NRL Team List
Round 6, 4:00PM Monday 10th April, Accor Stadium
Well hot damn, the bells of change have rung this week. Form, suspension and a bill of clean of health all factors in Round 6 as Brad Arthur makes massive changes to his team sheet ahead of the traditional Easter Monday clash with the Wests Tigers.
Shaun Lane makes one of the greatest Easter comebacks of all-time as the backrower returns from a broken jaw to reclaim his place on the left-edge. While Bryce Cartwright has done a tremendous job holding down the fort there, Lane’s value to Parramatta’s left-edge transcends his individual statistics. I fully expect him to be somewhat underdone given his length stint on the sideline but seeing him run out on Monday afternoon will be a sight for sore eyes.
Speaking of Bryce Cartwright, his excellent opening to season 2023 has not gone unrewarded as ‘BA’ flips him to the other side of the field. Cartwright will now work in tandem with Mitchell Moses and who knows – that could be a very fruitful partnership for the Blue & Gold.
Lane’s return was always going to facilitate a reshuffle in the team but Arthur made two further changes to the starting line-up this week. One enforced by a suspension to Bailey Simonsson, the other a reactionary move to the form struggles of Waqa Blake. In comes Haze Dunster onto the right wing while Sean Russell makes a long-awaited return to first grade as he partners Haze at right centre, pardon me got caught up juggling too many things, but he should replace Waqa at left centre.
Dunster’s return marks an exclamation point on an incredibly tough journey that has taken well over a year. He has gone from strength-to-strength in the NSW Cup over the last 3 weeks as he fights back from a total knee reconstruction suffered in the 2022 NRL Trials. Suspension might have opened the door for him this week but his form was very much demanding that he be in the conversation for NRL selection outright. Russell too returns from injury after a frustrating shoulder setback sustained at training roughly a month ago. His positional versatility comes to the fore this week as the junior fullback come senior winger now covers the centres for the Eels.
The cascading changes continue into the forward pack as Ryan Matterson takes over at starting lock forward. That in turn sees J’Maine Hopgood join the interchange bench where he is accompanied by Brendan Hands, Jack Murchie and Makahesi Makatoa. The unlucky soul to make way in the big Shaun Laune reshuffle is Matt Doorey.
The new look Eels are desperately hunting their 2nd victory of the season but their opponents this week find themselves in a familiar spot to last year. In 2022, the winless Wests Tigers ambushed the Parramatta Eels on Easter Monday to secure a breakthrough opening victory. There can not be a repeat in 2023 given the Eels are already well behind the 8-ball.
| Parramatta Eels | Wests Tigers | |
| Clinton Gutherson | 1 | Charlie Staines |
| Maika Sivo | 2 | Asu Kepoa |
| Will Penisini | 3 | Brent Naden |
| Sean Russell | 4 | Starford To’a |
| Haze Dunster | 5 | Junior Tupou |
| Dylan Brown | 6 | Adam Doueihi |
| Mitchell Moses | 7 | Luke Brooks |
| Reagan Campbell-Gillard | 8 | Stefano Utoikamanu |
| Josh Hodgson | 9 | Apisai Koroisau |
| Wiremu Greig | 10 | David Klemmer |
| Shaun Lane | 11 | Isaiah Papali’i |
| Bryce Cartwright | 12 | John Bateman |
| Ryan Matterson | 13 | Fonua Pole |
| Interchange | ||
| J’Maine Hopgood | 14 | Jake Simpkin |
| Brendan Hands | 15 | Alex Twal |
| Jack Murchie | 16 | Joe Ofahengaue |
| Makahesi Makatoa | 17 | Shawn Blore |
| Reserves | ||
| Jake Arthur | 18 | Justin Matamua |
| Matt Doorey | 19 | Alex Seyfarth |
| Ofahiki Ogden | 20 | Brandon Wakeham |
| Ky Rodwell | 21 | Rua Ngatikaura |
| Waqa Blake | 22 | Daine Laurie |
NSW Cup Team List
Round 6, 1:40PM Monday 10th April, Accor Stadium
A thrilling comeback 26-all draw against the St George Illawarra Dragons means the Parramatta Eels keep their momentum rolling in the NSW Cup heading into Round 6. They will be without the services of Haze Dunster this week but gain Waqa Blake and Matt Doorey in his place. Daejarn Asi gets his first look at fullback as he accommodates Waqa’s inclusion in the backline.
Otherwise the Eels enjoy a healthy dose of stability in reserve grade heading into Easter Monday. Jake Arthur is building very nicely through the early stages of 2023 while the Parramatta forward pack starts to hit a sweet groove as they return to full fitness.
