NRL
No, not that kind of sweepstakes…although the last month and a bit has felt something of a lottery as to which Parramatta Eels outfit will turn up. Round 20 looms as a potential sweep of the Penrith Panthers with so much at stake for the Blue & Gold. A Top 4 push, as improbable as it feels right now, is still on the cards with the Eels just one win behind the Cronulla Sharks (3rd) and Brisbane Broncos (4th) although there is significant work to be done on the points differential front. Notably, the North Queensland Cowboys should also be just one win ahead of Parramatta in a world where the main official and the Bunker know the rules of the game…something I definitely haven’t been grumbling about for a considerable time now.
As for Parramatta though, they desperately need to kickstart something, anything right now. While the Broncos were the benefactors of a number of lucky moments in Round 19, it is fair to say that they also outplayed the Eels with more hunger in the middle and some aggressive second phase footy.
Penrith are all that and more, as the entire NRL is well aware now.
The Eels prevailed in an absolute gem of a game when these two teams met in Round 9. It was a signature win for Parramatta and a legitimate checkmark for a team looking to vie for the title. However, since establishing that incredibly high ceiling Parramatta have struggled to get a feel for the consistency needed to drive deep into the postseason. Every time it looks like they have rounded that important corner they manage to stumble over something new.
Brad Arthur has elected to make the solitary change this round as he continues his rotation policy for the 17th player in his top grade side. In a way, the rotation comes full circle this week as Bryce Cartwright comes back into the NRL. Jake Arthur makes way for Bryce just as Arthur himself replaced Tom Opacic after both players worked through short term stints on the bench.
Cartwright could prove to be a spark to help reignite the Eels but realistically the onus falls on core players through the spine and ruck who have struggled for traction for some time. Sixties wrote about the ailing form of Clinton Gutherson and Reed Mahoney today and the Eels need those two for certain to recapture their best form but it goes past that. Parramatta’s forward pack, hailed as one of the best in the competition, need to impose themselves on the fearsome Penrith forwards on Friday.
Speaking of the Panthers, they have two key outs this week with Jahrome Luai and Stephen Crichton set to miss the Friday night blockbuster. Robert Jennings and Sean O’Sullivan will replace them and while the Panthers are obviously short of full strength that takes a little away from a line-up still stacked from top to bottom.
Still, when all is said and done the Eels have the blueprint to beat the Panthers. They have the team to beat the Panthers. Hell, the team that stunned them back in Round 9 featured Hayze Perham on the wing in the zenith of the almost impossible backline injury crisis. The Eels are better rostered coming into this game while the Panthers are worse off. All it boils down to is sheer want-to for the Blue & Gold. Do they want to win each and every collision on both sides of the ball? Do they want to put their body on the line for the loose ball? Do they want to chase that linebreak to save a try?
We will find out the answers to all those questions and more in a game that has so much at stake for the Eels this Friday. A timely reminder for all and sundry that win or lose, The Tip Sheet will be live from Jacks Bar & Grill for the post-game breakdown of all of the action. Obviously myself and Sixties will be there but in Round 20 you have a chance to meet just about everyone that contributes to TCT from Mitch to Gol and so many more. So if that takes your fancy be sure to say hello!
The Parramatta Eels take on the Penrith Panthers at 7:55PM on Friday night at CommBank Stadium.
NRL Team List
1. Clinton Gutherson (c)
2. Maika Sivo
3. Will Penisini
4. Waqa Blake
5. Bailey Simonsson
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Junior Paulo
11. Shaun Lane
12. Isaiah Papali’i
13. Ryan Matterson
14. Makahesi Makatoa
15. Jake Arthur
16. Oregon Kaufusi
17. Marata Niukore
18. Ky Rodwell
19. Ofahiki Ogden
20. Bryce Cartwright
21. Tom Opacic
22. Sean Russell
NSW Cup
Coming out of the bye there are three notable changes for the Parramatta Eels in the NSW Cup. Firstly, the return of Jake Arthur will give the team a huge boost given their struggles in the red zone and a general lack of direction for the team. Secondly, Tom Opacic is turning out in the backrow against the Panthers. This looks to be best solution captain-coach Jordan Rankin could find to a backline looking to fit 6 (or more with players like Samuel Loizou missing out) into 5.
