The Cumberland Throw

Team List Tuesday – Matterson Lock-ed & Loaded Edition

NRL Team List

 

Parramatta’s forward pack finally returns to full strength for Round 11 while its backline edges closer to a number of big-time reinforcements in this edition of Team List Tuesday. After dominating games from the bench for over a month now, Brad Arthur has rewarded Ryan Matterson with the starting lock role against the Manly Sea Eagles. Nathan Brown reverts to the bench where he is joined by three other forwards as the Eels gets beefy with their interchange rotation. Most notably though is the presence of Marata Niukore who adds so much to the team as both an enforcer and emergency utility.

How the Eels’ new look forward rotation plays out will be a major storyline to follow on Friday night. With three specialist middle forwards on the bench I expect Niukore to be deployed as an edge forward but equally he could be substituted on to play lock and push Matterson to an edge. Regardless, Parramatta certainly have options and should be fresh in the competition for the ruck all game.

Hayze Perham holds his place on the left wing although Sean Russell and Maika Sivo appear in the extended roster. The club are clearly taking care of their returning wingers and are not willing to risk an injury relapse by throwing them immediately into first-grade but I expect them both to come into consideration as early as next week.

The Eels finally return home to CommBank Stadium after a full month on the road and will be looking to right some recent wrongs against the Sea Eagles on Friday night. Parramatta’s opponents were brutally savaged by the Brisbane Broncos in Magic Round and lost young centre Ben Trbojevic in the process. Morgan Harper steps into the vacant centre position while it seems like Tom Trbojevic is pushing through any potential issues with his knee.

Parramatta coming back to their stomping ground means a live edition of The Tip Sheet right out of Jacks Bar & Grill. Sixties and myself will be breaking down all of the action from Round 11 with a club legend so feel free to drop in and put up with us!

The Parramatta Eels take on the Manly Sea Eagles at 7:55PM at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.

 

1. Clinton Gutherson (c)
2. Hayze Perham
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. Ryan Matterson

14. Makahesi Makatoa
15. Marata Niukore
16. Oregon Kaufusi
17. Nathan Brown

18. Wiremu Greig
19. Jake Arthur
20. Mitch Rein
21. Bryce Cartwright
22. Sean Russell
23. Elie El-Zakhem
24. Maika Sivo

 

Injury Report

 

Player Injury Return
Waqa Blake Knee Rd 12-13
Ray Stone Knee 2023
Haze Dunster Knee 2023


NSW Cup Team List

 

Maika Sivo is the headline addition to the NSW Cup this week as the Eels look to pump some minutes into his legs ahead of a prospective NRL return.  He joins Sean Russell there as both players compete for the left wing berth in first grade with the stage this week being CommBank Stadium and the opposition the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles.

Coach Ryan Carr also welcomes Bryce Cartwright back as a starting edge backrower while Brendan Hands adds to his utility resume with a starting cap at lock this week. It is practically raining returning wingers at the moment with Solomone Naiduki finally making his return from a hamstring injury. The big Fijian will play from the bench this week as cover for the backline.

The NSW Cup will play the curtain raiser to the NRL game on Friday but curiously will kickoff nearly two and a half hours before the main event.

The Parramatta Eels take on the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles at 5:30PM at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.

 

1. Jordan Rankin (c)
2. Maika Sivo
3. Zac Cini
4. Samuel Loizou
5. Sean Russell
6. Jack A Williams
7. Jake Arthur
8. Tevita Taumoepenu
9. Mitch Rein
10. Wiremu Greig
11. Elie El-Zakhem
12. Bryce Cartwright
13. Brendan Hands

14. Jayden Yates
15. Solomone Naiduki
16. Luca Moretti
17. Luke Bain

 

Jersey Flegg Team List

 

Reinforcements in the NRL and NSW Cup have a cascading effect on the Jersey Flegg as well. Matthew Komolafe reclaims a starting spot on the flanks which reverberates through the rest of the backline. Josh Tuipulotu moves one inside to centre while Jabriel Kalache partners Ethan Sanders in the halves. Dantoray Lui will play at fullback this week while Corey Fenning will operate in the centres.

The starting forward pack is returning to semblance of health as well with Jack Colovatti and David Hollis finally reunited as starting bookends. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa makes his long, long awaited return from a preseason injury and is named on the bench. Curiously the Eels have named sixteen of seventeen starting and interchange players with two nominated reserves in Brock Parker and Larry Muagututia so we will have to wait and see who takes the final spot on the bench.

The Parramatta Eels take on the Manly Sea Eagles at 5:30PM at Ringrose Park on Saturday night.

 

1. Dantoray Lui
2. Moala Graham-Taufa
3. Corey Fenning (c)
4. Josh Tuipulotu
5. Matthew Komolafe
6. Jabriel Kalache
7. Ethan Sanders
8. Jack Colovatti
9. David Tui
10. David Hollis
11. Lachlan Blackburn
12. Peter Taateo
13. Ryan Jones

14. Nicholas Lenaz
15. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
16. Nikau Wrathall

18. Brock Parker

19. Larry Muagututia

 

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6 thoughts on “Team List Tuesday – Matterson Lock-ed & Loaded Edition

  1. Shaun

    Maika’s form before he wasn’t injured wasn’t the best but I am glad he is on the way back. Hopefully he will rediscover his hard running ways and once more terrorise opposition fullbacks/wingers. With Waqa back soon as well the outside backs start to look good.

  2. pete

    Glad to see Martata back.
    Sivo and Russell still not ready??
    Sivo resigned. Can he play back row 2023?
    Matto deserves his place at 13, he has really assumed that link role like Yeo has at Panthers but Matto has a better running game. N Brown is looking tired already and I think he will be much better off the bench going forward. I think Lanie has been tired so he probably needs a refresher.
    Hasler will be firing up all the ex-Parra forwards saying “Parra said you weren’t good enough Now go and show’em…” Tapau and Sipley off the bench. We need our big guys to run 150m like JWH did last week.
    I think we can bounce back.
    Go Eels !!

  3. Grunta

    That’s a fine looking NSW cup team. Possibly the best I’ve seen for some time. Carr must be happy.

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