NRL Team List
It is very much a worst case scenario for the Eels following their 14-4 loss to the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday. Jarryd Hayne (Quad, 4 weeks), Bevan French (Shoulder, 2 weeks) and Kane Evans (Ribs, 2 weeks) are set to miss multiple rounds as the Eels continue to search for the catalyst for their maiden victory in 2018.
Brad Arthur has made four significant changes to his line up in the wake of the injuries to Hayne, French and Evans, with Cameron King seemingly the only unforced change as Kaysa Pritchard comes into the starting team. On the other hand, there is one expected change with Will Smith transitioning from bench utility to fullback.
George Jennings finally gets the opportunity to make his club debut on the wing after a strong season in the ISP in 2017 and will presumably line up outside his big brother Michael on the right edge. Peni Terepo reclaims a place on the bench following his return from a hamstring injury last week while the most fascinating inclusion of the week undoubtedly goes to the man marking his first cap for the Eels in nearly a decade as Tony Williams secures the final spot on the bench.
Williams played a strong hand from the bench for the Magpies in their narrow loss to Newcastle on Sunday, hammering out 122m from 10 runs with a hefty portion of those metres (59m) coming after initial contact. A big, physical presence through the ruck has been a focal point of many discussions for the Eels this year and T-Rex has the chance to make that role his own – if he possesses the hunger.
King’s demotion to the extended bench is an interesting situation. In both Round 2 and 3 he wore pretty hefty blows to the noggin – the knock in the Manly game was particularly brutal. Is he undergoing deeper concussion assessments? Or is this purely a call on form? This is definitely one of the key points to follow throughout the week as we eventually gain more clarity on the call.
The man I have been banging the drums for in Marata Niukore earns a place in the extended line up but seems at long odds to earn a call up on Easter Monday barring a rather disastrous sequence of events at training this week. He is joined there by Suaia Matagi and the evergreen David Gower.
The Tigers will be raring to go on Monday following their controversial loss to the Brisbane Broncos in Round 3. Parramatta will need to build on the strong defensive showing they produced against Cronulla and somehow spark their spluttering attack.
I mentioned in my Round 3 Musings that there are actually quite striking similarities between 2017 and 2018 with the Eels looking to snap a hefty losing streak with a win against the Western Sydney joint venture. They prevailed last year in a nail biter and if indeed time is a flat circle – let’s hope they can do the same this year!
Parramatta Eels squad
1. Will Smith
2. George Jennings
3. Michael Jennings
4. Kirisome Auva’a
5. Josh Hoffman
6. Corey Norman
7. Mitch Moses
8. Daniel Alvaro
9. Kaysa Pritchard
10. Tim Mannah (c)
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Tepai Moeroa
13. Nathan Brown
Interchange
14. Beau Scott (c)
15. Kenny Edwards
16. Peni Terepo
17. Tony Williams
18. Cameron King
19. Suaia Matagi
20. David Gower
21. Marata Niukore
Intrust Super Premiership Team List
It doesn’t make for pretty viewing but here is what the Magpies have left in the cupboards as they take on the Western Suburbs Magpies at ANZ Stadium on Easter Monday. The battle for shiny objects will be a scrappy affair – as you would expect from a Magpie-on-Magpie brawl. Nathan Milone will start at fullback while Atini Gafa and Eddie Aiono get recalled to the flanks following the NRL promotion of George Jennings and an ankle injury to Greg Leleisiuao.
Siosaia Vave is the only recognisable name Top 30 name in the forward pack and indeed the (Wenty) Magpies will be relying heavily on their extended roster to fill out the forward pack.
While the (Western Suburbs) Magpies are only one win ahead of the (Wenty) Magpies they sit at 2nd place on the ladder as opposed to Wenty’s second last placing entering Round 4. An upset win seems an unlikely proposition but it would certainly propel the Western Suburbs Wenty Magpies right back into the thick of the action.
Wentworthville Magpies squad
1. Nathan Milone
2. Atini Gafa
3. Dane Aukafolau
4. Nathan Davis
5. Eddie Aiono
6. Kauri Appouri
7. Arana Taumata
8. Magnus Stromquist
9. Brad Deitz
10. Siosaia Vave
11. Haimona Hiroti
12. Matt Woods
13. Sam Gorman
Interchange
14. Piki Rogers
15. Daniel Dole
16. Nick Kassis
17. Carl Winterstein
18. Zach Nicholls
19. James Gammidge
20. Kurt De Luis
Jersey Flegg Team List
After getting pipped by competition front runners Newcastle, the Eels have rolled out a largely same-look squad for their Saturday showdown with the Wests Tigers. There could potentially be some shuffling of personnel on the bench but expect the Eels to field the majority of the named line up.