Thirdly, it looks like Brendan Hands has been given the nod to start over Mitch Rein at dummy half. Hands has been one of the players fans have been most invested in this year given his ability to cover a number of positions but primary among them has always been #9. Hands has been a consistent performer for the Eels in 2022 and he gets a huge chance to impress this week against his former club.
The bye week was actually extremely kind to the Eels as they jumped into the Top 4 without lifting a finger. Their opponents in the Panthers enter the round in 2nd and sit two full wins clear of Parramatta so a win lifts the Blue & Gold within touching distance of their Western Sydney rivals.
The Parramatta Eels take on the Penrith Panthers at 5:30PM on Friday night at CommBank Stadium.
1. Jordan Rankin (c)
2. Solomone Naiduki
3. Zac Cini
4. Hayze Perham
5. Sean Russell
6. Jack A Williams
7. Jake Arthur
8. Ofahiki Ogden
9. Brendan Hands
10. Ky Rodwell
11. Elie El-Zakhem
12. Tom Opacic
13. Nathan Brown
14. Mitch Rein
15. Tevita Taumoepenu
16. Wiremu Greig
17. Toni Mataele
Jersey Flegg
The Parramatta Eels take on the Penrith Panthers at 1:00PM on Saturday afternoon at Kellyville Park.
TBA
About time they dropped the golden boy.
What a stupid comment.
Accurate but!
Put your name up you gutless assbandit.
Go and mow your 1000 acre Marijuana farm haha
So, you remembered to write your name this time…
Genius!
Lol so your name is Grunta? Stupid comment, and sixties is actually his name
How do you know my online name is not Anonymous. Now Mr Grunta ( is that first or second name) P##S off back to 1Eyedeel.
Grunta is my real life first name and derives from my German heritage. Sixties’ is his real name, full name Sixties Headbanger actually. Got a problem with that Aholeymous?
Opačić to centre, Blake shifted to wing to replace Simonsson and Nathan Brown in place of Makatoa and it would have been our strongest lineup since Round 1.
Agree, but Brown has gone to Nepal to climb Everest.
With reserves I don’t mind opiacic at backrow he won’t be here next year but is experienced enough to get the job done at that level Perham has started to look like centre maybe his best position
I’m concerned about Greig becoming a Reggie’s bench player as he came with alot of hope and potential
I think we are all hoping that Hands develops into a legitimate dummy half/interchange option
I’m considering driving down to see the game but at the same time not all that Keen once bitten etc..
Nathen brown in reserve grade is just not on.
It’s not about form.
Yes I know its not about form. Its bs politics.
Congratulations joseph your are now our undisputed no 1 idiot !!!!
Umm… the team list above has JA at 15. Have the gremlins got into the system?
I guess i was hoping for some changes but not shocked here. BA has elected to stay loyal to the team all bar one change. I am not sure at all, and he’s left this in the players hands.
Not sure i agree. Hope we win but hard to see this. For me we have seen some players regress this year and i only hope we see some strong forward and attacking plays.
Speaking of regressing, who in the team has actually improved? Fulbright did for the first half of the season, but even he has gone quiet.
There’s obviously disharmony at the club and certainly within the playing group.
*Dylbro not Fulbright 😳
Haha. Maybe your lawn mower threw a piston
🖕
This is a good opportunity to get back into from. The Panthers have a few out and we are just about ‘full strength’. BA has stayed loyal instead of swinging the axe after last week’s failure to grasp the importance of the match. Poor JA is the only change. Rested after getting 5 minutes last week. Cartwright back from injury but was playing NSW cup when he got injured…
Fingers crossed 🤞
Hi 4020
There were two incidents of run of play against us whilst in possession in the game that ultimately cost us a victory and both of them were through Waqa Blake. The ball steel by Adam Reynolds on him was disgraceful- smart little man on big man just (poor game awareness). He’s dropped catch from kickoff in the second half is unforgivable (for all the talk of communication between him and Sivo it needs to be all game). Those two plays were huge turning points when we were in possession and in command of ,or getting back in the game.
Yes you’re right there Luke and it’s a shame as Waqa has been going pretty well of late, but he was better on the wing imo.