Eight-year Parramatta feat tough, but Lenihan ready for challenge

Interim Titans coach Jim Lenihan knows the Eels will be tough to beat on their home turf on Sunday night. 

A feat the Gold Coast haven’t achieved since 2015, they travel to Parramatta with a strong aim to snap a two-game losing streak after tough losses to both the Raiders and Dolphins in the past fortnight, but the challenge doesn’t get any easier against the finals favourites who are expecting to be full strength for the clash. 

“They’re a quality side and they’re playing really good football at the moment,” Lenihan said. 

“They’re a team that has really skilful forwards, really good halves and a great fullback so we certainly have our hands full. 

“(Mitchell) Moses has done a great job to be recalled into the Blues Origin side, but not only that, they’ve got their pack that play a really big game, especially Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard who really set the platform  for them and then you’ve got Gutho (Clint Gutherson) out the back. 

“There’s a lot of strike amongst that team and we’re very aware of it, but we’re really looking forward to the challenge.”

But despite going into the contest as clear outsiders, the Titans are in the box seat to spring a market upset, taking confidence into the match with the likely welcomed additions of the Queensland quartet and the belief of beating the Eels after getting the job done in Magic Round earlier this year. 

In order to get the two points, Lenihan wants his side to continue to focus on their effort and work rate, and the way they represent themselves in a Gold Coast jersey - something that was strong evident when they last defeated Brad Arthur’s men. 

“I said right at the very start, regardless of win, lose or draw; it’s about how perform and I think we’re keeping ourselves in the game longer and playing a tougher style of footy,” he said.

“We’re certainly resilient in the back half of the games and a couple of mistakes certainly hurt us during the game (against the Dolphins), but every game has mistakes that you have to recover from. 

“The effort that we put out on the weekend without our Origin boys was certainly brave but we still have to acknowledge the fact that we didn’t come away with the win and we’ve got to keep working harder.”