Eels need to do more than just bash: Hindy
Parramatta will attempt to follow the blue print of bashing St George Illawarra off the park - but acknowledge a physical style of play won't be enough to knock off the NRL's defending premiers.
In their only loss this season, the Dragons were battered in a brutal contest by a huge Cronulla forward pack before going down 16-10 in round two.
The Roosters employed similar tactics in last round's Anzac Day clash, but were unable to pry open a steely defensive line as the Dragons emerged victorious 24-10.
Eels skipper Nathan Hindmarsh watched with interest as Roosters forwards Nate Myles, Mose Masoe and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves routinely pounded rival prop Michael Weyman - who produced a series of uncharacteristic errors.
But Hindmarsh believes it will take more than just a physical belting for the Eels to come out on top on Sunday at WIN Jubilee.
"I definitely noticed it on the weekend," Hindmarsh said.
"They're a very good team St George, and they'll handle that and they'll come over the top of it towards the end when they need to and I think they did that against the Roosters."
Coach Stephen Kearney also noted the gameplan that had previously rattled the competition's benchmark team - but said it would not alter his plans this weekend.
"(The Roosters) were very physical with the Dragons side," Kearney said.
"(But) we have a focus and what we think's going to be effective for us and the plan is to make sure that we really stick to that and have a real determined focus on getting that done, we feel we'll give ourselves a great chance."
After getting their season back on track with last weekend's dramatic, but scrappy, 22-18 win over Gold Coast, Hindmarsh said Sunday's showdown would be their biggest challenge this season.
"It's obviously the biggest test for us this year so the boys are pumped for it," he said.
"It's going to be a big one but we're looking forward to it.
"Definitely (we would take confidence from a win), people are finding it hard to beat St george so if we manage to do it we're going to take a lot of confidence out of it."
The fact that the Eels were yet to play their best football this season - and the continued absence of star fullback Jarryd Hayne who will serve the final match of his headbutting suspension - also did not concern Hindmarsh.
In fact, the veteran backrower saw it as a positive that despite some indifferent form, the Eels remain just two points out of the top eight.
"I think that's a good thing, obviously we scrapped our way to a win on the weekend and that's how we've been playing all year pretty much," he explained.
"Still to be winning games, we're taking confidence out of that because we know we can improve."
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