NRL Team List
Injuries continue to ravage the extended roster of the Parramatta Eels through the opening rounds of the NRL. This week sees Jake Arthur (Appendectomy, Rounds 5-6) and Mitch Rein (Sternum Round 4) out of action for the Eels in the short term but thankfully there are no long term additions to the injury ward. It is a wee bit concerning to see nearly a quarter of the club’s Top 30 sidelined through a bizarre combination of foul play, bad luck and the more usual more usual football injuries but here we are.
Brad Arthur has acted accordingly in response as the Eels gears up to take on the Melbourne Storm. Nathan Brown returns to the familiar position of starting lock forward for the team as Oregon Kaufusi returns to the middle rotation. ‘BA’ doubles down on the big boppers on the bench as he prepares to go to war around the ruck against the Storm as Wiremu Greig adds some serious beef to the interchange in place of young Jake Arthur. The extended bench is tweaked as expected given the injuries and call-ups but there is nothing outlandish about the shuffle.
The Eels meet another injury ravaged contender in the Melbourne Storm who have surprisingly included Brandon Smith in their extended roster. Potential mind games a foot? I assume so give that Smith was expected to be out for 3-4 games after sustaining the injury in Round 1. Still, it becomes a consideration for Parramatta – especially seeing as Harry Grant is expected to miss the Round 3 contest due to COVID. If neither are good to go, Tyran Wishart (monitor this as Tyran is potentially a close contact to Grant) has done a more than serviceable job holding down dummy-half and we are all very well aware of how formidable Craig Bellamy’s team is even when the chips are seemingly down.
Despite the blockbuster billing between two of the most consistent forces in recent seasons, the Storm and Eels find themselves consigned to a 5:30PM kickoff on Saturday. Parramatta will be looking to emulate their Round 24 heroics against Melbourne from last season where they sprung an almighty 22-10 ambush.
1. Clinton Gutherson (c)
2. Waqa Blake
3. Will Penisini
4. Tom Opacic
5. Bailey Simonsson
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Junior Paulo (c)
11. Shaun Lane
12. Isaiah Papali’i
13. Nathan Brown
14. Makahesi Makatoa
15. Wiremu Greig
16. Ray Stone
17. Oregon Kaufusi
18. Bryce Cartwright
19. Brendan Hands
20. Ky Rodwell
21. Hayze Perham
22. Solomone Naiduki
23. Luca Moretti
24. Samuel Loizou
NRL Injury Report
| Player | Injury | Return |
| Jake Arthur | Appendectomy | Rd 5-6 |
| Mitch Rein | Sternum | Rd 4 |
| Ryan Matterson | Hamstring | Rd 4-5 |
| Marata Niukore | Calf | TBC |
| Sean Russell | Ribs/Lung | TBC |
| Maika Sivo | Knee | TBC |
| Haze Dunster | Knee | 2023 |
NRLW Team List
The permutations say that Round 5 isn’t a must-win situation for the Parramatta Eels to make the finals. Still, relying on both the Gold Coast Titans and the Sydney Roosters to not only drop games but also bring points differential into the equation leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The simplest proposition for our ladies? Win and win well to give yourselves the best shot. Easy, peasy when your opponents are the back-to-back-to-back NRLW champions!
With that said, even the mighty Brisbane Broncos can bleed. Not a week after the Dragons rattled their cage in Round 3, the Titans achieved that coveted feat with a stirring 28-26 victory last Saturday. As Herculean as the task sounds on paper, it can be done. It must be done.
Dean Widders is rolling with an unchanged roster from the team that had its heart broken by a Zahara Temara field goal on the weekend. Fair enough as well given there was some tremendous footy played once the Eels recovered from a slow-start. Curiously, Abbi Church starts in the centres with the #15 on her back. Lucky number? Who knows but if it works, it works.
Given that the Eels are the final NRLW game on Sunday, they will know the exact parameters they have in order to make the finals. That should be a distant secondary to the primary goal of establishing themselves as contenders for the title by despatching the Broncos.
1. Botille Vette-Welsh
2. Taina Naividi
3. Tiana Penitani
15. Abbi Church
5. Rikeya Horne
6. Emily Curtain
7. Maddie Studdon
8. Filomina Hanisi
9. Nita Maynard
10. Kennedy Cherrington
11. Christian Pio
12. Jamie-Anne Wright
13. Simaima Taufa ©
14. Shirley Mailangi
16. Sereana Naitokatoka
17. Ellie Johnstone
19. Christine Pauli
18. Jocephy Daniels
21. Tommaya Kelly-Sines
22. Mareva Swann
23. Jade Etherden
24. Tess Staines
25. Katrina Phippen
26. Theresa Aiton
NSW Cup Team List
Much like their counterparts in the NRL and NRLW, the Parramatta Eels let victory slip through their fingers in Round 2 of the NSW Cup with a gut-punching 28-24 loss to the Newtown Jets. Ryan Carr continues to adapt to the needs of the NRL with Wiremu Greig unavailable for selection this week.
