Parramatta Eels touch in Darwin ahead of Dolphins blockbuster
The Parramatta Eels have touched down in Darwin to a crowd of fans ahead of their big Friday night match against the Dolphins. Read how excited they are to be in the Top End.
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Lifelong Parramatta Eels fan Sam Korn was among the first to greet his team at the Darwin airport ahead of their blockbuster NRL game against the Dolphins at TIO Stadium.
The Top End is the Eels’ second home, with the side coming up each year often to sellout crowds at the Marrara stadium.
Mr Korn got a first look at the side bringing along a jersey to collect signatures from every player ahead of the big game, which this year he has VIP tickets for.
“It’s awesome, my pop was a fan, and I’ve been following them since I was a kid so it’s great to have them up here,” Mr Korn said.
“I couldn’t be luckier than to have them as the Darwin team, it’s amazing, I don’t get to go down there and see any games so this is the one I do get to watch each year.
“The players are all really friendly, and I get the jersey signed every year, I’ve got a bit of a collection going now.”
The Eels are hoping to snap a two-year losing streak in the NT having lost to the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos in recent clashes.
A win here will also push the side, currently sitting 11th with three wins from six games, to their first back-to-back wins of the season, following their 27-20 win against the Cowboys.
The side will have to do it without Mitchell Moses, but star prop Junior Paulo believes the side are feeling fit and ready for the big occasion.
“We’re feeling pretty good off the back of last week, we’re looking to hit the ground running,” he said.
“Every time we’ve played up here it’s been to a sellout stadium, it’s good for the game and the community up here.
“Everyone knows when we’re in town and the community shows their support, whether we’re at the shops or elsewhere you can tell there’s a lot of blue and gold supporters up here.”
Second-rower Bryce Cartwright was equally pumped to get out on the field in front of the Top End Eels supporters.
“It’s always good to get up here and see all the fans and interact with them,” he said.
“We’re sort of used to the heat up here, we’ve struggled in the past in holding the ball and making errors, it’s all about completion up here and in the last few years we haven’t done that.
“It nice coming up here and seeing how happy everyone gets to see us, seeing the kids on the ground before the game and the crowds we get, we just want to put on a good game for them.”
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Originally published as Parramatta Eels touch in Darwin ahead of Dolphins blockbuster
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