Updates from the round 13 game at Jubilee StadiumAny thoughts? Email or tweet @JPHowcroft 6.59am BST Look at those conditions. Anyone for slip-n-slide?Warm ups are underway! #PARRAdise pic.twitter.com/tqZ83ZvPm5 6.57am BST With one contest remaining it’s been a round that’s gone largely according to script so far with the Raiders the only side in the top-eight to drop points, but they did have the considerable handicap of taking on the Panthers. The ladder is now firmly established with two wins separating Cronulla in eighth and Wests in tenth. It’s now hard to see anybody below ninth-placed Manly sneaking into the finals. 6.56am BST The penultimate match of the round has just ended. Good win for the Titans. Colossal ⚔#NRLTitansCowboys pic.twitter.com/6gQQvd3bkg 6.53am BST Aside from the two points, today’s clash is for The Johnny Mannah Cup. This is an annual fixture between the two sides that honours former Eels and Sharks player Jon Mannah.An Eels junior who joined the Sharks in 2009, Mannah returned to Parramatta ahead of the 2012 season. He sadly passed away after losing his battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in January of 2013, aged just 23. Since his passing, the two clubs have played for the Johnny Mannah Cup in their first meeting each season. The Eels claimed the cup after a 24-12 victory in Round Four of the 2019 season. 6.51am BST Conditions are grim. It’s unseasonably cool in southern Sydney today with a firm southerly making it feel as low as 4 degrees, while the whole south coast of NSW is shrouded under a blanket of rain. Jubilee Stadium has been used heavily in recent weeks with the A-League and NRL both operating out of the venue. Today’s conditions are going to put the quality of turf to the test.Wet weather footy this arvo! Kick off at 4pm! #PARRAdise pic.twitter.com/O6JBWiiJ9t Related: Southern NSW hit by up to 200mm rain as weather warnings issued for coast 6.47am BST There’s also some bat-raising going on in the Eels camp with Clint Gutherson leading out his side on his 100th appearance. The fullback played five games for Manly before being picked up by the Eels in 2016."I never thought I would be captain of the Parramatta Eels"Clint Gutherson says it's surreal to be captaining the Eels, as he approaches his 100th game for the club.Full Video - https://t.co/KIJvTQC8RC#PARRAdise pic.twitter.com/VonMZsIeP0 6.38am BST It’s a day of milestones in the Shire.Number in the ⚫️⚪️ this afternoon for our skipper @wadegraham17 Congrats Wadeo!#UpUp#NRLSharksEels pic.twitter.com/LwhiBT1bGrIt will be number in the @NRL for @Josh_Dugan this afternoon!Congrats Dugey #UpUp#NRLSharksEels pic.twitter.com/Kpkbwzynpj 6.32am BST Just the one change for Parramatta with Ray Stone returning from injury in place of Brad Takairangi. Ryan Matterson continues to miss out, following a head knock in Round 11. EELS: Gutherson, Sivo, M. Jennings, Blake, Ferguson, D. Brown, Moses, Campbell-Gillard, Mahoney, Paulo, Lane, Niukore, N. Brown. Interchange: Davey, Stone, Evans, Kaufusi 6.31am BST The Sharks have been boosted by the returns of Matt Moylan, Jesse Ramien and Josh Dugan from hamstring injuries. They come in for Briton Nikora and Braydon Tindall, who are omitted, and the suspended Jackson Ferris. Scott Sorensen is a last minute inclusion for Jack Williams.SHARKS: Kennedy, Katoa, Dugan, Ramien, Mulitalo, Moylan, Johnson, Hamlin-Uele, Brailey, Woods, Talakai, Graham, Sorensen. Interchange: Tracey, Rudolf, Wilton, Hunt 6.14am BST Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the final match of round 13 in the 2020 NRL premiership season. It’s the second all top-eight clash of the weekend and promises to be a close run thing between the in-form Cronulla Sharks and the high flying Parramatta Eels. The action gets underway at Kogarah just after 4pm. Both sides will be looking to put in more convincing performances this time out after scraping past unfancied opposition last weekend. The Sharks required a blistering late comeback to defeat Brisbane Broncos while the Eels led 18-0 before half-time against Canterbury Bulldogs, only to cling on at the death by two points. Continue readingread full article
