweek so their form is starting to turn.
Tenth placed Macarthur Rams meet Dulwich Hill at Lynwood Park, also on Saturday, and it has been a long time since the Rams were so lowly placed. Macarthur have only the sole win so far and will need to start accumulating points very soon if they are to play a part in the later stages of the competition. Things only got worse for Macarthur too on Tuesday, being eliminated from the Cup on penalties by Fairfield City Lions, of the first division.
Dulwich Hill won?t make it any easier, despite being without several of their established players through injury. The Hill held a 3-1 lead against St George last weekend only to concede two latish goals and rued the points lost. With Jay Lucas and Tony Faria looking exceedingly dangerous, the Rams defence will need to be in top notch form.
Pity Sydney University, who travel to Christie Park to meet Spirit FC. After receiving a hiding last weekend, one can have no doubts that Jason van Blerk will have his Spirit side raring to go to recover some lost pride. It is a rare occurrence that the strong Spirit defence would concede five goals but it happened last weekend. Ten men or not, it was not a pleasing result for the Spirit and who may be looking to wreak revenge this Saturday. Hurstville ZSC certainly paid the price in the Cup, going down 6-0 so Spirit clearly don?t intend to suffer such a loss again.
But third placed Sydney Uni have been performing well again this season and with Caetano Lima back in the fold after injury, and scoring in the Cup midweek, they have strikers who can be relied upon.
Two matches complete the round on Sunday. St George welcome Mount Druitt with both sides looking to get back on the winning trail. The Saints played well last week but found themselves down two goals before recovering to draw while Mount Druitt failed to perform in their loss to Central Coast. The Saints progressed in the Cup on Wednesday with 16 year old Jordan Figon scoring again, his second in five days. Mount Druitt though, suffered a horrendous 5-0 home loss to Mosman and will want to put their disastrous week behind them.
FC Bossy Liverpool and Granville Rage meet at Ernie Smith Reserve. Bossy have lost two of the past three league games, and the Cup on Wednesday, and will need to recover their early season form to overcome a Rage who welcomed back coach Nick Porrecca from overseas last weekend, winning as a result. The Rage have an experienced side and their current fifth placing is no surprise. This is likely to be a tough encounter with no quarter given.
-By Peter Rowney