There was an official NRL launch last week that formally signified the commencement of the season but nothing really says the footy is back like good old Team List Tuesday. Hang on, something is different this year. There are now 21 names (blackjack!) listed on the NRL team list in a move by the governing body of the game to combat the rampant copy/pasting that was ever so popular in recent times. How effective it will prove to be remains to be seen but it will probably cause some drama at some point in the season with selection restrictions applying close to game day. In any event, join me as we roll up the sleeves on the final day of Summer – it is time to get to work.
NRL Team List
Brad Arthur has named a team that is light on selection surprises, save for perhaps for the inclusion of Rory O’Brien in place of Kenny Edwards (stood down indefinitely) but does that really shock anyone? Kaysa Pritchard has claimed the sole hooking spot in the roster following an encouraging preseason along with an injury setback to Isaac De Gois (Concussion/Indefinite) while Suaia Matagi sealed a spot as a starter with a brilliant showing at the Auckland Nines and a very solid effort in trial against Penrith.
The bench is the the most intriguing aspect of the Round 1 roster. Brad Arthur has railed against his own conventional selection trends by not carrying an interchange hooker. Instead, the Eels will battle the Sea Eagles with four forwards (three of which are career middle forwards) as they pack some serious size into their reserves. The Eels are likely to lean on Kaysa Pritchard for as many quality minutes as they can but if he needs to be spelled Brown showed in the Auckland Nines that he might just have the chops to be that guy.
The inclusion of Rory O’Brien points towards Arthur expecting his starting backrowers to play for the majority of the game. Manu Ma’u is a given in this capacity but how Scott and Moeroa are interchanged with Frank Pritchard will be key. Will Pritchard be deployed purely as a lock this week with Tepai playing 80min on the edges? Or will Frank be injected into the game for a destructive stint on the right-edge with Moeroa pushing into the ruck to spell Scott?
This is also the first time that Eels fans will be able to see the three key components (Norman, Gutherson and French) of the spine playing together, which will make for an exciting sub-plot to the season opener. French was given greater play-making responsibility in the Penrith trial so how will that translate into Round 1? Will we employ a similar structure to the Cowboys with Norman playing the role of JT and working both edges while Gutherson and French share the responsibilities down the right? There are so many questions to be asked as the footy drought reaches its zenith but the only answer we need for the moment is a win against our arch-rivals Manly this Sunday.
Parramatta Eels
1. Bevan French
2. Semi Radradra
3. Michael Jennings
4. Brad Takairangi
5. Josh Hoffman
6. Clint Gutherson
7. Corey Norman
8. Suaia Matagi
9. Kaysa Pritchard
10. Tim Mannah (c)
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Tepai Moeroa
13. Beau Scott
Interchange
14. Nathan Brown
15. Daniel Alvaro
16. Rory O’Brien
17. Frank Pritchard
Reserves
18. Jamal Fogarty
19. Cameron King
20. David Gower
21. Scott Schulte
Intrust Super Premiership
The Magpie will start the season missing a plethora of troops (Will Smith, John Folau, Kirisome Auva’a, Cody Nelson, Joseph Ualesi, Matt Woods) but have still named a highly competitive team that features seven players with NRL experience. Young guns George Jennings and Marata Niukore has successfully cast aside injury doubts following their early exits from the ISP Trial against the Panthers to take their places in the starting team in a boost for the Magpies. They are joined in the starting roster by boom centre Dane Aukafolau who posted a fantastic individual preseason to push for senior honours above the Holden Cup. He will likely make way for Auva’a in Round 2 but Saturday represents a legitimate chance to make a last impression.
Scott Schulte and Jack Morris are also named to play after missing the Penrith trial due to niggling injuries with Schulte also clearly in the frame for first grade after earning selection in the 4-man shadow NRL squad alongside Cameron King, David Gower and Jamal Fogarty.
The Magpies with host the North Sydney Bears at Ringrose Park on Saturday afternoon. TCT will be there live to give you the blow-by-blow as Wenty look to hit the ground running.