The Eels take on the Western Suburbs Magpies this week, who sit just above Parramatta on the ladder.
| 1 | Daejarn Asi |
| 2 | Isaac Lumelume |
| 3 | Waqa Blake |
| 4 | Zac Cini |
| 5 | Matthew Komolafe |
| 6 | Jordan Rankin © |
| 7 | Jake Arthur |
| 8 | Ofahiki Ogden |
| 9 | Mitch Rein |
| 10 | Ky Rodwell |
| 11 | Toni Mataele |
| 12 | Matt Doorey |
| 13 | Luca Moretti |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Jayden Yates |
| 15 | Dan Keir |
| 16 | Jirah Momoisea |
| 17 | Tevita Taumoepenu |
| 18 | Niko Apelu |
Jersey Flegg Team List
Round 6, 11:00AM Friday 7th April, Lidcombe Oval
The biggest surprise packets of 2023 continued their surge last week with a comprehensive 32-16 victory over the Dragons. Craig Brennan’s troops are playing an outstanding brand of footy based on hard work, focused finishes to sets and committed team efforts and the results are telling. Samuel Loizou made his return from injury last week and retains his place in the centres as the team remains unchanged from the one that took down the Dragons.
The Wests Tigers sit a win behind the Eels coming into Round 6 and will host our boys on Good Friday at Lidcombe Oval.
| 1 | Lindsay Munro |
| 2 | Turoa Williams |
| 3 | Samuel Loizou |
| 4 | Will Latu |
| 5 | Lene Feterika |
| 6 | Ned Hicks |
| 7 | Mac Puafisi |
| 8 | Brock Parker |
| 9 | Jacob Davis |
| 10 | Jontay Junior Betham Misa |
| 11 | Jock Brazel (c) |
| 12 | Max Tupou |
| 13 | Nicholas Lenaz |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Riley Lack |
| 15 | Tyson Chase |
| 16 | Nikau Wrathall |
| 17 | Noah Reed |
| 18 | Lachlan Mears-Crabb |
So stoked that Dunster and Russell have got the call up! They have the chance to cement a spot in 1st grade.
Lane train!!
Cartwright retains his starting spot and Matto starting…we’ll see.
Looking forward to this!
Do you think BA will swap Matto and Hopgood before kick off. BA had a habit of naming Matto to start but than playing him of the bench last year.
Whats bad about it ????
He didn’t say it was bad.
Yea idk what weasel is smoking.
Hey Tooks,
Just wondering if you could do us a small favour. The name that you post under is the same nickname as an Eels staff member. Would you be able to make a minor change to the name that you post under so as not to create any confusion? Many thanks.
Three first up players, perhaps sixties can share thoughts on their training regime and fitness, but this team looks to address some chronic deficiencies.Looks good on paper. Will be interesting to watch the use of Hands and Hopgood. Hodgson is indicating shorter stints may be best right now and Hopgood could provide real punch when the opposition is either tiring or re-organising.
Hodgson is a serious liability. Was found out on 3 critical stages against the Roosters. He is too slow of the mark and the opposition have used this to attack past him creating an overlap . Resulting in points ..
I had noticed some tired ineffective tackles, missed grabs and slow to push back across from the blind side when opponents switch direction to attack behind our ruck, generally later in his stint. I”ll watch for what you have observed, but I”m thinking Hands has shown more minutes may be best for the team.
Finally BA has addressed the elephant in the room and dropped Waqa. I’m now expecting him to go from strength to strength in Cup and show everyone that he is a NRL player !
He should absolutely dominate in Cup to allow him to showcase his worth to potential suitors.
I was surprised that Asi didn’t take the centre role. I haven’t seen any Cup so he obviously isn’t smashing the door down to be picked.
This is a MASSIVE danger game for us.
If we score early we may just go straight into old habits. We have to be absolutely ruthless.
What happened to the propr Larry. Not named again. I’ve seen hsi name named in a lower division. Have we cut ties with him?
Larry was touted late last year and hardly anything in ‘23. Im with you Hindy…where he at?
It is amazing how these men can recover from broken jaws etc. And I hope it doesn’t look like Lanos even been away from the field … and I do love, most of the time, a bit of journalistic hyperbole. But I still think the Lord Jesus coming back from the dead, is the biggest Easter comeback. It always will be. Go Parra !
Ha! Ha! Well picked up, Happy Easter to all.
Between you and me, I wish it was Ray Price, at least he looked the part! and he prayed in most games.
May the Sky Wizard be with you!
I assume Russell will be on the left side with Sivo and Lane?
Love these selections. Can’t wait. Good on you BA for doing the obvious.
I like the name J’Maine Matterson. I look forward to seeing him in action – our very own portmanteau player.
Good side!! Hopgood will probably come in and play 60 min when Greig gets tired. Hopefully, Hands comes on earlier in the game at the 30-minute mark. Unlucky for Doorey done well off the bench recently but his fitness needs to be worked on. The only thing that might be concerning is Carty and Moses defending together on the edge.
Moses is one of the best defending halves in the game now. Some of the tackles he has made this year have been exceptional. He’s come a very long way from the defender he was when he joined Parra.
Regarding Hopgood, yeah I am expecting him to come on and wreak havoc with tiring defenders. That may just be the best way to use him.
Best side we can have i feel until Junior is back. Good teams win these games with strong defence and we just need a bucket load of this and also patience. Hold tight against Wests emotional first half and be patient and stick to our game; and just cut the errors pls and compete at 80+. A win will happen