Parramatta Eels Jersey Flegg squad
1. Haze Dunster
2. Ethan Parry
3. Tuimavave Afualo
4. Noel Aukafolau
5. Taufa Afu
6. Joey Taipari
7. Dylan Brown
8. Sean Keppie
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Oregon Kaufusi
11. Dylan Clifford
12. Nick Okladnikov
13. Michael Tupou
Interchange
14. Jesse Cronin
15. Sam McGregor
16. James Porter
17. Austin Dias
18. PJ Vaigalu
19. Bruce Wakeling
20. Michael Cheer
21. Jaydn Field
22. Tyrone Faulkner
Why has Hoffman never got a crack at fb? From memory he was pretty handy for broncos.. Did play 5/8 as well so could bring something differnt?? Smith seems to play well at fb don’t get me wrong but just curious is all…
I think Hes knees arnt great and he would struggle with the workload
Offside I always thought that also.
We are extremely weak at the wing so if Hoffman played fullback we would be stuck with George Jennings and probably Nathan Davis on the wings this week. Smith is too small to play there.
I dont mind the bench; but i wonder what may change before game day? Not sure Pritchard is able to play 80 mins. Agree with above Hoffman is a good player and I am not sure about Smith under the high ball…last yrs semi in my head……
I do not recall Hoffman playing that well at 5/8. Long time ago but from memory his passing game was not that good. Happy to stand corrected.
Does anyone know what happened to the grand final hooker/forward who played dummy half with Mahoney in the 20s.
Is he injured.
I think he has a very good future
Denzal Tonise? He was picked up by Blacktown/Manly, who have aggressively scouted our fringe players and ex-juniors to build their reserve grade team.
Oh my god.
Theis guy was a dead set gun and i can’t believe we kept Mahoney instead of Tonise. Unbelievable
Look mahoney has good skill but is way to small for the nrl i think.
Well he looks smaller than Kaysa imo.
Totally agree, Very very small. Way smaller than Pritchard. Wont play Nrl I believe as a greedy player and lacks size. Most important thing in Nrl is controlling the ruck and winning the wrestle. Size matters in the middle.
Bulldogs got rid of him for a reason. Straight swap for Parra’s Joey Trimontana
And now Joey Tramontana is playing Ron Massey cup for blacktown.
To put it in perspective, Tonise isn’t getting a run at all in the Blacktown line up and turned out in Ron Massey Cup. I liked Denzal but he was a project player that was a tweener between hooker and middle forward.
Size is the biggest issue dogging Reed for sure but he had little issues in ISP be it in attack or defence. Way too early to make a call either way on Mahoney or Tonise.
Toovey, langer ,etc , no strength to that fallacy , dosent matter how big the dog is its how hard he bites , the games been full of small players that stood tall and tarzans that played like janes , pretty simple , good enough = big enough !!!!!
If there is one truth that rugby league has taught me it is indeed that good enough does in fact mean big enough!
Toovey, Langer? Didn’t they defend one in. Not in the middl
However it says Reed is 180cm and if thats correct thers plenty of current dummy halves who are around that height.
Toovs spent last part career no9 for manly ,nsw, aus i thought
Reed 180cm – Haha he would be lucky to be 172.. As for Toovey & Langer your comparing footy from the 80s, 90s. We are now 2018 and the game has changed. Your right reed might get a crack but I think size will be his down fall. Specially defending in the middle all game week in week out.
Unless they reduce interchange and Reed is used as a rotation dummy half, Come on when middle forwards are tiered that might work. Again only my opinion. He is not structured enough and a lttle to greedy in my opinion.
I would be surprised if Reed does not get a shot at NRL. Is he any smaller than Cook
Solider and ultra fit with attitude to match ,just needs coaching .
Kaysa is 175cm and 85kg
Jake friend is 174 and 90kg
Granville is 171 and 83kgs
Mahoney is 181 and 87kgs I don’t see where you guys get he is small from, he is bigger then the average hooker….
Yeah I found that part confusing too. Think he’s pretty average size for a hooker. Very good prospect.
I’m not here to argue whether Reed makes NRL or not. I just enjoy reading the comments. He is a good player but like all still requires some work, But the potential is there.!
