The NRLW powers on as we enter Round 2 of the 2022 premiership. The Parramatta Eels measured short of the reigning premiers last week and now find themselves up against another formidable opponent in the St George Illawarra Dragons. While the Roosters were able to dominant possession and territory in Round 1 and hence the final scoreboard, Parramatta were able to ask some legitimate questions of the title holders. The emphasis this week almost certainly would have been around tightening up their defence in both the ruck and on the edges. Those adjustments will be put to the test this week up against a Dragons team that won handsomely over the Gold Coast Titans last week.

In Parramatta’s favour is a return to their home ground at CommBank Stadium where they will make their final appearance for the regular season. They are on the road for the next three games so making the most of this opportunity is critical for the Blue & Gold. Coach Dean Widders has made a number of changes from his Round 1 team sheet but there also looks to be a late change in the halves in a potential blow to the home team. Let’s see how both sides shape up and how the Eels can rack up their first victory of the season.

Game Info

Date: Sunday August 28, 2022

Venue: CommBank Stadium, Parramatta

Kick Off: 12:00 PM, AEST

Referee: Belinda Sharpe

Senior Review Official: Matt Noyen

Broadcast: Fox League, Kayo

The Teams

The Parramatta Eels

As mentioned above, there are a number of changes to the team this week. Zali Fay, Tayla Preston and Ruby-Jean Kennard were named on Team List Tuesday as part of a battery of modifications to the squad in order to galvanise the Eels ahead of their Round 2 clash. All three are now scheduled to make their NRLW debuts in what should hopefully add plenty of energy to Sunday’s game. Fay claims a spot on the wing as part of a backline reshuffle. Rikeya Horne slides one inside to centre to help facilitate the move while Abbi Church is the player to drop out of the team to accommodate it all.

Preston, a former PM XVIII representative back in 2019, makes her professional debut at five-eighth. She was originally listed to partner young gun Losana Lutu but late mail indicates that instead she will be running the team with Ashleigh Quinlan as Lutu drops out of Sunday’s game. Quinlan is a former Rooster having played in their 2020 campaign and now makes her club debut for the Eels as part of a revamped backline.

In many ways the player who will be playing among the smallest share of minutes this week is the biggest story out of all the new names in Round 2. Ruby-Jean Kennard becomes the first ever home grown Parramatta Eel in the NRLW after graduating from the Tarsha Gale earlier this year. Kennard was a standout at prop forward in the Junior Representatives this year, playing with both high impact and a big motor. Naturally I expect the jump to NRLW to be a learning process for her but it is a watershed moment for player and club and something to be hugely excited about!

The name of the game for the Eels this week is all about competing on defence for mine. Line speed is going to be perhaps the most important indicator of success for the Eels through this game. They can’t afford to be passive two weeks running and handing the reins of the game to their opposition. That means that the forward pack need to follow the likes of Simaima Taufa and Kennedy Cherrington in their aggression and intensity while the defenders on the edges need to be decisive.

In attack we need to see more out of the starting bookends Filomina Hanisi and Ellie Johnston. The middles need to take the battle to the Dragons and give a new look spine as much of an assist as possible. Speaking of the playmakers, I was already calling for an expansion of her responsibilities after last week but with a new #6 and #7 in the team I feel it is almost mandatory that Gayle Broughton becomes the spotlight player this week. Instead of heaping pressure on the shoulders of Preston and Quinlan, lean on Broughton and allow her to get downhill and attack both edges.

This is a game that will test the hunger of the home team. Like the men in the NRL, the emphasis needs to be on chasing the collisions. Win those and you will mount a serious challenge against the Dragons.

St George Illawarra Dragons

The Dragons, like the Broncos and Roosters as fellow foundation NRLW teams, have built an excellent base for the NRLW programs since their original inception in 2018. All three teams have quality forward packs and dynamic backlines and make for difficult opponents to defeat as a result.

Their forward pack is headed by captain Kezie Apps who has proven to be a ultra reliable presence for the Red V. Holli Wheeler has proven to be a high energy lock forward and together with Apps forms a high work rate backrow that is always pressing their opponents. Keeley Davis and Quincy Dodd are a dangerous 1-2 punch at dummy half who will exploit any weakness in Parramatta’s ruck defence.

Truth be told, the Dragons are a team with quality first spread across their line-up. You could easily pick out any two or three and feature them as potential threats. However, two stand above all in my books and their wear the #1 and #2. Emma Tonegato exploded into the public eye in the 2021 NRLW season as one of the premier fullbacks in the game. Bringing a wealth of Rugby Sevens experience to custodial position in rugby league, Tonegato rapidly proved to be a class above as a passing and running option. She makes the Dragons tick and the klaxons needs to be blaring whenever she has the ball or is lurking around it.

Teagan Berry adds lightning quick speed to the flanks for the Red V. The Roosters already showed the damage that pure pace can inflict on the scoreboard and Berry brings that in spades. The Eels will need to be hugely cautious in whatever buffer or cushion they give her because she will turn the slightest bit of separation into a four-pointer in the blink of an eye.

Key Players

Gayle Broughton

Gayle makes this list for the second week running for reasons already stated above. No Losana Lutu and as a result a completely new halves pairing means that Parramatta’s fullback is even more important to the team. She showed in her NRLW debut that she is more than willing to roll up her sleeves and get to work with the tough carries. This week we need to see her fellow playmakers put in positions to succeed in attack. Give her just a smidgen of time and space on either edge and she will spark something.

Filomina Hanisi & Ellie Johnston

After getting contained by the Roosters in Round 1, the starting bookends have to be more present against the Dragons. Both are big and powerful movers and while that may point to some defensive limitations as the game wears on, it also means they need to be trucking the ball through the middle with some impact. They will be the tone setters on Sunday and how much of a factor Broughton can be will depend on the platform they can build.

Kennedy Cherrington

There is no doubt that Kennedy Cherrington will bring the energy from the interchange bench. In a way she occupies a similar slot to Ryan Matterson where she may not start but she is clearly one of the team’s primary forwards. When she is thrown into the game it is go time and she almost drags her teammates forwards with her. That energy and her ability to be disruptive – be it through aggression or niggle is something that sets her apart and could lead to a key moment or two in this game.

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