League: Eels boss looking to slip into top gear

Eels coach Brad Arthur. Photo / Getty Images

Brad Arthur has shrugged off Parramatta's woeful recent record against South Sydney but warned his players it will continue unless they improve the way they start matches.

The Rabbitohs have won the past seven meetings between the sides - a run stretching back to the 2010 NRL season - and are chasing a fourth straight victory in an ominous-looking start to the defence of their premiership at Parramatta tonight.

Arthur's side started the season in brilliant style with a 42-12 win over Manly but lost to Canterbury and the Warriors in their past two outings.

Last Saturday in Auckland saw the Warriors race out to 28-0 lead before finishing the second half well to add some respectability to the final 29-16 scoreline.

"I didn't know about seven in a row and I am sure the players aren't aware either," Arthur said.

"That [record] would be over five or seven years. How much has this team changed? How much has their team changed?

"We started slow against the Warriors and against the Bulldogs, too, and that killed us. They had 13 sets to our two and Warriors had 12 to our three to start the game ... against any team if you start off making 100 more tackles you are going to run out of juice."

The Eels return to Pirtek Stadium tonight, a venue that has seen them win 10 of their past 12 but ironically it was Michael Maguire's side who were the last to leave with two points following their 32-12 win in July last year.

Arthur admitted playing at their acoustically friendly home ground gives his players a boost and backed the crowd to get the best out of Anthony Watmough, who has struggled to match his barnstorming debut against Manly in round one.

"The crowd helps us, but Souths are a team that control field position and give you the ball where they want to give you the ball," he said

"Watmough sets high standards like we all do and he didn't live up to them last week. But it's one game. He has been around a long time and played nearly 300 games."

Key stats
• Souths chasing eight straight wins against the Eels for the second time.

• Eels have a decent record against Souths at Pirtek Stadium, winning eight of their past nine clashes at the venue since 1997.

• Since 2012, Souths have the most wins of any team leading at halftime (41 from 48 games) and the Eels have just five in 47.

- AAP