Wentworthville Magpies
1. Honeti Tuha
2. Bureta Faraimo
3. George Jennings
4. Dane Aukafolau
5. Scott Schulte
6. Jamal Fogarty
7. Jeff Robson (c)
8. Alex Twal
9. Cameron King
10. Kelepi Tanginoa
11. Marata Niukore
12. James Hasson
13. David Gower
Interchange
14. Jack Morris
15. Sam Gorman
16. Reece Goldsmith
17. Danny Howard
Holden Cup Team List
The NYC Player Profiles are still absent from parraeels.com.au but Luke Burt has conjured a magic trick for the ages to somehow draft a team to play the Sea Eagles on Sunday! Terrible jokes aside, the Eels have named an extremely youthful side which falls exactly in line with my preseason projections as six SG Ball eligible players (Dunster, Afualo, N.Aukafolau, Fonua, Utoikamanu and Kafusi) earn Round 1 selection. Incredibly, five of which are starters.
Dean Matterson joins Denzal Tonise as co-captain after building on what was a quietly excellent 2016 and he re-unites in the halves with Troy Dargan who himself will be looking to cash in on a productive preseason with the full-time squad.
The starting pack has plenty of strike and size with firebrand booked Steve Dresler earning starting reps at lock following a dazzling performance against Penrith two weeks ago. The dynamic human wrecking ball more commonly known Salese Faingaa will make his long awaited debut in the Holden Cup for the Eels and his combination on the edge with Tui Afualo will be a critical aspect in the season opener against Manly.
As with the Intrust Super Premiership season opener, TCT will be live from Brookvale (or rather Lottoland) to cover all the action.
Parramatta Eels Holden Cup side
1. Anthony Layoun
2. Haze Dunster
3. Tuimavave Afualo
4. Noel Aukafolau
5. John Fonua
6. Dean Matterson (c)
7. Troy Dargan
8. Sean Keppie
9. Denzal Tonise (c)
10. Frank Sale
11. Filia Utoikamanu
12. Salese Faingaa
13. Steve Dresler
Interchange
14. Reed Mahoney
15. Tangi Hokai
16. Dylan Clifford
17. Oregon Kafusi
Reserves
18. Kamren Cryer
19. Mitch Butfield
20. Dom Murphy
21. Beni Valu
22. Emosi Alamoti
23. Tomoci Vatubuli
Not meaning to jump the gun, but is it possible that Isaac De Gois is looking to retire?
Wasn’t available for the Penrith trial due to concussion, and is currently on the injured list indefinitely for the same reason
That’s probably jumping the gun. We’ll leave it to the club to keep us updated.
It’s a good looking team given the suspensions and injuries to the squad. Gower may have been unlucky to miss out but Rory played well in 1st grade last year when given the opportunity.
How good is it to have the footy back, can’t wait to get out to Brooky on Sunday arvo !!!
JJ, we bought our tickets on the weekend. The tickets at Manly must be the most overpriced in the NRL. Most of the reserved seats were gone. We have tickets behind the posts, in the corner of the stand next to the hill, just on $100 for 2 tickets with booking fee. Its not like you’re getting brilliant facilities either!
On the bright side, the footy is back!
Holy smokes you have got to be kidding with those prices what do you get a pie and a beer with that and they wonder why people stay away from the grounds. Having said that I am going to that dump of a place myself. I have not gone there since the early 80’s. hope to catch up mate.
OK that is getting up there in price, I have been lucky enough to jag a couple of tickets in a box. So will be getting there early to watch the 20’s as well.
Kaysa Pritchard has come under a fair bit of scrutiny with this selection. Personally i can’t wait to see the likes of the young guns Pritchard, Gutherson and French combining with such a creative player as Norman!
The speed in that “spine” is mouth-watering stuff!
They’ll go good mate.
The forward pack named should give Eels fans every reassurance of how we intend to play this game. Let’s take it to the Manly boys! Bring on Sunday!
Also a special congrats to Haze Dunster, who I believe is playing his first game of U/20s. I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved with junior development teams which he has been a part of. A quiet kid, but not shy of work on the footy field and a classy finisher. If he can continue to grow and fill out, he’ll continue to impress all the right people out Parramatta way.