NRL Team List
‘There is no more neutrality in the world NRL. You either have to be part of the solution, or you’re going to be part of the problem.’
–Eldridge Cleaver (allegedly)
Despite signally potential changes in the Round 4 post-match press conference on the back of persistent in-game disciplinary issues, Brad Arthur has once more held firm against making any significant changes this week.
It leaves me somewhat bereft of talking points for this week’s TLT for the droves of fans clamoring understandably demanding for answers in the way of personnel changes. After four brutal losses on the trot, Round 5 surely has to be an absolute line in the sand challenge for the cadre of players that the commander-in-chief has shown unyielding faith in.
In a way I can relate to Arthur’s predicament. Injury and in particular abysmal form somehow have the Wentworthville Magpies travelling worse than the Eels despite a superior record (1-3 vs 0-4) over the same period of play. That in itself is now a lingering issue that the club needs to address after multiple seasons of underwhelming play from our primary development vehicle. But I digress, leave that for another day.
Despite that there are definitely selections options available to BA. Anyone who has read my weekly TLT and Musings blogs knows that I have staunchly backed Marata Niukore as a bench option to inject some hunger and fire into a listless NRL lineup. Equally so could Reed Mahoney be called upon to spark the Eels through the middle at hooker the way Jacob Liddle did for the Wests Tigers on Easter Monday. While Greg Leleisiuao is out of action until Round 7 with an ankle injury, young centre Dane Aukafolau is one of the few ISP players to hold their own in the torrid start to the season.
Once again, to be fair to Arthur, Mahoney and Aukafolau are presumably outside the Top 30 contracted players and would require dispensation for a NRL debut outside of a proper promotion to the full-time squad. Perhaps in the case of Mahoney though it could have real merit give the recent form struggles of Cameron King and the general fragility of both he and Kaysa Pritchard.
So with the inclusion of the returning Kane Evans (at the expense of Niukore) onto the extended bench the only change between the Round 4 and 5 team lists, I can only issue this challenge to the entire playing group that has been given as much faith as both their coach and supporter base can extend:
If you aren’t part of the solution you are part of the problem.
After four miserable weeks of directionless and ill-disciplined play that has shown zero regard for the ball and possession this is it. Stand up and be counted. Show that you are in fact the solution because if we slip to a fifth straight loss where our football fundamentals erode to the point of failing to give us any sort of realistic chance of victory then you are the problem.
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. Kane Evans
Intrust Super Premiership Team List
As I alluded to above despite securing a Round 1 victory over the Penrith Panthers, Wenty are somehow in a bigger hole than the Eels. There seems to be little hope on the horizon for the Magpies either as they travel to Blacktown to face the team that dropped forty six unanswered points on them in Round 2.
Good luck boys.
Wentworthville Magpies side
1. Nathan Milone
2. Eddie Aiono
3. Dane Aukafolau
4. Nathan Davis
5. Atini Gafa
6. Zach Nicholls
7. Arana Taumata
8. Magnus Stromquist
9. Brad Deitz
10. Siosaia Vave
11. Marata Niukore
12. Matt Woods
13. Ray Stone
Interchange
14. Piki Rogers
15. Sam Gorman
16. Nick Kassis
17. Haimona Hiroti
18. Carl Winterstein
19. James Gammidge
20. Kurt De Luis
Jersey Flegg Team List
The Eels gritted out a 22-8 victory over the Wests Tigers on the weekend on the back of a strong defensive performance to improve their record to 2-2 and keep in striking distance of the competition leaders. There are injury concerns surrounding exciting halfback Joey Taipari but high profile recruit Jaeman Salmon looks to be cleared to make his club debut for the Eels.
Parramatta will play host to the Sea Eagles on Sunday and will be looking to sweep their arch-rivals after a comprehensive 38-6 victory at Brookvale in Round 2.
Parramatta Eels Jersey Flegg side
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
23. Jaeman Salmon
Let’s hope we have a pack of solutions then. Good grief.
Grief is a good word at the moment for those who wear their supporters heart on their sleeve like most on here do.
When you look at the ISP side there is only 2 payers with NRL experience. Whilst it is likely there will be more by game day it is not the level of experience that was anticipated during pre season training for ISP.
This is clearly not helpful to BA for the NRL side and it will be good for both teams to get a few back from injury.
Surely this has to be the last week that he can keep showing the faith before he drops the axe. Does not have to be wholesale changes I don’t think.
Forty how has Vave been performing in ISP? I thought if fit enough this year he had a bit to offer based on last years performance. He did what he did last season without having a good preseason and the opportunity to get as fit as BA would have liked.
I am with you John in that we don’t have to force wholesale changes. There is a need for some fresh blood though I feel, arguably even with a win. Hopefully for everyone’s sake they remember the calibre of football team they should be after the events of 2016 and 2017.
Vave and Matagi haven’t performed to the level you would like for NRL prospects but then again Wenty as a whole have been pretty dire so it is hard to gauge individual effort and performance levels.
Would like to see nuikore get a start soon before we lose him. Scott’s our of form and getting no younger
I think our biggest issue is attitude. I’m not sure why but since rd 1 it’s been different.
There has to be a issue behind the scenes, this is not the same spirited side of 17’16’
BA seems to have an issue with promoting juniors.
