NRL Team List
Round 3, Sunday 4:05PM, CommBank Stadium
What an interesting Team List Tuesday to try and parse in Round 3. We all acknowledge the Parramatta Eels absolutely stunk on Sunday but Jason Ryles has not responded with a tide of change…at least on the surface. Dean Hawkins makes his club debut as he steps in for Ronald Volkman in the only official change to the Round 2 team sheet.
Having served the last leg of his suspension, Josh Addo-Carr has not walked back into the team with Ryles picking and sticking with Sean Russell and the impressive rookie Jordan Samrani on the wings. That isn’t to say that he won’t be a late inclusion given that both he and Ryan Matterson have been named as part of the extended NRL list but are not part of the NSW Cup list this week. As it stands they exist in a state of rugby league superpositioning akin to Schrödinger‘s cat where they are simultaneously playing first-grade and not playing first-grade until we can measure it on Sunday.
Hard hitting rugby league science I know.
Their inclusions could significantly alter the composition of the team but at present it would seem like Ryles is trying to create some roster stability even if the on-field performance last week warranted wholesale changes.
What is clear right now though is that Ryles is giving his full backing to the rookies and new faces in the team in order to try and spark some kind of response. I can’t fault it and honestly we will probably be having deeper conversations about how far Parramatta’s coach needs to go down this road if his senior Eels can’t or won’t lift on game day.
The Bulldogs are without two core players after Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau sustained MCL sprains in a strong win over the Gold Coast Titans last round. Obviously that levels the playing fields significantly but even without two of their best players, Canterbury are surely red-hot favourites to win and win well on exposed form entering this week. They are currently the antithesis of the Parramatta Eels – hungry to win collisions, desperate in defence and in general just keen for a scrap on the field.
It took time, patience and some aggressive recruitment in order for Cameron Ciraldo to mould the Dogs into their current shape and it is likely the rugby league parable that Blue & Gold fans will have to embrace as we back Jason Ryles to do the same.
| Parramatta Eels | Canterbury Bulldogs | |
| Isaiah Iongi | 1 | Connor Tracey |
| Sean Russell | 2 | Blake Wilson |
| Will Penisini | 3 | Bronson Xerri |
| Zac Lomax | 4 | Stephen Crichton © |
| Jordan Samrani | 5 | Marcelo Montoya |
| Dylan Brown | 6 | Bailey Hayward |
| Dean Hawkins | 7 | Toby Sexton |
| Joe Ofahengaue | 8 | Max King |
| Brendan Hands | 9 | Reed Mahoney |
| Junior Paulo © | 10 | Josh Curran |
| Shaun Lane | 11 | Sitili Tupouniua |
| Jack Williams | 12 | Jacob Preston |
| J’maine Hopgood | 13 | Jaeman Salmon |
| Interchange | ||
| Ryley Smith | 14 | Kurt Mann |
| Matt Doorey | 15 | Harry Hayes |
| Gideon Kautoga | 16 | Daniel Suluka-Fifita |
| Sam Tuivaiti | 17 | Kurtis Morrin |
| Reserves | ||
| Ryan Matterson | 18 | Joseph O’Neill |
| Joash Papalii | 19 | Jack Todd |
| Dan Keir | 20 | Blake Taffe |
| Josh Addo-Carr | 21 | Luke Smith |
| Joey Lussick | 22 | Jonathan Sua |
Injury Report
| Mitch Moses | Foot | Round 7 |
| Luca Moretti | Achilles | Round 5 |
| Bailey Simonsson | Knee ACL | Round 3 via NSW Cup |
| Richie Penisini | Ribs | Round 5 |
| Jake Tago | Shoulder + Neck | TBC |
NSW Cup Team List
Round 3, 1:30PM Sunday, CommBank Stadium
The only team to win last week sees plenty of changes as a wide range of factors influence the shape of Nathan Cayless’ squad in Round 3. Bailey Simonsson is a welcome addition in the backline as he makes a massive step forwards in his return from an ACL injury. He will start in the centres against the Bulldogs while Ronald Volkman partners Josh Lynn in the halves.
Wiremu Greig (suspension) and Bryce Cartwright (injury?) are absent in the forward pack as Brock Parker and Toni Mataele get a big opportunity to shake up the depth charts in 2025. Dan Keir also gets his first action of the regular season after missing both the NRL and NSW Cup last week in his duties as 18th man for first-grade.
