NRL Team List
Joey Lussick thought he was going to be starting in Round 13 right up until QLD selectors elected to pull a swift one on Reed Mahoney. After that false start it looked like the deputy dummy-half was going to be waiting a long time for his next NRL action for Parramatta but as we so often see, sport works in mysterious ways.
With Mahoney now nursing a left shoulder injury (extent to be revealed in forthcoming club injury report), suddenly Lussick has been thrust back into the cockpit of one of the most important roles within the team. Brad Arthur is backing him to get the job done as well as the head coach loads up the interchange bench with forwards to take on the Wests Tigers and drops Will Smith back to 18th man.
It is a bold call but one I can support. Given the surging performances of Shaun Lane and Oregon Kaufusi out of Round 13, either would have been a significant loss to the rotation. Marata Niukore is an automatic selection while the toolbox versatility of Bryce Cartwright probably helps facilitate this particular decision given that the backrower can help share the emergency load at dummy-half in a worst case scenario. With both Will Smith and Nathaniel Roache in the TLT21, Arthur still has plenty of flexibility to manipulate his bench ahead of the showdown on Sunday if he feels Lussick needs the support.
Beyond that the Eels are expecting Junior Paulo to backup from tomorrow night’s State of Origin clash while Haze Dunster is rewarded for a positive effort against Newcastle with his first consecutive start in the NRL.
1. Clinton Gutherson ©
2. Maika Sivo
3. Tom Opacic
4. Waqa Blake
5. Haze Dunster
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9. Joey Lussick
10. Junior Paulo
11. Isaiah Papali’i
12. Ryan Matterson
13. Nathan Brown
14. Marata Niukore
15. Shaun Lane
16. Oregon Kaufusi
17. Bryce Cartwright
18. Will Smith
19. Blake Ferguson
20. Jakob Arthur
21. Nathaniel Roache
NSW Cup Team List
The Eels made it the Sunday double in Round 13 with a solid 30-22 victory over the Newcastle Knights in the NSW Cup. The win keeps them firmly set near the top of the ladder and still with a chance to run down the Magpies or Panthers. Ryan Carr has a little bit of give and take at play this week as he loses Joey Lussick but gains Will Smith. Smith, ever the versatile weapon, slides into fullback and bumps Hayze Perham to the bench. Blake Ferguson will turn out in the Cup for a second consecutive game while Keegan Hipgrave makes his return from suspension on the edge. Nathaniel Roache takes over as the primary dummy-half while young bloods David Hollis and Charbel Tasipale round out the bench.
The NSW Cup will play the curtain raiser at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday against the Western Suburbs Magpies. Kickoff is at 1:35PM.
1. Will Smith
2. Blake Ferguson
3. Will Penisini
4. Michael Oldfield
5. Sean Russell
6. Jordan Rankin
7. Jakob Arthur
8. Makahesi Makatoa
9. Nathaniel Roache
10. Wiremu Greig
11. Elie El-Zakhem
12. Keegan Hipgrave
13. Ky Rodwell
14. Hayze Perham
15. David Hollis
16. Charbel Tasipale
17. Kurt Dillon
Jersey Flegg Team List
With the Eels coming off an impromptu COVID enforced bye in the Flegg (they were meant to travel to Melbourne), I am keen to see how they bounce back this week. Dean Feeney has Samuel Loizou available this week and the young gun slots in at centre while Solomone Naiduki is bumped back to Under 21s care of Blake Ferguson’s demotion and thus takes a place on the flank.
The most interesting selection this week is that of Connor Garrity at five-eighth who comes to the club via Windsor’s Ron Massey Cup team.
The Flegg take on the competition front runners in the Wests Tigers on Saturday at 11:00AM at Merrylands Oval. It should go without saying that this is a massive match up and an upset win for the Eels would catapult them back into the hunt for the Top 6.
1. Tyrone Harding
2. Solomone Naiduki
3. Samuel Loizou
4. Jayden Skinner
5. Freuan Easthope
6. Connor Garrity
7. Josh Chappell
8. Luke Bain
9. Jayden Yates
10. Aitasi James
11. Oliver Clements
12. Peter Taateo
13. Caleb Tohi
14. Kyle Schneider
15. Jontay Betham-Misa
16. Larry Muagututia
17. Brock Parker
18. Penioni Tohi
How is Kyle Schneider going these days? I had great hopes for him 18-24 months ago.
I hope BA hasn’t put Waqa back on the other side. He has looked so much better the last two games and I’m liking the Wild Fijian’s on the same side.
I noticed Makahesi Makatoa has had his profile added to the top 30 one on the Parramatta website.
Just wondering if he has been added to the top 30? Or is he just eligible to play because it’s past a certain round?
Forty there were photos from the presentation night showing Brock Parker.
He is a big lad. I know he is only young but how is he shaping in Jersey Flegg?
I agree with Michael Formosa, let us see a bit of Sivo and Waqa together on the right for now.
Give them a chance to get some combination happening.
One built like a Ferrari and the built like a tank. What could go wrong?
Strong line up minus Reed Mahoney but in saying that I’m not expecting lussick to play like Reedy.
I think we might of seen the last of Ferguson. The boy’s played well last weekend. I get some ppl will say we played a under strength Newcastle but i don’t care you can only play what’s in front of you.
The Canterbury cup side look’s really strong i think we can topple the magpie’s.
On the tiger’s i think we can silence them with a big score. We will score 42 tiger’s 6.
My tip for tonight is the Mighty maroons.
The QLD boy’s by 12.
WHAT has happened to Tim Lafai?
Not sure mate. Will ask.