NRL Team List
Round 12, 7:35PM Saturday, Accor Stadium
The Parramatta Eels tipped the rugby league world on its head on Monday when they sensationally fired head coach Brad Arthur effective immediately. With Trent Barrett taking over as interim coach for the remainder of season 2024, the table was at least set for an interesting Team List Tuesday where we see changes to underperforming players annnnnnnnnd it is the same team as last week.
Well I guess Ryan Matterson has returned from illness to bump Luca Moretti to the extended bench.
Yep. That about sums thing up currently.
So, I guess the question becomes, how do the players respond after all the drama this week?
Will there be another second half fade? Will the same players that have dragged their heels all year suddenly find another gear? Will any of the senior players step up to lead the way? Csn Barrett get them to fire up where Arthur couldn’t? Regardless of where you stand on the sacking of Arthur, it is surely difficult for either party to be enthused by more of the same in Round 12.
In a darkly beautiful cosmic twist, naturally the Eels are facing the South Sydney Rabbitohs this week – because of course the rugby league gods would mandate that you need to immediately reminded of your failure to recruit Wayne Bennett. The match itself also has important ramifications on the unwilling race to the bottom of the ladder with 1-win Rabbitohs looking to put pressure on the Eels, Tigers and Titans.
South Sydney looked a fair sight better than the Eels in Magic Round and will be buoyed by the confirmation that Bennett rebuffed Parramatta to stick firm with them. On that basis the Bunnies are probably warm favourites for the contest on Saturday night which also happens to be part of Indigenous Round. The Eels will be wearing kit that celebrates the Dharug and Burramattagal people as well as detailing the rugby league journey of J’maine Hopgood.
| Parramatta Eels | South Sydney Rabbitohs | |
| Blaize Talagi | 1 | Latrell Mitchell |
| Maika Sivo | 2 | Alex Johnston |
| Will Penisini | 3 | Taane Milne |
| Sean Russell | 4 | Michael Chee Kam |
| Bailey Simonsson | 5 | Jacob Gagai |
| Daejarn Asi | 6 | Jack Wighton |
| Dylan Brown | 7 | Cody Walker |
| Reagan Campbell-Gillard | 8 | Davvy Moale |
| Joey Lussick | 9 | Damien Cook |
| Junior Paulo | 10 | Sean Keppie |
| Shaun Lane | 11 | Jacob Host |
| Ryan Matterson | 12 | Jai Arrow |
| J’maine Hopgood | 13 | Keaon Koloamatangi |
| Interchange | ||
| Bryce Cartwright | 14 | Peter Mamouzelos |
| Makahesi Makatoa | 15 | Tallis Duncan |
| Joe Ofahengaue | 16 | Siliva Havili |
| Kelma Tuilagi | 17 | Thomas Burgess |
| Reserves | ||
| Brendan Hands | 18 | Dion Teaupa |
| Morgan Harper | 19 | Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson |
| Ethan Sanders | 20 | Matthew French |
| Wiremu Greig | 21 | Adam Christensen |
| Luca Moretti | 22 | Bayleigh Bentley-Hape |
NSW Cup Team List
Round 12, 5:05PM Saturday, Accor Stadium
The midseason resurgence of the Eels in the NSW Cup continued on the week with a comprehensive 36-14 win over the Western Suburbs Magpies. Here too, we see a lack of changes although for far better reason given their recent form! Luca Moretti bolsters the front row with the Eels otherwise shaping up similar to the squad that claimed victory on Sunday. Interestingly, Brendan Hands was not named in either NRL or NSW Cup but I would expect him to feature in this match.
They face the Rabbitohs in the curtain raiser on Saturday night where a win will nestle them into the upper bracket of the ladder.
| 1 | Zac Cini |
| 2 | Ethyn Martin |
| 3 | Jake Tago |
| 4 | Morgan Harper |
| 5 | Isaac Lumelume |
| 6 | Joshua Lynn |
| 7 | Ethan Sanders |
| 8 | Luca Moretti |
| 9 | Matt Arthur |
| 10 | Wiremu Greig |
| 11 | Dan Keir |
| 12 | Matt Doorey |
| 13 | Charlie Guymer |
| Interchange | |
| 15 | Meni Luke |
| 16 | Will Latu |
| 17 | Brock Parker |
| 17 | Reece Alderton |
Jersey Flegg Cup Team List
Round 12, 11:00AM Saturday, Erskineville Oval
The Flegg re-join the fray fresh off a global bye and looking to restart their momentum after faltering against the Storm a fortnight ago. The assignment is a difficult one this week though with the Rabbitohs occupying 4th place on the ladder and looking like one of the form teams of the competition.
