The Cumberland Throw

Team List Tuesday – Will Power Edition

NRL Team List

 

Out are Michael Oldfield, Tom Opacic and Ryan Matterson through a combination of form, suspension and personal reasons as the Parramatta Eels pull themselves up off the bloody canvas that was Round 22. Into the starting team come Haze Dunster, Will Penisini and Marata Niukore while Oregon Kaufusi returns from a concussion as part of the interchange rotation and Makahesi Makatoa deservedly retains his place on the bench.

Fans will be both pleased and excited to see the return of Penisini after the young centre made a strong debut against the Canberra Raiders several weeks ago. Will’s power game and youthful exuberance could be a shot in the arm for team desperate lacking in the ability to win collisions and struggling with will power in general. More than that though, for Penisini this is now a chance to stake a far more significant claim to a starting berth for the remainder of the season (and beyond).

Will should be partnering up with Niukore as part of a completely new look right edge and just as Penisini’s return hopefully serves to galvanise the team, so too is the hope that shifting Marata out wide sees a return to his best. Right wing will continue to be a monstrous question mark but Brad Arthur has given Dunster another shot at the troublesome position after the horror club debut of Oldfield last week. Perhaps the new faces on the inside can rectify some of the fundamental issues that edge is having with with both defensive structures and counting numbers in defence.

Objectively, there is quite a bit to like about this team list as a response to our current form slump. However, given how deep and catastrophic Parramatta’s problems have been over the last four weeks it stands to reason that fans simply will not be enthused until the results turn around. And fair enough. Just win you nerds.

 

1. Clinton Gutherson ©
2. Maika Sivo
3. Will Penisini
4. Waqa Blake
5. Haze Dunster
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Isaiah Papali’i
9. Joey Lussick
10. Junior Paulo
11. Shaun Lane
12. Marata Niukore
13. Nathan Brown
14. Will Smith
15. Bryce Cartwright
16. Oregon Kaufusi
17. Makahesi Makatoa
18. Ray Stone
19. Keegan Hipgrave
20. Sean Russell
21. Jakob Arthur

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35 thoughts on “Team List Tuesday – Will Power Edition

  1. Zero58

    Will Cartwright ever get a start?
    Lane and Papalini are better as impact players.
    After Maka debut last week he should start along with Cartwright
    BA and company have no idea.

    1. Mr controversy aka rev

      I agree zero i think brown should come off the bench n Cartwright starting at lock bring his ball playing skills.

      1. sixties

        I’d still like more game time for Carty. He brings energy and though risky in the past, his creativity is something we sadly lack at the moment.

    2. Wile

      Agree – coming on in the last 10 minutes is sending him the wrong messages. He should be starting and be part of the arm wrestle so he can bide his time for the right moment to be an x-factor.

  2. Zero58

    Will Cartwright ever get a start?
    Lane and Papalini are better as impact players.
    After Maka debut last week he should start along with Cartwright
    BA and company have no idea.

  3. John Eel

    Forty I like the inclusion of Penisini. He brings energy and speed that is most welcome.

    There is probably an argument that this is not the right time to bring in Will but he went well last time in and so I see it as a low risk option.

    For me Will, Makatoa and Cartwright need to get some kilometres in their legs over the next three weeks.

    Happy to see Oregon return and he to will need time in the middle as well.

    At the end of the day it is hard to see these changes having a huge impact on our form. However something had to be changed so I welcome it.

    1. !0 Year Member

      Exactly “At the end of the day it is hard to see these changes having a huge impact on our form”, whomever we put out there gets spanked, so its our defensive structures (which I dont think we have any) as opposed to the under paid players we keep putting out there. Look at Jennings down at Melbourne now that he has left us, we sent him down as a poor excuse for a player and now he is solid and reliable.

      1. John Eel

        Jennings defence was a disaster. Still is. I would sooner have Haze and a whole lot cheaper

        Some clubs seem to have an endless cap, we don’t.

    2. sixties

      We had to have changes. There aren’t as many as I want and I’m hoping that the starting/bench spots can be swapped around. But there are limitations around the fit/available players in the bubble as well as the lack of match play for most outside the top 17.

  4. Michael Formosa

    Sivo is one lucky guy! Maybe through a lack of options he keeps his spot! He has plenty of power just lacks the will to use it!

    It’s good to see Penisini there, a fresh player who hasn’t been burden with the recent bad form from the rest of the team.

    I also think we’ll be better off with Papali’i coming off the bench and start with Makatoa.

    1. !0 Year Member

      How Sivo retains his spot is beyond me, but he did say BA only lets him take hits up on tackles one and two and then he has to go back to the wing and do nothing. I guess he is executing the game plan, so that must be why he is still in the team.

