NRL Team List
So here we are a week later after Round 23 was unfortunately cancelled and nothing else happened our shock loss to the Newcastle Knights. Technically, Brad Arthur has plumped for no changes this week given that Bevan French was actually named in the original Round 23 team list. Unlike last week where there was well publicised doubt over Bevan’s fitness early in the week, French has trained strongly in the lead up to the game against the Titans and should resume his duties at the back.
Kirisome Auva’a has held on to his spot on the right wing following a tumultuous performance against Newcastle under the highball. Josh Hoffman lurks on the fringes in the extended squad but for the first time in a considerable while the entirety of the shadow bench has also been named to the Intrust Super Premiership team list.
It is hard to fault BA for sticking with the roster that until Round 23 had done an exemplary job for him but I think popular concerns about teams figuring out Auva’a on the wing are well founded. The return of French certainly does alleviate some of the issues here given how comfortable the young flyer is under the high ball and how much ground he makes up when covering kicks. With that said French can’t catch everything directed towards Auva’a and the hulking winger will need to be markedly improved under the high ball if we don’t want to see the Titans exploiting him all night long on Thursday.
The Eels enjoyed a run of favourable results following their embarrassing capitulation to the Knights and as such are still in the hunt for a Top 4 finish. For and against will likely cruel our hopes at the end of the season but with a smidgen more luck and a string of wins under our belt we could still secure a second life in the finals.
Parramatta Eels side
1. Bevan French
2. Semi Radradra
3. Michael Jennings
4. Brad Takairangi
5. Kirisome Auva’a
6. Corey Norman
7. Mitch Moses
8. Siosaia Vave
9. Cameron King
10. Tim Mannah (c)
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Tepai Moeroa
13. Nathan Brown
Interchange
14. Daniel Alvaro
15. Kenny Edwards
16. Suaia Matagi
17. Peni Terepo
18. David Gower
19. Will Smith
20. Frank Pritchard
21. Josh Hoffman
Intrust Super Premiership Team List
Wentworthville Magpies side
1. Will Smith
2. Josh Hoffman
3. Nathan Davis
4. Dane Aukafolau
5. George Jennings
6. Troy Dargan
7. Jeff Robson
8. Magnus Stromquist
9. Cody Nelson (c)
10. David Gower
11. John Folau
25. Frank Pritchard
13. Marata Niukore
Interchange
14. Matt Woods
15. Honeti Tuha
16. Joseph Ualesi
23. Wlllis Meehan
18. Scott Schulte
Holden Cup Team List
The Eels prevailed 50-12 in a Top 8 clash over the Newcastle Knights. The Knights dominated territory and possession in the first half on the back of a precise short kicking game that forced numerous line drop outs. Parramatta showed commitment and discipline on their goal line beyond their age and grade to hold out and from there the superior class of impact hooker Reed Mahoney and rising star Dylan Brown saw the Blue & Gold run away in a land slide.
Luke Burt has stuck firm with his troops looking for another strong showing against a team looking to claw their way into the Top 8 in the Gold Coast Titans. Curiously, Ray Stone and Greg Leleisiuao have been named to the extended bench indicating that both are perhaps racing the clock to be fit for the encounter. Kamren Cryer also makes his first appearance on TLT in a long, long time following an extended injury lay off. Cryer’s position on the depth charts may have been usurped by the likes of Brown and Joe Taipari but his return gives the Eels another capable option in the halves should the need arise.
Parramatta Eels NYC side
1. Anthony Layoun
2. John Fonua
3. Emosi Alamoti
4. Noel Aukafolau
5. Haze Dunster
6 Dean Matterson
7. Dylan Brown
8. Sean Keppie
9. Denzal Tonise
10. Oregon Kaufusi
11. Dylan Clifford
12. Salesi Faingaa
13. Mitch Butfield
Interchange
14. Reed Mahoney
15. Tangi Hokai
16. Frank Salu
17. Dom Murphy
18. Joseph Taipari
19. Nick Okladnikov
20. Austin Dias
21. Ray Stone
22. Kamren Cryer
23. Greg Leleisiuao
40/20 like you n brad Arthur I would like to see a much improved side from last weeks shamozzle.
I think karisome a’vua is in the side for his size compared to Hoffman it’s like another semi on the other wing except the speed side of things.
I’m expecting ( TBBF ) vs Titan’s & in a big way.
We need to prove to our self that last weekends game was just a hickup n nothing more.
I’m hoping that French does play.. his talk at the back was missed. His not gutherson with his talk but it’s better then will smith.
If we are to make a noise in the finals then it time our forwards step up n play like they want that top 4 spot. It’s important that we win vs titans.
#Eels4life#
Love the fire Rev! Hope the team can indeed prove that last week was a blip on the radar. We really were not ourselves and we abandoned everything that made our team’s footy identity.
Id suggest BA will demand a massive improvement from Vave. He was the player who dissappointed most V The Knights both offensively and defensively. Come on Siosaia. Lets see some of what we know you can do.
Very fair call Gaz, Vave was very poor even in a disappointing overall team effort. His ability to produce go-forward is integral in our edge dominant roster but he also needs to maintain a baseline effort in defence through the middle. He did neither on Friday and he really needs a big bounce back game.
Best title ever.
Got to keep that title game strong. Every week that I can’t produce a quality pun is honestly a waste of a TLT blog.
Call it ‘nostalgic prognostic fear’, ’10 thousand times bitten forever shy’ or lack of faith in the team but when I saw a headline last week about a vote on the constitution coming up I got the jitters. Then the game started and from the time normy gave 3 last tackle options to forwards instead of kicking or running I knew it was over…
Yes there were some ridiculous decisions but the team I saw reem the Bronco’s just wasn’t playing – 13 or so other nufty’s had somehow taken their place.
My fear is we will repeat the 2014/15 fade outs, we will drop another 4 straight like we did earlier this year. A titans team in crisis, Bronco’s out for revenge and a sour (even more so than normal) South’s side will see us dropping confidence and shunt us from the 8. Or into a sudden death first week finals show down.
The team this week? Solid. Not sure whom I prefer Hoff or AAA but leaning towards the Hoff for his defensive bomb defusing nouse.
Maybe Pritchard in for Tep to come off the bench. He was non existant on Friday.
Hoping for the best!!!!
If Wenty lose this week, that’s it for them. If they win, they could still scrap into the 8 even if they lose to the Panthers next week.
If they can actually put this side out in the paddock in the finals, anything is possible. Anyone know whether Smith, Frank, Gower could play finals for Wenty?
We just have to win this week; or its about the bottom 8 not top 4. Shame we lost last week and we need some on field leadership.
Great work Forty. The often disregarded FACT that some teams from time to time have the wood on other teams, think Saints v Raiders in Canberra or Newcastle v Parra anywhere, or dread the thought……..Titans v Parra anywhere!Check it out for yourselves over the last past 5 or so years.
The good news is? Whenever we do lift against Knights or Titans it is because we are aware of the threat that each of these teams pose against us regardless of where either we or thay are positioned on the ladder!
My theory is…..We are ready for this game. I hope the Titans come with their A game and that we do also. That being the case I expect we will win and that it will be the perfect preparation for our game the following week against the Broncos!