Again, the interchange bench features plenty of young players with Will Latu leading the way. Saxon Pryke and Max Tupou get their first Cup action of the year in good, positive selection news.
As per the NRL team breakdown above, this team could be subject to a bit a change ahead of kickoff pending the statuses of Addo-Carr and Matterson but we will get a much better picture of that on Sunday.
| 1 | Joash Papalii |
| 2 | Haze Dunster |
| 3 | Samuel Loizou |
| 4 | Bailey Simonsson |
| 5 | Arthur Miller-Stephen |
| 6 | Josh Lynn |
| 7 | Ronald Volkman |
| 8 | Brock Parker |
| 9 | Joey Lussick |
| 10 | Toni Mataele |
| 11 | Kelma Tuilagi |
| 12 | Dan Keir |
| 13 | Charlie Guymer |
| Interchange | |
| 15 | Meni Luke |
| 16 | Will Latu |
| 17 | Saxon Pryke |
| 17 | Max Tupou |
Jersey Flegg Team List
Round 3, 1:00PM Saturday, New Era Stadium
Unsurprisingly, the changes in Jersey Flegg are very modest this week after narrowly falling to the Tigers in Round 2. Tuvaka Palu comes onto the wing for Noah Totoa in the only official change to the team. However, Saxon Pryke is scheduled to play in the NSW Cup as it stands (again remembering that Ryan Matterson or another NRL player could drop back) so there is a possibility that there is a change at lock forward and/or the interchange bench.
| 1 | Jayden Ambichi |
| 2 | Tuvaka Palu |
| 3 | Antioch Faitala-Mariner |
| 4 | Araz Nanva |
| 5 | Bradley Avery |
| 6 | Apa Twidle |
| 7 | Matthew Hunter |
| 8 | Damascus Neemia |
| 9 | Jack Hudson |
| 10 | Teancum Brown |
| 11 | Dom De Stradis |
| 12 | Tyrese Lokeni |
| 13 | Saxon Pryke |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Patrick Spence |
| 15 | Jaylen Taewa |
| 16 | Raffaele De Stradis |
| 17 | Ieti Samuelu |
| 18 | Jonah Sullivan |
| 19 | Jai Camilleri |
I reckon JAC will be a late inclusion. Don’t know much about Hawkms but keen to see what he has to offer as a half.
There is absolutely no way Sean Russell plays ahead of a fit Addo-Carr. Surely!
Maybe Ryles is of the opinion that last weeks team gets a second chance with a real half back in control. I could wear that. But no more chances after that.
Somebody threw a rock at the premiership window…and got it!
Go the Titans.
88 points against us in the first two games and Ryles is aiming at roster stability.!! If we get flogged again how stable will that make us. Surely it has to be last chance saloon for some of these forwards and a certain 5/8.
Eels need to look seriously at a player swap asap!
Brown has tanked the last two weeks. He’s playing in a dinner suit and others are out I sympathy. He’s given two interviews that reflect badly on himself and his current relationship with the clubs management. We seriously can not keep allowing this disrespectful attitude. Now that hes made his decision hes now Basically rubbing our noses in it!
As another poster mentioned most others don’t disrespect their team while they are still playing. Brown is ill advised and needs to be kicked up the proverbial.
Yeah the last two performances have been appalling from Dylan. I always thought when the club sacked his Daddy it was going to be interesting to see how Dylan responded. I hoped for the best but unfortunately we are seeing the worst.
Sadly I feel like for us to have any chance of being competitive Dylan needs to be in the team so I can’t see Ryles dropping him.
Hey guys is there something wrong luca morreti that i am unaware of? He seems to be no where.
Luca Moretti – Achilles tendon injury.. back possibly round 5 ..
I can’t see Bryce Cartwright named in any of the teams ?
I think Addo-Carr will definitely be a late inclusion, against his old club & possibly Matterson off the bench..
Here’s a weird theory. Maybe Addo-Car is a definite starter, but he is deciding between Russell and Samrani and will give them until later in the week to decide. Remember he has to make the first removal of 2 players from the extended bench 1 day prior to the game, Saturday afternoon.
Just my thoughts.
My thoughts are that Fox will play, with Samrani replacing the absolutely embarrassing Penisini from the Tigers game.
It just has to happen. Such poor effort and inability to work with his backline must not be rewarded. Please tap this guy on the shoulder.