The Cumberland Throw

Team List Tuesday – We Now Return You To Your Regularly Scheduled Program Edition

NRL Team List

 

The representative bye round is over and we are back to business as usual as the Eels look to build on their strong last-start against the Brisbane Broncos. While Parramatta will no doubt be looking to surge through the Origin period, they have not been able to string together consecutive wins since Rounds 3-4. Going back-to-back is no simple task this week either as they face a formidable opponent in the Canberra Raiders.

Fortunately for Brad Arthur, the Eels got through the rep round relatively unscathed. There was concern for Manu Ma’u at one point but he has evidently come good and has claimed his spot in the starting backrow while the likes of Blake Ferguson, Junior Paulo and Maika Sivo will hopefully harness the dominant form they displayed for NSW, Samoa and Fiji respectively.

The biggest news of the week however is that rookie sensation Dylan Brown has finally received clearance to play again and immediately comes into the team at five-eighth. It would be folly to pin all of our hopes on the exciting play-maker to steady the ship for Parramatta but there is little doubt that he is already an integral part of this team.

There was however some fallout from the Round 14 victory that has only now fully come to light. While Josh Hoffman has been cleared of a serious neck injury, the Eels will be without the services of Michael Jennings (Knee, Round 21) and Ray Stone (Ankle, Round 24) for some time. The resultant reshuffle sees Brad Takairangi earn a recall into the centres with Jaeman Salmon set to feature as the super-sub in Darwin in place of the injured Stone.

Otherwise it looks to be an unchanged roster for Parramatta as they travel to the Top End.

Parramatta Eels side
1. Clint Gutherson (c)
2. Maika Sivo
3. Brad Takairangi
4. Josh Hoffman
5. Blake Ferguson
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitch Moses
8. Kane Evans
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Junior Paulo
11. Shaun Lane
12. Manu Ma’u
13. Nathan Brown
Interchange
14. Jaeman Salmon
15. Peni Terepo
16. David Gower
17. Marata Niukore
18. Daniel Alvaro
19. Tepai Moeroa
20. George Jennings
21. Will Smith

 

Injury Report

 

Michael Jennings – Round 21 – Knee

Ray Stone – Round 24 – Ankle

 

Canterbury Cup Team List

 

A brutally tough assignment looms for the dysfunctional Magpies this week as they host the 2nd placed Mounties. Despite enjoying a relatively loaded roster over their last 3 games, Wenty have failed to earn a single win in that time and I can only hope there has been some soul-searching done over the bye week.

Of note this week is the surprising promotion of young rake Vea Tapaatoutai. Vea is a tough competitor through the middle and it will be interesting to see how he handles the senior grade. The Eels have plenty of roster work to do in the coming weeks and months as they look to build a Canterbury Cup line-up entirely of their own in 2020 and Vea might very well be auditioning for a spot through that period.

 

Wentworthville Magpies
1. Bevan French
2. Haze Dunster
3. Josh Minhinnick
4. Ethan Parry
5. Greg Leleisiuao
6. Rhys Davies
7. Will Smith
8. Tim Mannah
9. Matt McIlwrick
10. Daniel Alvaro
11. Andrew Davey
12. Salesi Fainga’a
13. Oregon Kaufusi
Interchange
14. Vea Tapaatoutai
15. Mitch Butfield
16. Stefano Utoikamanu
17. Haimona Hiroti
18. D’Rhys Miller

 

Jersey Flegg Team List

 

Disappointingly, Parrmatta failed to account for the Thunderbolts last week and missed out on what would have been their first chance to shorten the gap to the Top 8 in several weeks. With a little twist of fate they get a second chance to actually made inroads on that deficit as they have a match-up with the 8th placed Raiders this week.

Parramatta’s roster has finally settled in recent weeks after the carnage they endured through the opening rounds and they will need to quickly put the poor loss against the Thunderbolts behind them if they are to challenge for the finals.