We have lost Keppie to Manly and will end up losing Nuikore, Stone, Aukafolau and Mahoney to other clubs who are willing to give juniors a shot.
We are old and stale and need fresh blood in the side but BA has a poor record of introducing juniors to the squad.
From memory he has only ever brought French and Alvaro in.
I know a lot of people have blind faith in BA but mine has completely disappeared.
40’s, its hard to get enthused for the game on Sunday, and while your post is probably the shortest one yet in a long time, as I think you share the heartache and wonderment of all the eels supporters.
Old saying that you should not make change for the sake of it, is more often than not true but, there are many times when changes for change sake has to be done. Reasoning being pretty simple, when no change happens it creates the perfect place for complacency and a sense of security believing no matter what I do, good or bad doesn’t really matter.
BA has said for two weeks now words to the affect about making changes, I would think he has told more than one player, if not the team as a whole, that this week is your audition for the future in regard to the top side. Muff it up and you will be dropped.
While the Wenty side is not producing any real competition and options for BA, there are players that are potential top squad players and waiting to show their worth at a higher level, and on that score alone change could benefit them and anyone dropped, also those not dropped will know that their NRL spot is not secure and likely a future at the club.
Colin, Doc Neeson once said “Nothing’s going to change until a change is made”. I feel that that is the case for Parramatta. We have had the same attitude every week for 4 weeks now. At least the inclusion of Williams injected some spark, but we need a lot more of that.
Longy, Cannot disagree. I am honestly staggered in one sense at no changes to the team as such.
I see nothing in Evans to warrant him putting Marata out of the extended bench, for me the could be one change that would help and that is replace Scott, and I would go for Gower to replace him and play in the back row, but he can do well as a prop, and never let the team down.
OK.. Hands up – How many of us laughed mockingly when BA said words to the effect that some players were on their last chance??
And that’s the problem – you huff and puff then you huff and puff and…
Surely this is the last time BA can make such claims because he is very much on the precipice of good faith with many Eels fans.
Personally I don’t believe in the inadequacy of any replacements but instead I subscribe to BAs unfortunate and blinding faith to his players. I can see that it’s all going to end in tears and that’s such a shame.
He’s a good bloke Brad but now it’s time to be the commander and not the mate.
As far as I know, this is the first genuine ultimatum that Arthur has issued to his players in such a manner? I will gladly retract my comment if shown otherwise but I was hardly guffawing at his challenge to the playing group – it felt genuine.
And for all of the frustration that I vented in the team list blog this week it is important to remember that Arthur’s policy of loyalty to his troops paid for itself in droves in both 2016 and 2017 when he backed his men despite a horde of critics and finished with a winning season against all odds (2016) and a Top 4 berth (2017). He is working with a formula that has absolutely proven itself at this club in the past.
With that said, it certainly feels like a line-in-the-sand game this week. I said as much in this blog and Arthur certainly implied as much in his presser.
Taipari out for the season with Acl. I was also informed Keppie might not be avail due to injury also
The Taipari news is tragic. Terrific kid and a real talent. Can only hope he comes back with some fire in the belly to make up for the lost time.
We are fortunate to have a talent like Salmon ready to bring back into the mix but it is a real shame we won’t get to see Salmon, Brown, Taipari and Mahoney in the same line up.
Keppie has been battling a nagging injury for a week or so I believe. Can’t doubt his toughness though so if he is out it means he is hurting something fierce.
We can’t change our backline, we have 3 of our starting 7 out injured. I don’t want kids destroyed by playing in this team at the moment.
I would suggest our forwards selection needs to be changed by ignoring names and reputations pick on performance and at this stage trustworthiness.
We need our 4 best props, ( 2 start/ 2 bench) our 4 best middle forwards ( 3 start / 1 bench) and start King bring on Kaysa.
My forward pack would be ( based on having a balance between defence/attack)
Starters- Alvaro/ Terepo
Mannah Williams ( reserves)
Middle Forwards Mau- yes attacking form down but he helps Norman immensely with his defence/ Tepai/ Brown
Kenny ( reserve)
Between Terepo, Brown and Alvaro we can establish momentum and King can help organise and direct. Then at about the 25 minute mark bring on Mannah, Williams, and Kenny with the added spark from a fresh Kaysa and we could do to Penrith what they did to us, the 15 minutes either side of half time use Speed, size and skill out wide. ( this rotation takes 4 interchanges) I would bring off Brown for the last 15 minutes and with the added time at the break he can regroup and play out the second halve. That way either Tepai or Brown (or both) are always on and sure up our middle
Will BA do it, or something like this. I don’t think so, I can’t see him dropping Scott, which means he can’t carry a hooker, which means trouble for us and ultimately trouble for BA.
Tepai, Brown and Scott are too similar to all play, the problem is Scott is slower, older and quiet frankly less effective then the other two.
Time to get Fair Dinkum.
Need a Captain that is a C#&T
One that wants to win at any cost.
That is why Melbourne are so successful. Cameron Smith plays for 80 mins. Involved in every single play in the game mentally and physically.
Rallies his troops in attack and defence.
Tim is a lovely bloke, but lovely blokes do not win premierships, having more time off the field than being on , its hardly the tactic the side can afford.
History of the modern Parramatta side has lack that leadership.
NEED A CHANGE