NRL Team List
The Canberra Raiders are all that is left between the Parramatta Eels and a timely bye ahead of the Origin period. Brad Arthur welcomes back another key piece before the break and while nearly all signs pointed towards one of Maika Sivo or Sean Russell making a push back into first grade, Waqa Blake has come in like a bolt from the blue (& gold) to claim the left wing position.
Blake replaces Hayze Perham while murmurs of an injury to Marata Niukore have been dispelled with extreme prejudice with the versatile backrower named to start on the right edge. Isaiah Papali’i slides into the lock forward role to start against the Raiders, similar to how the Eels operated against Manly in Round 11. The bench remains the same quartet from last week with Ryan Matterson the headline act given his seemingly unstoppable run of form.
All this means the Eels are all hands on deck for the first time this season and it comes as they take on (for what it feels like the umpteenth time this year) a team that looks to have turned a corner themselves. The Canberra Raiders are riding a 3-game win streak that includes resounding victories over the Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney Rabbitohs. Given that Canberra are always a formidable opponent at home, the Eels will now also have to contend with their overbrimming confidence and it sets the stage for a highly competitive clash on Sunday.
The Raiders do lose the services of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad this week as Xavier Savage covers fullback in his absence. Former Eel Jamal Fogarty will make his debut in lime green this week after finally recovering from a preseason injury. That sees Brad Schneider drop out of the team. Club stalwart Jarrod Croker also is recalled to the starting line-up which bumps Sebastian Kris to the bench and Harry Rushton out of the gameday roster.
With an 8-day turnaround fueling them and knowledge of the looming bye in their possession, Sunday is a real chance for the Eels to tee off and tear in against a quality opposition. Parramatta are still trying to weave together all of the threads that go into a consistent run but with a full-strength roster this week their most significant handicap has finally been removed.
The Parramatta Eels take on the Canberra Raiders at 4:05PM at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
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. Marata Niukore
13. Isaiah Papali’i
14. Makahesi Makatoa
15. Ryan Matterson
16. Oregon Kaufusi
17. Nathan Brown
18. Bryce Cartwright
19. Jake Arthur
20. Mitch Rein
21. Hayze Perham
22. Sean Russell
23. Ky Rodwell
24. Maika Sivo
Injury Report
| Player | Injury | Return |
| Ray Stone | Knee | 2023 |
| Haze Dunster | Knee | 2023 |
NSW Cup Team List
There are minor changes to the team that solidly dealt with the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles last week in the NSW Cup. In light of Waqa Blake’s return, Hayze Perham drops back to the Cup where he slots into the centres to replace young Samuel Loizou who took a heavy hit off the ball against the Sea Eagles. Ky Rodwell finally returns from a tough judicial layoff and immediately starts at lock forward. That allows Brendan Hands to play the role of bench utility – where he has done extremely well this season.
Canberra stunned the Eels back in Round 8 with a 28-4 ambush with a line-up full of NRL experience due to late NRL demotions. It won’t be too dissimilar this time around with the likes of Matt Frawley, Sam Williams, Semi Valemi, Emre Guler and Corey Harawira-Naera leading the starting team for the Raiders. As with the NRL it means there should be a cracking game of rugby league played and I believe this one should be broadcasted on NSWRLTV.
The Parramatta Eels take on the Canberra Raiders at 1:45PM at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
1. Jordan Rankin (c)
2. Maika Sivo
3. Zac Cini
4. Hayze Perham
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. Ky Rodwell
14. Jayden Yates
15. Solomone Naiduki
16. Luke Bain
17. Brendan Hands
Jersey Flegg Team List
A 7-point in the Jersey Flegg last week meant that Manly narrowly avoided getting swept by the Blue & Gold in Round 11. Toni Mataele and Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa both made successful returns from preseason injuries and force their way into the starting line-up this week on the back of their efforts last week.
Corey Fenning is absent from the team be it through injury or suspension and the void created by that is filled by Lachlan Blackburn who slides from backrow to centre. Kruz Niutili-Schmidt will start at dummy-half while Jack Colovatti drops to the bench to make way for the big hyphen.
The Eels have fallen a ways off the pace for the Top 8 due to a wide variety of reasons but injuries and player promotions to the NSW Cup weigh heavily among them. Canberra sit one win ahead on the table and a victory over them this week would mark the beginning of the long ascent back towards the upper half of the table.
The Parramatta Eels take on the Canberra Raiders at 12:05PM at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
1. Dantoray Lui
2. Turoa Williams
3. Charlie Guymer
4. Lachlan Blackburn
5. Matthew Komolafe
6. Jabriel Kalache
7. Ethan Sanders
8. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
9. Kruz Niutili-Schmidt
10. David Hollis
11. Peter Taateo
12. Toni Mataele
13. Ryan Jones
14. David Tui
15. Jack Colovatti
16. Nikau Wrathall
17. Brock Parker
The team is starting to look at a lot better. And I glad that Papalii’s 250th game was last week. I could be wrong but the game before the bye seems to be one those games the Eels tend to lose. Hopefully that Canberra hoodoo was well and truly dusted last year.
There’s a challenge to Gol to research the history of the game before the bye.
I’m sure he can do it.
What happened to ofahiki ogden ?
Busted his shoulder way back against the Dragons after making a big run. I think he is due back pretty much any game now which will be a real nice boost to the club.
Waqa is a massive inclusion this week. I think we have been missing guys like him and Sivo a lot more than we realise.
How’s Dave Hollis going guys? He was touted as the next big thing but seems to have fallen down the pecking order.
Clive, he’s mostly playing Flegg. He’s been elevated a couple of times to NSW Cup when players have been unavailable. He’s 21 this year so it will be his last season that he can play Flegg.
Cheers mate. Hopefully he can live up to the lofty expectations that people have placed on him.
Some welcome surprises this week, quite a different team.
I like Waqa on the wing, he was making some serious yardage from the wing in the early games, really helps our kick return. Gives Moses kicking game another target.
And Ice to the middle, provides lots of rotation options.
Faders are tough at home and Eels haven’t strung 2 wins together since the early rounds – but no excuses with that team.
If by chance at origin time we have Junior, RCG and Matto picked who do we bring in as replacements and who fills the bench.
Great read Forty20.
Great news to see Waqa back.
Interesting to see ICE at 13 and Matata on the edge.
A difficult trip to Raiders heartland. Hopefully we can back up our win last week.
Go Eels!!
Hayze named at centre is interesting and I think it is a potential position for him he has deft hands and a bit of pace would be more than capable of getting his winger away into space
Not nrl quality player unfortunately , ko cup at best my opinion .
Tks Forty. I don’t know if Niukore needed the hit out last week or copped a minor injury. If both he and Waqa can impose themselves on the game, we’ll be much better off. Waqa might cop a few high balls to check if he’s been practicing.
Waqa has a background in AFL. In the past he has been good taking the high ball.
I hope you are right and he has done some work on his catching during his recovery.
Stop the offloads !
We traditionally struggle against teams that play high energy with lots of offloads.
Whats happened to Moretti?