NRL Team List
Saturday 17th February, 5:30PM, Nestrata Jubilee Stadium
It is almost an annual tradition in the NRL that the first trial of the year is a near throwaway to give fringe prospects and depth players a run before the heavy hitters come out in the following week. The Parramatta Eels have eschewed much of that this year in naming a team list against the Canberra Raiders that blends core NRL players with a host of the talented prospects that have lit up the preseason.
While the Eels will be without their frontline spine and props, there will be plenty of combined NRL experience on the field against the Raiders. Ryan Matterson and Shaun Lane will guide the forward pack while Sean Russell, Haze Dunster and Bailey Simonsson lend the backline a trio of seasoned heads.
Former Manly duo Morgan Harper and Kelma Tuilagi get their first chances to impress in the Blue & Gold on Saturday night. Harper is in an old-fashioned shootout with Simonsson for the left centre berth and both get the chance to jostle for rank against the Raiders. Kelma Tuilagi is almost assured to be there in Round 1 but he gets an opportunity to press for starting honours this weekend.
The most exciting part of the team list no doubt though is the abundant presence of exciting NRL prospects. From Blaize Talagi making his debut at fullback and Ethan Sanders starting in the spine alongside him at halfback to the bench where Matt Arthur, Toni Mataele, Joshua Lynn, Charlie Guymer, Saxon Pryke and Ethyn Martin will be chomping at the bit to get into the action.
Talagi’s whirlwhind transformation from five-eighth-to-centre-to-fullback will be one of the most intriguing sub-plots to the 2024 season and we get our first chapter this weekend. Athletically, he has everything required (and then some) to succeed but just how quickly can he pick up on the nuances of the role?
Sanders is far more accomplished in his natural role at halfback and despite the uncertainty of his future at the Eels, he enters the 2024 season as the deputy to Mitchell Moses. This will be his team on Saturday so just how well can he steer them around the park?
It is shaping up to be a really fun trial against the Raiders on Saturday. From the positional battle at centre to all the rookies looking to impress, there is plenty on the line. You can catch the action live on Fox Sports and Kayo so be sure you don’t miss it!
| Parramatta Eels | Starters | Canberra Raiders |
| Blaize Talagi | 1 | Chevy Stewart |
| Haze Dunster | 2 | Nick Cotric |
| Morgan Harper | 3 | James Schiller |
| Bailey Simonsson | 4 | Albert Hopoate |
| Sean Russell | 5 | Xavier Savage |
| Daejarn Asi | 6 | Kaeo Weekes |
| Ethan Sanders | 7 | Ethan Strange |
| Ky Rodwell | 8 | Emre Guler |
| Brendan Hands | 9 | Zac Woolford |
| Ofahiki Ogden | 10 | Pasami Saulo |
| Shaun Lane | 11 | Mitchell Spencer |
| Kelma Tuilagi | 12 | Simi Sasagi |
| Ryan Matterson | 13 | Ata Mariota |
| Interchange | ||
| Luca Moretti | 14 | Tom Starling |
| Wiremu Greig | 15 | Prinston Esera |
| Matt Doorey | 16 | Utuloa Asomua |
| Makahesi Makatoa | 17 | Jed Stuart |
| Matthew Arthur | 18 | Danny Levi |
| Toni Mataele | 19 | Adam Cook |
| Joshua Lynn | 20 | Peter Hola |
| Charlie Guymer | 21 | Mitch Henderson |
| Dan Keir | 22 | Peter Taateo |
| Saxon Pryke | 23 | Noah Martin |
| Zac Cini | 24 | Loghan Lewis |
| Isaac Lumelume | 25 | |
| Ethyn Martin | 26 |
AlI can say is….bring it on!
The devil in the detail shows Sanders opposing the players who would be his competitors for time should he sign for the Raiders. Ricky has raided Sydney based clubs and paid overs for talented juniors to fill the roster as Canberra isn’t necessarily attractive to experienced NRL players.
Going to be more than interesting to judge how far the players who have jumped from Ball and Flegg need to go to in their progress to NRL.
What’s the logic of Matterson and Lane featuring in this hit out? Look out of place vs most of the rest of the pack.
I reckon BA wants some leadership there for 20-40 mins.
I think our pack looks good and bench.
Reckon BA also wants to see how our second string halves go if or when we may need them.
Looking forward to it.
Lane also missed a chunk of last season.
I’m sure Ba will bring on others next week and spread the youngsters around the trials.
Well noted Milo.
????? 8 to 17 has played nrl , not sure what your upset about ?
Exactly. With the number of players used in a trial, BA couldn’t leave out 17 players.