BUT
There is no way Reed is 181cm tall. My son is in the team and is only 177cm and Reed is smaller than him
All good. I’m not sure his height (although his official profile lists him at 180), I just don’t think size will be a problem for him, particularly when you consider we have Kaysa there now.
Nonetheless, it seems we both agree that both he and Kyle S are both terrific hooking prospects at the club.
Yes totally agree Mitch. Both are great talents. Both boys are very different hookers but very exciting in there own right.
Kyle S I think is more the 180cm height
Kyle is taller than 180cm. Unfortunately we won’t see Kyle till 2019.
Talking about the size of hookers and their potential? I think Kane Evans is pretty tall and weighs around 115kgs so does that mean he might go alright at hooker if he doesn’t aim up at prop?
And is that why Steve Edge was a good hooker because he was 178cm and around 85kgs, or was it because he was blind as a bat and often missed the opportunity to be the link in second phase because he just could see that it was on?
Then of course there was Ron Hilditch. For a hooker he was a very tall and well over 105kgs and as a coach was a real good bloke! He was also a floor and wall tiler so his height helped him to get the high stuff above the vanities.
He isn’t no where near 181cm. I seen him last week he would be lucky to be 172-174 if at best
He is more then 175, so I’m not off my head yet anyway..
does it matter how tall he is to a degree?
Everyone thinks C.smith is the benchmark for hooker size when he is a rather large #9
Just be happy that we might have a great prospect in the system instead of baggin the kid.
No one is bagging the kid, I’m not.
Yes it does matter when people are portraying false information no matter how big or small he is. If you want to state something state the facts and truth, not what profiles say.
I think the kid is a talent and glad his part of the blue and gold army.
Sounds lke bagging , on wrong site ??
Salesi Faainga? Injured or has he signed for Blacktown as well?
He has been unseen since 2017?
Is currently injured expected back very soon
How was he unseen if he played in the trials?
I’m pretty sure his absence has been cleared up on other posts.
Hey its lucky for me that i got this blog kicking.. Mahoney n co.
It just goes to show how passionate our members are about our Junior development right 😉
Sixties good bloke
Miatch good guy
Forty i like
Ham sandwich great
All good
I like the Jennings boys combo. I think it will blossom. Hoffman n avau’a combo was working well last year also 2nd souths game. That was b4 injury hit Hoffman.
On our halfs don’t know what’s gone wrong here. It’s only a matter of time b4 they click again.
Moses needs to run more at n thru the line. Norman needs to play on that left edge with Manu mau n the Jennings boys. B4 ppl hammer George Jennings if his as good as Michael n Robert then we have a centre wing combo already made.
#Eels4life#
Only trouble is the Jennings boys are playing on the right.
I do believe our halves will execute better this week for a couple of reasons though. Firstly we have a bigger and more balanced pack who know how to play together and take the mtrs up the middle which will our halves a better crack at the opposition out wide.
Secondly they will not be looking to “get Hayne into the game” and will consequently be more relaxed about playing what is in front of them as they did last year and for Newcastle trial and the first 25 minutes of the Panthers game.
Arana Taumata (Wentworthville) – WTF – have we lost our collective minds? Is this the same bloke who has been kicked out of virtually every NRL/junior/bush club in the country ?????
Surely we have a junior SOMEWHERE who deserves a chance before this bloke. I’m all for second chances but this fellow has had more chances than Jarryd Hayne has headlines.
If that’s how low we’re getting for depth we should just shut up shop and forget it.
Wenty purchase not parra,s i would presume , none of our business .
If we don’t have a suitably aged half for our reserve grade side other than Taumata “we should shut up shop and forget it?”
Really?
Miatch just having these types of people in our club is asking for trouble. I mean how many chances does someone need?
This club has been through the wringer when it comes to damaging player headlines and for mine, this is a disgraceful move considering.
Well he’s a Wenty player so you’re safe.
Hes not at our club hes at wenty ,thier decission not ours !!!!!!!
Really? Yes really Mitch. I dont care that he’s a Wenty purchase. That only emphasises the fact that we apparently don’t have anyone else who would be a better proposition.
Are our/Wenty’s talent scouts totally clueless ? Did you watch his efforts today? In a team beaten 44-4 he did absolutey zilch, nada, zip. His halves partner played him off the park. Taumata’s only effort came in the second half when he dropped the ball in the play the ball. Absolute total waste of space.
All good Al, I wasn’t questioning your assessment of his ability as a player, just the conclusion that the alternative is to “shut up shop and forget it”