NRL Team List
The Eels come out of the State of Origin global bye with their own bye just around the corner. Sandwiched right between the two weeks off is a massive local derby with significant ladder ramifications as Parramatta suit up for a lockdown showdown against the Penrith Panthers.
Brad Arthur has kept it on the level, as expected, with the squad named today. Maika Sivo comes back from suspension and takes over on the left wing for 2-try rookie Sean Russell while Oregon Kaufusi and Bryce Cartwright beef up the bench after getting an extended run in the NSW Cup before the Origin break. Reed Mahoney has been given extra recuperation time for his shoulder and is scheduled back for Round 18 meaning that Joey Lussick’s run in the NRL continues. The Federal Reserve of Parramatta has done a tremendous job thus far as Reed’s replacement and now gets a start in the biggest game of his career to date.
Round 16 marks an incredibly fitting individual milestone for Reagan Campbell-Gillard as he chalks up his 150th NRL cap against the club he used to call home. RCG has been in tremendous form and was desperately unlucky to not be part of the triumphant NSW campaign. He and Junior Paulo will get to work against an equally dominant front-row pairing of James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota. The battle of the bookends will be the front-line on which Friday night’s war will be waged and a big game from the milestone man ‘Reg’ would be huge.
While the Eels are fortunate enough to welcome back a healthy Junior Paulo, Penrith aren’t as lucky in terms of Origin returnees. Nathan Cleary is under a serious injury cloud with a shoulder injury threatening to derail not only his return to Game 3 for NSW but potentially the rest of the season for Penrith. Matt Burton will partner Jerome Luai in the halves in Cleary’s absence while Charlie Staines takes over at fullback for Dylan Edwards which in turn sees Brent Naden make his return from NRL exile on the wing.
Even with Cleary out the Panthers are a truly formidable outfit and represent a fantastic litmus test for Parramatta. The lack of a crowd due to COVID restrictions obviously benefits the Eels this week but it isn’t as if the Panthers will be lacking for motivation. A win on Friday would lift the Blue & Gold up to equal footing with the mountain men on the ladder and give the Eels a hell of a boost heading into their bye.
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 Penisini
19. Will Smith
20. Sean Russell
21. Jakob Arthur
Injury Report
Reed Mahoney – Shoulder (Rd18)
Wiremu Greig – Ankle syndesmosis – TBA
Nathaniel Roache – Knee Bruising – TBA
Good to see the side almost back to full strength. I think lussick has done a tremendous job. The only thing he lacks is a kicking game out of dummy half. Happy to have lussick come from the bench to interchanged with Mahoney.
In saying that who do we replace from the bench. Lanes playing well carty n oregan n marata are playing great.
I think I’m Nathan Cleary’s bad luck charm i told Mrs rev that he will get hurt in SOO.
I’m sure s few of the ex Penrith boy’s will be looking forward to this game. RCG,Waqa,Cartwright,Sivo.
Let’s hope it’s a dry track with a even contest with out interference from the video refs or refs.
Eels by 6.
Rev, Lussick does have a kicking game and works hard at it during training.
I haven’t seen him kick from dummy half. His ran from dummy half but thats it
He kicked in the last game, quiet effectively as well. Lussick also has had experience as a half in ESL
Poppa you can’t compare the English super league to the NRL. Its like comparing apples and oranges
Sixties good to see the team getting back to near full strength again.
Happy to see Lussick filling in for Reed. Not happy that there isn’t any player off the bench to give him a rest.
I thought Nathaniel did well leading up to the injury and would like to see a bit more of him. I would not want to be the one to choose who gets dropped off the bench to make way for Nathaniel
I would really like to see Mitch get a crack at SOO should Cleary not be available. He has worked hard to get where he is and deserves anything that may come his way
I’d also like to see Mitch get a crack. He’s really developed his game since joining the Eels.
All backs on the extended bench? Interesting. (I’m including Smith in that, who may come in as dummy half relief, but you’d not call a forward).
Good to see that Kaufusi and Cartwright really were just getting more game time in reserves vs the Dogs, rather than being dropped. With only the NRL games on, the importance of what we were able to do with selections against a “weak” team is really highlighted – valuable experience in firsts for a few players, and extra game time for our bench in seconds. It should stand them all in good stead.
I am disappointed that Cleary is out. Besides the challenge, we’re on a hiding to nothing with the media (and social media), because I can predict in advance what the narrative will be. If we win, well, they were missing their best player, so it doesn’t count. If we lose, that just proves we aren’t contenders. Ho hum.
Agree with you there re the post game narrative. Round 2 seems like an eternity ago but it does appear that most of the “talking heads” seem to have had their memories washed clear by the rain that week. I’m happy though to remain under the radar with Des Hasler because we have a rich history of failing to live up to the hype when we are talked up (2018 Pre season chatter ring any bells)!
JonBoy, I’m still doing my best to erase 2018. And I don’t think I missed a training session that year so it’s not easy to forget. The Eels have been dismissed for losing three games this year. The Storm and Riff have each lost two. Let them ignore us. I’m happy for that to continue.
Wilhelmina, I sort of feel the same way, but the reality is that we are still facing 17 extremely good players. The most valuable outcome, regardless of who plays, is the two points. Critics can say what they want, getting the win must be the only focus for the team.