| 1 | Zachary Hunter |
| 2 | Mohamed Alameddine |
| 3 | Antioch Faitala-Mariner |
| 4 | Dom De Stradis |
| 5 | Beau Newlands |
| 6 | Apa Twidle |
| 7 | Matthew Hunter |
| 8 | Sam Tuivati |
| 9 | Ryley Smith |
| 10 | Teancum Brown |
| 11 | Michael Abdow |
| 12 | Will Lewis |
| 13 | Saxon Pryke |
| Interchange | |
| 15 | Lachlan Mears-Crabbe |
| 16 | Max Tupou |
| 17 | Damascus Neemia |
| 19 | Raf De Stradis |
Wow here I was hoping for a new take on this underperforming team but nah – same,same. And put Moretti in NSW Cup after some rousing running last week and play a severely out of form Lane and play Lussick for 80 mins. I was also wishing for Sanders at 7 and Brown 6. ASI looks really dinterested and plays accordingly. I’m hoping Barrett is putting everyone on notice?
The performance of our leadership (sic) at the press conference was appalling. No accountability whatsoever. It’s all Brads fault. It was like watching 2 characters from Yes Minister. They are merely beaurocrats who not only didn’t inspire me about the future but led me to fear and trepidation.
Not feeling happy.
Got to admit I was expecting more changes. But given BA was only sacked yesterday maybe Barrett wants to see how training goes this week? I dunno.
I fully expect Souths to thump Parra but I will have my usual bet on the outcome with my Souths mad mate. Go Parra!
We draw Souths in Indigenous round the week they announce Bennett as their new coach, the same week we sack our coach and announce Bennett rejected our offer. You can’t make this stuff up.
It was indigenous round last year when we broke their season, one of the great Eels regular season wins.
I remember that game well Gol, no one gave us a chance, myself included.
Hopefully lighting strikes twice.
We must be taking the piss now! The club has seriously given up on everything this season. Play good or play shit don’t worry about it, we have bigger issues to worry about it right now.
All I know is tgat Alex Johnston will score two tries
Unbelievable! A chance to try something a bit left field and maybe blood a couple of rookies in basically a no lose situation but he decides to just trot out the same team and see what happens. Brad has done that for the last five or six weeks and we know exactly how it ends ffs. What are the odds on Parra being in the contest at halftime and then fading badly to be absolutely whooped by full time???
The unchanged NRL side is probably wise – a gesture of respect to Brad’s last selection, a “put up or shut up” oportuniy for the club’s highrr earners It’s a sad time but I’m one who thinks that leadership has acted with considerable class in difficult circumstances.
How’s Sam been going in Flegg?
Sorry Noel but our leadership were totally embarrassing at yesterday’s conference. I think I now understand why we are where we are.
I don’t like it but I understand it.
If it ok here’s your chance I will change if you don’t step up.
The logical side of me can only think about one reason for this same side. That is the fact that a new coach is in the side and he is slowly adjusting accordingly. Then after I think about this for a little bit, I realise how dumb that sounds. The lack of foresight by the club is ridiculous. It is west’s tigers level of ridiculous. Is the club forcing a rebuild to get big money contracts off the books?
Barrett could stamp his case to be the coach next season, which I doubt and don’t want, but trotting out the same side is not the way to go about it. Hopefully a fire is lit under the senior players arses cause they should be ashamed of themselves if a teenager is showing leaderships skills by being the only player trying.
Do the blooding of young blokes when Moses and Gutherson are back…that might be Barrett’s strategy. Throwing them into a Lada that runs out of gas ain’t the best welcome to first grade.
I guess all those who bagged BA’s halftime speeches for the 2nd half fade outs or that he’d lost the dressing room (amongst other things) are going to know if that was true or not given the same team trotting out!!!!
If Barrett wants to show he isn’t just keeping the seat warm,he must at least swap Lane and Moretti.
Just looking at a Zero Tackle edition listing possible Eels coaches. There’s clearly a lot of talent available; we’ll be fine. That site also claims that the management of Blaizr Talagi is in discussion with The Knights for him to go there. We are repeatedly treated with disrespect in these dealings. I favour The Roosters approach – decide our offer, make it, withdraw it if the recipient wants to stuff us around. In fact there are several very talented young players coming off contract who could play full back; I’m sure at least one of thrm would come to us for the money offered to Blaize.
Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result? Very disappointing team sheet in the circumstances, especially given the form of Doorey and Arthur in Cup.