Preview: Eels v Dragons

VENUE & TIME: Parramatta Stadium, Friday March 12, 9.35pm (NZDT).
COVERAGE: Channel 9
LAST TIME: Eels 25 – Dragons 12 at WIN Jubilee, qualifying final , 2009.
MATCH ODDS: TAB NZ: Eels $1.70, Dragons $2.05

WALKING WOUNDED: The Eels will be at full-strength on Friday night, despite the club having its injury concerns during the trials. Daniel Mortimer (concussion/head gash), Jarryd Hayne (sternum) and Ben Smith (cheekbone) had their problems in the pre-season, but all three will be on deck come Friday night. Veteran back-rower Nathan Hindmarsh made a successful return from off-season wrist surgery in the club's trial against the Roosters in Gosford a fortnight ago.
The big injury worry out Dragons' way has been with former Test centre Matt Cooper, who has been troubled with a hamstring problem he picked up in the All Stars game back in early February. Cooper hasn't played in any of the Dragons trials since and faces a fitness test prior to Friday night's game. Other players unavailable include Neville Costigan (knee - Round 4), Kyle Stanley (ankle - Round 7) and new recruit Penny Tagive (knee - season).

FORM: We have learnt over the years not to read too much into trial form and if you're an Eels fan that rule will hopefully ring true in this instance. Last year's grand finalists hardly set the world on fire throughout the month of February, suffering hefty losses at the hands of the Dragons, Roosters and Panthers, but they did not field a full-strength side in any of those clashes.
It was steady-as-she-goes for the Dragons during the trials with wins over the Eels and Bulldogs and a hard-fought draw with the Rabbitohs in the Charity Shield. But really, its premiership form we remember most and the final six weeks of the Dragons' 2009 season were extremely disappointing for a team that had been so consistent in the rounds previous.

WHO'S HOT: The tug of war between Canterbury and Parramatta over the services of boom youngster Daniel Mortimer came to a halt earlier in the week with the 20-year-old putting pen to paper with the Eels for a reported $500,000 over two years. This provides the perfect lead-in to the premiership season for this likeable young man who is destined to go a long way in the game.
Darius Boyd was in career-best form in the first half of last season for the Dragons, only to fade into obscurity during the more important latter-season matches. One criticism of winger-come-full-back was his failure to successfully link with his frontline teammates. But anyone who saw him set up three of the Dragons' tries in the Charity Shield would feel confident that the Aussie Test rep will be more of a complete player from the back in 2010.

WE THINK: It is unfortunate this game wasn't taken to a bigger venue because it has 'blockbuster' status written all over it, especially after what transpired at the back-end of the 2009 season. Who can forget the Dragons trouncing the Eels at home in Round 26 to take the minor premiership, only to fail miserably against Daniel Anderson's men just a week later in the opening round of the finals? Anderson's contrasting preparations for those two games proved masterful and one gets the feeling he has done the same leading into