 

Parramatta Eels Jersey Flegg
1. Michael Cheer
2. Solomone Naiduki
3. Sione Fonua
4. Tuimavave Afualo
5. Nabetelevu Turaganivalu
6. Joey Taipari
7. Bailey Biondi-Odo
8. James Porter
9. Kyle Schneider
10. Harry Duggan
11. Charbel Tasipale
12. Arron Shelford
13. Jesse Cronin
Interchange
15. Etu Vinny Lui
16. PJ Vaigalu
17. Sam Hughes
18. Bruce Ward
19. Peni Tohi
20. Joe Small
21. Ethan Le Blanc
22. JP Nohra
23. Jayden Yates

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16 thoughts on “Team List Tuesday – We Now Return You To Your Regularly Scheduled Program Edition

  1. Jonboy

    If I’m Jaeman Salmon I’m feeling a bit hard done by tonight. Personally I reckon he’s done enough to earn the #3 jumper over Taka, I am certainly more confident of his defensive decision making and ball control.

        1. Big John

          Word is he will be joining a top 6 team as 5/8 to a very experienced half. They like Salmon’s low mistake, calm game, and know that Parra haven’t given him a real chance to show his running game. We saw a little against the Broncos. Parra’s loss I guess with Dylan Brown yet to really prove himself. Raiders will be a good test as the Panthers and the Dogs were the two worst teams in the comp when Brown played them. Parra have a history of backing the wrong horse and Sterlo seems to favour Salmon so time will tell….

  2. DDay

    Great to see DBrown back, I guess Salmon is on the bench to cover his transition back. Gutted for Ray Stone – 10 weeks out is tough. I wonder if Parry comes into calculations vs Take next week.

  3. Colin Hussey

    The worst of this return to the NRL main event and team selection is the aspect of losing two more to injury for an extended time, just when the list was ready to be clear we have 2 to put in there.

    Losing MJ to me is huge, and what a year Stone has had, not!. He finally gets a couple of starts and was doing OK I think a bit over eager in some areas but I believe he has a good future with the club.

    I certainly hope the Taka of old that was going well is on deck as well, its going to be a big call and workload put onto the Hoff.

  4. Rowdy

    Food for thought there Forty20. We will miss MJ for sure, but putting Salmon in there weakens our bench especially without Ray Stone there. He can give Dylan and Reedy a spell. if need be and can also cover centre and backrow.
    I’m pleased to see Taka back in the centres he will bring stability inside Sivo in both defense and attack as he did inside Semi before he swapped sides with MJ in 2017 I think it was.
    Our forward rotation is very good if they play to their potential as we saw against Broncos.
    Parra by Plenty again Jonboy. I took them 13+ last game and backed it up 13+ The Blues!

  5. BDon

    The Sharks exploited us out wider, with MJennings present, but that had a lot to do with what was happening in the middle. If the forwards can again play with concentration and energy then Taka and Hoff will find it easier. I think Leilua is still out, but Bateman tests the edge and wider. If MJ had played, I would think our best starting roster this year.

  6. pete

    Great post Forty20, I hope we can hold our defensive line 306 points against already. We really need to keep teams to zero if we are are going to be a force this year. We have shown that we can outscore most teams, we will miss MJ but hopefully Takka can play well. Personally, would have liked Salmon there and Kafusi on bench but there must be a reason for BA to pick Takka. Glad to see Dylan Brown back, he offers alot on that side, hopefully his back holds up.
    This is the week to hopefully buck the win, loss, win, loss cycle.
    Also interesting to know how Wenty go with the under-performing NRL players in reserve grade.

  7. Anonymous

    How are Afualo and Schneider going? Afualo had big wraps on him for ages I can’t believe he’s still only in his teens

  8. Jonboy

    So, today’s news about Waqa Blake?

    Surely it signals the end for Taka and Hoff? MJennings should also be feeling the pressure now if he wasn’t already?

    Salmon left side with Blake on the right sounds pretty solid to me!

    1. Rowdy

      I reckon we have a pretty good young fella playing Reggies named Ethan Parry, who is a genuine centre, Jonboy. I also believed that Salmon is a 5/8 centre in the past but watching him play NRL and Reggies has convinced me that he is less of a centre than he is a 5/8 and/or a perfect #14 because of his versatility. In all the games I’ve seen him play he seems to need to be “on the ball” to showcase his skills. That is very difficult to do from the threequarters.

      1. MattL

        Agreed re Salmon not seeming like a true centre atm. BA also seems reluctant to put hime there. I hope becomes a great 14 until he develops his frame (like Ryan Matterson) & keeps pressure on the halves.

        MJ is playing well & I hope he signs on for another season to lead & help develop Blake & Parry.

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