    2. The Captain

      100% it’s based on lack of options, which is not great. He can be a force to be reckoned with but he needs pressure on his spot in the side.

  5. BDon

    For some strange reason, I read the names and thought we can turn things around in this game with this team. Just for his own good, Papali’i could have been used off the bench in 2 impact stints. If we can start well, defend out wide and pass the ball properly (ie with care and in front), we’ll improve out of sight. Penisini and Dunster have NSW Cup time together and Marata will boost the defensive nous. Memo to Junior, pump those tree trunks hard, tear into the ruck, scream ‘Geronimo’, you know, up the ante big fella! Ditto Maika.

  6. Mr controversy aka rev

    Good line up except for a few others i’d drop n start from the bench.

    I think it’s time we gave Hipgrave more of a go. I think he can replace lane in the backrow or come Off the bench.

    Happy to see Marata start in the backrow about time.

    I think lane can start at prop with jr n have Marata n hipgrave with Cartwright at lock n brown coming off the bench.

    Pensini was great vs Canberra am happy with his selection in the team.

  7. pete

    If our team gets off the bus this week it should be a gimme…That being said there’s a few Lucky players not sitting this one out or put on the bench.
    Penisini (not sure why he was dropped last time) Let’s pick and stick!! He’s the future.
    Makatoa showed what effort can do.
    Dunster needs more time to learn but he won’t learn if he keeps getting dropped. Dunster should be the future..
    If we get this win we need to rest Paulo and N Brown before the finals. Dylan moves to 14 to give some spark.
    If the team doesn’t perform the bells will be ringing louder than ever.
    Go Eels

    1. Anonymous

      Wow Pete, a gimme just for getting off the bus? I wonder in what order they will descend from the bus? highest to lowest paid? I am looking to see some more writing skills from our players as they work on the futures after footy.

      1. pete

        Lol. The point is our guys haven’t been competing…(they haven’t mentally got off the bus). If they compete as they did early in the year it should be considered a gimme. That being said anything less than a big win will not instill any confidence. This game is an opportunity to play ourselves back into some better form. Failure to do so means the bell will be tolling.
        I would have liked more changes but I trust BA and the players can turn this around.
        Go Eels!!

  8. !0 Year Member

    how does Joey Johns get off scott free? I cannot see any value he has added to our spine with his immortal coaching? Dylan cannot catch, pass without knocking on…….do you need me to go on?

    1. The Captain

      Joey was an amazing player, yet to be shown to be an amazing teacher/coach. I’m sure he’s imparted some wisdom on the lads, but his role has been pretty limited by most accounts.

    2. BDon

      Did you read his smh article today? What category does he put Parra in? The smart adapters or the dumb predictables? If we are in the smart adapters we’ve left it all on the training paddock with Joey mumbling ‘geez, I tried to tell them’.

  9. !0 Year Member

    Did any one mention BA stating we cannot handle adversity? after that loss to Manly! So yes, we are flat track bullies (am I not agreeing with a news corp employee? the world really has gone mad). Bring us back to Bank West with crowds as I cannot handle this any longer.

    1. sixties

      10 year, I don’t agree with some things that you’ve said in your replies, but here’s where we agree. In our instant reaction, Forty and I could barely give a point for resilience in the Manly game. It’s a bad trait to see in any group. It’s my greatest concern.

      1. The Captain

        Confidence is a momentum game though, both in the positive and negative it compounds week after week. We are on a losing streak, so it impacts our resilience, which makes us more likely to lose, which impacts our resilience etc etc.

        The team definitely has issues, but it’s interesting to posture what would’ve happened if we took the win against the Panthers and the Raiders.(both were games that could’ve gone either way). Would’ve been interesting to see if the Roosters / Rabbits / Manly games were closer if we had our confidence up at the time.

        It’s all about those tiny moments. Ice those two games and all the media BS goes away (for a while), all the extra noise, all the extra pressure.

        But we didn’t – so now we’re in a tricky position. We can’t just win this game, we need to take advantage of a side who we should beat on paper and use this game to try and turn the momentum. It’s amazing how much of a difference confidence adds to a side.

      2. Offside

        Thats because we have a bad culture that’s embedded within the club the flat track bullies is truecand fair to say about this club and our “stars”
        This is why sweeping changes are needed.
        Can you tell I’ve lost all hope and faith in this club?

      1. Mr controversy aka rev

        I’ve alao stated that Hipgrave needs to play. Really don’t see the point in signing players then inly playing them once or twice.

  10. Milo

    For me as long as we have commitement in defence for the game we will be ok. I just do not have the confidence it will occur for 80 mins.
    We are a shadow of the team it seems from around 5-6 weeks ago. Even the Penrith game…..we competed.

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