NRL Team List
After a long pre-season where all Sydney teams endured some of the most testing conditions in recent memory, Round 1 of the NRL (and Intrust Super Premiership and Holden Cup!) is now approaching at breakneck pace. This Saturday the Eels will make the relatively short trip out West where they will be hosted by the Penrith Panthers in the traditional final hit out of the pre-season for both clubs.
Brad Arthur hasn’t pulled many punches in the team he has named for the Western Sydney pre-season derby with the Eels fielding a near full-strength squad minus our premier play-maker Corey Norman (hamstring strain) and seasoned rake Isaac De Gois (head knock). Siosaia Vave is the only other notable exclusion but given he only participated in his first contact session this week, it comes as no surprise that he has been red-shirted for this game. New recruits Josh Hoffman, Suaia Matagi, Nathan Brown and Frank Pritchard will all be on show for the Blue & Gold in their first 13-man fixture of the season.
With so many spots essentially picking themselves the two big winners in the team named are Kaysa Pritchard and Troy Dargan. Pritchard is locked in a three way shoot out for the hooking responsibility with De Gois and Cameron King but impressed last week in the loss to the Gold Coast Titans in Alice Springs. Pritchard’s explosiveness around the ruck could be a real difference maker to the team so a strong showing against an impressive Penrith pack could go a long way come Round 1.
Troy Dargan, another standout from last week in Alice Springs, has a chance to catapult himself up the depth charts for the Eels in his first real taste of top-flight rugby league. Dargan is eligible for the Holden Cup in 2017 but he will hold plenty of responsibility for the Eels on Saturday with Norman sitting out. Always the dominant half in his age group, Dargan’s mettle will be tested by a strong Penrith team as he shares play-making and organisational calls with freshly converted five-eighth, Clinton Gutherson. It will be a fascinating story line to follow within the trial (for which TCT will be there on the day to provide you with live updates!) and a polished effort from Dargan will give Arthur the best sort of headache.
Parramatta Eels
1. Bevan French
2. Semi Radradra
3. Michael Jennings
4. Brad Takairangi
5. Josh Hoffman
6. Clint Gutherson
7. Troy Dargan
8. Suaia Matagi
9. Kaysa Pritchard
10. Tim Mannah (c)
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Tepai Moeroa
13. Beau Scott (c)
Interchange
14. Nathan Brown
15. Kenny Edwards
16. Daniel Alvaro
17. Frank Pritchard
Intrust Super Premiership
The Magpies, while not quite full-strength, have named a high quality line-up for their final tune up of the pre-season. Fielding no less than eight players with NRL caps to their names, Wenty will not be lacking for experience or quality heading into Round 1.
Honeti Tuha and Bureta Faraimo return from the 2016 ISP campaign to reprise their roles in the backline but they are now joined by a bevy of fresh faces in George Jennings (Penrith Panthers) and Dane Aukafolau (Holden Cup) while James Gammidge gets first crack on the wing after spending a little bit of time with the Magpies in 2016.
Youth and experience will play equally important parts in the halves with Jamal Fogarty and Jeff Robson guiding the team around the park and they will be playing behind a relatively young pack. Young guns Alex Twal, Marata Niukore and Kelepi Tanginoa have all secured starting berths while Cameron King, Rory O’Brien and David Gower round out the starting pack.
The make up of the bench is quite interesting with Wenty fielding one true forward in James Hasson while taking on a nuggety outside back in Atini Gafa, a utility half/hooker in Sam Gorman and a utility hooker/lock in Reece Goldsmith. Gafa might be called on to aid the forward pack but even so the interior forwards of the Magpies might be called upon to play considerable minutes.
Wenty are without the services of several players for this trial with the likes of Kirisome Auva’a (suspension) Scott Schulte (injury), Will Smith (injury), John Folau (injury), Matt Woods (injury), Cody Nelson (injury) Jack Morris (?) and Joseph Ualesi (?) all unavailable.
Wenworthville Magpies
1. Honeti Tuha
2. Bureta Faraimo
3. George Jennings
4. Dane Aukafolau
5. James Gammidge
6. Jamal Fogarty
7. Jeff Robson
8. Alex Twal
9. Cameron King
10. Rory O’Brien
11. Marata Niukore
12. Kelepi Tanginoa
13. David Gower
Interchange
14. James Hasson
15. Atini Gafa
16. Sam Gorman
17. Reece Goldsmith
Holden Cup
TBA
Hi sixties, do you think Norman ‘s omission was only precautionary and has he trained at all post the 9s tournament ?
Also, you’d think that will be the round one line up with Degois and Norman to come in. And maybe Kaysa to the bench.
Normie will be OK for Rd1 apparently
training in rehab group. was running today
Cheers
Hi to 40 as well.
If either one of you guys can fill us in concerning Norms and Degois.
40’s thanks for the note re the on page reports through the games.
I look forward to these games especially with the players that BA has given the battons to in this demo game, especially Pritchard and I sincerely hope he makes the spot his own it will be a wonderful accomplishment after his years of injury set backs, and may have some egg faces watching on as a result, again here’s hoping.
The choice of Dargan is also interesting as he was given some pastings last year and muffed his chances, a good off season and a top chance may well have been all he needed.
Youth and experience is good to have especially if they can combine well.
I was (and still am) a huge fan of Dargan but I was quite critical of the manner in which he finished his 2016 campaign. However he has seemingly displayed one of the core traits of a good player with his 2016-17 preseason in his ability to bounce back and address some of the deficiencies in his game.
I have no doubt that he possesses the talent to be a very good first grader. There is a lot of polish to his game for a NYC half on the skills side. This season will push him to elevate his ability to lead and take command of the teams he plays in – be it NYC or ISP – and I believe that will define his future with the Eels.
It will be very exciting to chart his progress!
Sounds good to me and thanks
Thanks 40twenty, reminds me of an old pie song about blackbirds?
Anyway, it was interesting to hear the comments about Troy Dargan and to see the highlights from the Titans game certainly supported the view you and sixties have promoted about this young bloke. I was very disappointed with his form in the latter part of the year 2016. I hope he is encouraged by the performance of Cleary last season and sees himself as able to do the same if the opportunity arises for him later this season.
After this weekend I hope he goes back to NYC for at least the first 6 or 7 rounds before being elevated to ISP. There is nothing like building confidence before playing against men week in week out.
Cheers 40/20. Nice read and superb preview mate.
I too will be v interested in Dargan and how he goes. I have concerns as to how our halves will go in terms of complimenting each other over the season, but have huge faith in BA.
People are talking up the pennys and rightly so, but I am not as sold on their entire pack as some….but we will see. I also wait and see how Cleary goes in his 2nd season in NRL. I hope he goes well for NSW sake…
Well I guess ualesi and tanginoa especially will never live up to the original boom put on them.
On Dargan, can those who have seen a bit of him comment on his defense? Thanks in advance.
It was the weakest facet of his game in 2016 both in execution and application but I believe he has worked hard over the preseason to remedy that issue. It is also a big reason why Saturday looms as such a crucial test for Dargan because if his defence can hold up to what a strong Penrith team will send his way, then he has a legitimate argument for moving up the depth charts prior to Round 1.
Thanks Forty20. Yeah it will be interesting. Defense is something I always look for in up and coming halves (the 2001 GF with Taylor and Chris Sandow being two big reasons).
With Arthur seeming to build his teams around defense it will be crucial I think to see how far Dargan will get in his career under Brad. I hope the kids hard work has paid off and he passes the test this weekend.