Lane only played 10 games last year, needs as many minutes as possible. A lot of the time too it is to get some match fitness. Greig in particular needs this hit out to gain some fitness from missing most of pre-season.
Indeed LB.
Matterson as punishment for not playing the first 3 rounds last year and Lane to blow out the cobwebs from his disrupted , injury laden season. Just joking.
I’m going with Milo’s response below. BA would balance out a lot of factors. Game time in the previous season, workload in the preseason, new players getting familiarity with systems, leadership/experience etc.
No jirah at all…….
Or jock Brazel. Wonder why
Unfortunately I think Jirah and Zac cini were two of the costliest panic buys in recent memory by the eels. Not because of money but more because of the 2 roster spots that were thrown away.
Nothing to worry about there.
Correct
Exciting team list with the number of young players getting an opportunity, some names here that could be in our NRL side for seasons to come.
Regardless of results this Saturday, fans should be excited with the make up of this side and the potential within it.
BP, I’m extremely pleased that supporters get to watch these young blokes. Whether or not they can eventually fulfil their potential, it’s the biggest group of pathways players with NRL potential that I’ve witnessed coming through in a very long time. But please we have to remember that they are all very young and the jump to NRL is a huge one and talent isn’t the only factor.
Hi guys,
Excuse the potentially silly question as I haven’t been following at all this pre-season. What’s the go with Arthur Miller-Stephen?
Injured for the season
He’s still around the club. Gets out to junior reps and Flegg to support. Saw him helping out at Flegg training too. Good club man. Top bloke.
Interesting that wiremu is on the bench. Perhaps rushing back from his lisfranc mid year and then reinjuring his foot at end of year has put him behind in pecking order? Or maybe he just needs fitness? I guess we’ll find out but hopefully he smashes it as he could be a real part of the nrl bench. Also, from the team photo I counted 28 players. Surely we make use of last two spots to sign an athletic back. There’s plenty of gems out there and Jojo fifita from titans or who ever misses out on the stacked backline they have (not shoupp or Maumalo) would be fantastic.
Ron, there are many factors involved in determining who starts. Not only did Woody have the injury last year, but it’s also been documented by the Eels that he was in rehab during the preseason. I can assure you that he looks the fittest I’ve ever seen him, but the coaches and training/physio staff would have goals for his return.
Do we think the absence of lussick on this team list points to him being the preferred 9?
Also I’m wondering, seeing how Dejarn asi is the next string 5/8 by this team list, where does that leave a player like Josh Lynn who was already in that nsw cup side last year? Shouldn’t we be promoting him as we are very likely to lose sanders next year?
Asi is first string if either Brown or Moses go down, unless Sanders does well in Cup then he will be the 1st string to Moses. But also putting Lynn in with Sanders in Cup won’t help either of them. Asi will help with experience.
Lynn can run Flegg without Sanders and show his talent there.
Would Asi be first string replacement? I reckon that depends on the circumstance of the game in question. Asi’s best asset is his versatility. But that also doesn’t make him a specialist. As far as Lynn is concerned, he will probably start the season in Flegg, but that’s definitely an age eligibility situation.
Asi is a poor defender no matter where he plays
Mitchell, the thinking of keeping Sanders, Arthur, Talagi and Lynn together has strong merit. However, the age factor comes into a number of selections. Firstly, all of those players are Flegg age eligible. Other competing players in the squad are not. All of the players need game time. It’s a balancing act. Then you have the Flegg squad unsure who will be made available for them as they prepare for the season. Without question, the major priority is player development to get NRL players from the group. But that balancing act of who can actually get game time in a particular grade still has some influence. As far as Lynn is concerned, he’ll get NSW Cup time this year.
This is exciting for the young-guns! Excited to see blaize get the no.1 job and Ethan vs Ethan will be interesting.
Can’t wait!!!
Really hoping for injury free results
It’s terrific watching so many move from pathways to senior footy
Tks forty. Fingers crossed no injuries and start the premiership with a full roster. Availability is one of our 2 major improvement points for 2024. Defence the other.
Just a sidebar, Junior looks around 115kgs to me, are photos lying? Also I reckon Matterson is a on a ‘ no soft options’ start to the season after that weird opening chapter last year, BA”s take on repentance. Clear the decks of that one, he is a very good footballer.
Junior literally looks chiselled BDon. Very fit.
I expect Russel,Simmo,Harper all to be replaced at halftime by Cini,Lumelume and Martyn.
With that many players on the list, it will be a vastly different team in the second half.
Where and when is the Flegg trial this weekend.
Eric Tweedale Stadium, immediately after SG Ball round 3 match.
Must say I was surprised to read that Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa has left the Club and linked up with Melbourne Storm.
Thought he looked a good prospect in what I saw of him ion 2023…