ATHLETESwilloftentellyou
theimportanceofhomeground
advantage,andwhileit certainly
hasbenefits,fewteamshave
displayeda Jekyll-and-Hyde
complexquiteliketheEels.
Parramatta’sawayformin
2019 hasbeenunderwhelming
atbest,buttheytakeona new
personaatBankwestStadium,
withthenewarenaliftingthem
tofivewinsfromsixmatches.
“It’sgoodgettingbackto
Bankwestbecauseit’sbeen
a fortressforus,”Jaeman
SalmontoldBigLeague.
“We’vegota fewgames
thereintheruntothefinals,
soif wecanwinthosethen
hopefullywecanpushfor
that top eight spot.” – MGEXPERIENCEDfive-eighth
BlakeGreenhopeslastFriday’s
one-pointwinoverCronulla
canspringboardtheWarriors
fortheremainderoftheseason.
Followingseveralclosematches,
includingRound17’sdrawwith
Brisbane,Greenkickedthewinning
fieldgoalagainsttheSharksto
lifthissidetoninthontheladder.
“Therewasa lotofrelief,”
Greensaid.
“We’vehadsomeclosebattles
overthepastfouroffiveweeks.
We’vebeenineveryfightand
teamshaven’tbeenableto
squashusoutofeverygame.
“Butwehaven’tbeenabletoget
ontopoftheotherteamsaswell,
butthey’vebeenclosecontests- soit’snotallbad.” – MB
VETERANback-rowerAlexGlenn
saidtheBroncoscan’texpectan
easyvictoryagainstcellardwellers
GoldCoastonSaturdayevening.
TheTitansmayhavewonjust
fourgamesin 2019 andlosttheir
coacha fortnightago,butGlenn
saidhisteammustbecautiousofthe
woundedopponentsthisweekend.
“Idon’texpectaneasygame,
that’sforsure,”Glennsaid.
“LivingontheGoldCoast,you
seethepapers– thewholeback
page.Asa player,it startstoget
youmentally.I knowthoseboys
aregoingtocomeoutandreallyfire
up,especiallyinfrontoftheirhome
crowdwhereit mattersmost.
“WhentheyplayedusinBrisbane
theyputnumbersonusandgota big
win.Youcan’tturnupandexpectto
win,eventhoughthey’reatthebottom
of the ladder.” – MICHAEL BLOKRound 19BIG LEAGUE 2019 27WESTERNSydneywillflytothe
westcoastofAustralianextyear,
withtheBulldogsannouncing
theywilltakeonegameper
seasonforthenextthreeyears
toHBFParkinPerth(pictured).
Theclubhasbeenforcedto
releasetheirscheduleearlyastheir
usualhomegroundofANZStadium
willundergorefurbishmentdirectly
followingnextyear’sStateof
Origingame.Theywillplaythe
restoftheir 10 homegamesin
Sydney,movingtoBankwest
Stadiuminthelatterstagesofthe
seasonaswellasonematchattheir
spiritualhomeinBelmore.
“Withthere-developmentof
ANZStadiumbeginninghalfway
throughnextseason,wethoughtit
wasimportanttoplanwellaheadin
termsofwherewearegoingtoplay
ourhomematches,”BulldogsCEO
Andrew Hill said. – MB
EVERYwinintheregularseasonisworthtwocompetition
points,butatthisstageoftheyear,teamsonthefringe
ofthetopeightoccasionallyfindthemselvesinvolved
inmatchesthatarewortha wholelotmore.
Newcastle’sclashagainstWestsTigersonFridayhas
thefeelofa four-pointclash,withtheteamsstuckin
a logjamforthefinaltopeightspot.
Bothteamsenterthematchonthree-gamelosing
streaks,withtheKnightsreelingfollowinga 48-10hiding
atthehandsoftheRoosters.HalfbackMitchellPearce
hasplentyoffinalsexperienceandsaysthenextmonth
offootywilldefinehisteam’sfortunesastheylookto
bouncebackfrompoorpost-Originform.
“We’renotina badposition,butthesenextfourweeks
aretheseasonandthat’stheexcitingpart,”Pearcesaid.
“Rightnowthere’llbea bitofnegativityafterthe
review– asthereshouldbe– but we’ll moveonand
get ready for the Tigers.” – MARTIN GABOR