SPOTLIGHT ON: Sydney Roosters vs Paramatta Eels - Building a Dynasty?

The premier fixture of this week's NRL weekend was undoubtedly the clash between Sydney Roosters and Paramatta Eels.

Pre-lockdown, Sydney had a endured difficult start to the season with defeats in their opening two games. Since the resumption, they have been irrepressible. Not just defeating their opponents, but doing so with style, class and comfort. For Paramatta, they were undefeated and top of the standings before the weekend's fixtures. Champions vs leaders. It was set up perfectly. 

The first half was tense and close, with only the one try from Brett Morris, who appears to be getting better with age. A couple of penalties gave Sydney a two-score lead at the interval. Paramatta have been in this position before this season, even last week against Penrith. Their second half performances in 2020 have been brilliant, so there were no signs of a panic in the Eels dressing room.

True to form, Paramatta struck back to lead. Another experienced outside back, Michael Jennings, in the form of his life in 2020, central to it. In the Eels' earlier matches this year, once they gained the lead, there was no looking back.

But Sydney are different. Despite mounting pressure and herculean defensive efforts, they did not appear to tire or be downcast at all. It took just minutes for them to regain the lead. Thereafter, they turned up the heat and ended up with a three-score win.

I struggle to recall a side with such a level of commitment, patience and desire than this Sydney Roosters side. In the 2019 Grand Final, the 2020 World Club Challenge and again today, the matches have followed the same pattern. Their opponents throw all they have at Sydney, but the Roosters hang on in there. Then, they get one chance and score. Sometimes, it may even come from a moment of brilliance rather than a 'chance' in the obvious sense of the word.

It takes a special kind of team to produce such efforts on such a consistent basis without cracking. From an outside perspective, the level of trust that the players must have in each other and in their head coach Trent Robinson seems an unbreakable bond.

In the NRL era, no side had won back to back championships until Sydney did it last year. In the premier Australian rugby league competition, no side has won three in a row since the great Paramatta side of the early 1980's. It will take a very special side to stop Trent Robinson's men from creating a dynasty.

Despite a 14 point defeat, there is no need for Paramatta to be dismayed. They have come so far since the final round of the 2018 season. In that game, they lost 44-10 to Sydney Roosters. The Eels got the wooden spoon that day. The Roosters got the minor premiership.

The progress made is clear. Five wins from five to start the season tells you a lot. The bravery and commitment they showed to push Sydney Roosters all the way today tells you all you need to know. This is a side with ability and there is no reason that they cannot position themselves as the primary challengers to the Roosters crown in 2020.

These two sides are not scheduled to face each other again in the regular season. However, I would be surprised if they did not meet again. As of yet, we don't know where, don't know when. But I wouldn't rule out that we may have seen the start of a new rivalry at the top of the table today. It very well could be that these two teams are the participants in this year's Grand Final.

There is a long way to go before then, but if these two sides do meet again, based on what we saw today, I'll be glued to the television.