Zac Cini returns to take on the Mounties and will start on the right wing. John Olive gets his second game with the Eels and will turn out at centre. With Mitch Rein out of commission for at least a week, the keys to the team are handed, ahem, to Brendan Hands. This is one of the more exciting changes enforced by injury. Rein has been pure quality for the Eels thus far through the preseason and early rounds but Hands could be a big development piece for the club.
Speaking of development, young forward Peter Taateo gets his first start in open-age footy as he locks the scrum. On the bench we see the additions of Jayden Yates and Max Lehmann, both of whom provide Carr with some utility. Yates covers lock and dummy-half while Lehmann gives insurance across the backline.
The Eels take on the Mounties at 3:00PM on Sunday out at Aubrey Keech Reserve.
1. Hayze Perham
2. Solomone Naiduki
3. Samuel Loizou
4. John Olive
5. Zac Cini
6. Jordan Rankin
7. Jack A Williams
8. Ofahiki Ogden
9. Brendan Hands
10. Ky Rodwell
11. Dan Keir
12. Bryce Cartwright
13. Peter Taateo
14. Luca Moretti
15. Keaton Walkington-Meads
16. Jayden Yates
17. Max Lehmann
Jersey Flegg Team List
Simon Woolford’s young team ignited their season with a clinical 22-12 victory over the Cronulla Sharks in Round 2. As expected there is minimal change to this week’s roster as a result. In fact the only change is purely cosmetic as the bench players swap around jersey numbers.
The Eels head interstate to take on the Victoria Thunderbolts on Saturday. They won’t be playing at AAMI Park as the curtain raiser however with the team travelling to Gosch’s Paddock instead to take on the ‘Bolts.
1. Corey Fenning (c)
2. Arthur Miller-Stephen
3. Josh Tuipulotu
4. Charlie Guymer
5. Matthew Komolafe
6. Dantoray Lui
7. Ethan Sanders
8. Jack Colovatti
9. Kruz Niutili-Schmidt
10. David Hollis
11. Nikau Wrathall
12. Felix Niutili-Schmidt
13. Ryan Jones
14. David Tui
15. Jayden Skinner
16. Larry Muagututia
17. Brock Parker
18. Lachlan Blackburn
With seven in the injury ward things are getting worse by the week. It is likely that the majority of those injured would be playing on Saturday had they been available.
BA has done the right thing in my opinion by bringing in all the big boppers on the bench to enable us to take on the Storm through the middle.
Given the injury situation this is probably as much as we can hope for.
John, I reckon we haven’t won the middle in the first half either week. Our start in the middle must be better. Forget the tries. We played touch footy with the Titans, then the Sharks bashed us early. The missed tackle count must be addressed.
I am hoping with Browny starting and wounded pride we can turn it around.
The bench is a statement but unless the edge defence gets fixed storm will punish us.
Nsw cup John Olive from the Bulldogs last year?
I think he was formerly with South’s. From memory he looked alright earlier in his career but I don’t remember seeing him play last season.
He looks very big.
13 1st grade games across 3 clubs south’s titans and Dogs
If it’s the same guy
I just don’t understand the lack of a genuine utility player on the bench. We have some decent players who can play basically anywhere and cover all contingencies but they are ignored. If we have any of the backs go down -who plays fullback, who plays winger ???
Perham may as well ask for a release as he’s obviously not going to get any game time. Very strange.
It is considering last year Will Smith played that role.
And so far JA has been carried on the bench.
I suspect a change before kick off will happen Cartwright possibly in
That would be my selection if I was coach and give Stone a rest in reggies after his usual brain snap. Honestly this bloke has at least one per game (him and Ferguson go to the same school?)
Perham is hitting good form this season. If that continues his opportunity will come – just as it did for Maka. He got his shot in the back half of the season, because his form was consistently good. Now he’s started 2022 in the top 17.
Perham will get his shot and once he’s in the shop window we won’t keep him for much longer the kid is a talent
Has anyone heard how Sean Russell is going? Is he out of hospital yet?
40s, I am nonplussed with how Melbourne can name a TBA as their hooker, when my understanding was all teams had to provide their teams by 4pm on Tuesday. How do you plan a game plan against TBA?
Grant has covid his roommate wish wishart the back up hooker is in iso now.
Under the circumstances and the current climate TBA and potentially loan players will be common place
Wishart has Covid as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hughes plays no. 9 and Meany comes into the halves?
Late player registration. C. Smith. 😁
That’s understandable If that’s the case. My question was how are you able to announce a TBA? What would happen if Parra named 17 TBA’s?? It’s not done, never been done. Why is it OK now?
I’m not sure Gil. I can only assume that under the Covid situation that there might be more leeway given.
No Elie El-Zakham for 2 weeks? Is he injured?
Not sure. Will try to get an update.