NRL Team List
Round 12, 8:00PM Friday, CommBank Stadium
Intrigue swirled today when it was reported that Joash Papalii was set to make his NRL debut for the Parramatta Eels in Round 12 as the Blue & Gold host their bitter rivals in the Manly Sea Eagles. Jason Ryles may very well still have his dynamic play-making asset in line for his first ever game in the NRL but officially speaking he is 18th man ahead of Friday night’s clash.
Of note though is the fact that Apa Twidle has been named on the bench in the NSW Cup and that provides direct coverage at fullback in reserve grade should there be a game day move to promote Joash. Could it be an elaborate prank or ruse? Possibly. With that said this is definitely something to monitor ahead of Friday and a great excuse to bend the title to an Offspring classic.
Elsewhere, there are expected changes for the Eels. Dean Hawkins is the deputy for the Origin sequestered Mitchell Moses while Jordan Samrani slides into the centres as Sean Russell kicks out to the right wing in a two-way move to cover for fellow NSW Blue Zac Lomax. Kelma Tuilagi returns from suspension and will start on the right edge as Jack Williams looks set to return to the front-row. Ryan Matterson holds his place on the bench amidst all the enforced changes and will play consecutive games in first-grade for the first time in this year. Matt Doorey joins him on the interchange in the final tweak to the team sheet this week.
Toni Mataele drops out of the team after making his debut against Newcastle but this shouldn’t really be seen as a negative. The young forward has been given a taste of NRL and now has a standard to work to as he looks to push back into the team into the future.
Manly for their part are far less impacted by Origin than we all may have expected. Tom Trbojevic and Haumole Olakau’autu will turn out for the Sea Eagles after missing out on selection in NSW’s First XVII. Former Eel Jake Arthur will cover for Daly Cherry-Evans while Jake Trbojevic will miss Round 12 after a heavy concussion sustained last week.
As always with home games at CommBank Stadium – you catch Sixties and myself at Parramatta Leagues Club for a live edition of The Tip Sheet. Tentatively, I believe we will be on at 5:30PM in Sterlos!
| Parramatta Eels | Manly Sea Eagles | |
| Isaiah Iongi | 1 | Tom Trbojevic |
| Sean Russell | 2 | Jason Saab |
| Will Penisini | 3 | Tolutau Koula |
| Jordan Samrani | 4 | Reuben Garrick |
| Josh Addo-Carr | 5 | Lehi Hopoate |
| Dylan Brown | 6 | Luke Brooks |
| Dean Hawkins | 7 | Jake Arthur |
| Jack Williams | 8 | Ethan Bullemor |
| Ryley Smith | 9 | Jake Simpkin |
| Junior Paulo | 10 | Siosiua Taukeiaho |
| Kelma Tuilagi | 11 | Haumole Olakau’atu |
| Kitione Kautoga | 12 | Ben Trbojevic |
| J’maine Hopgood | 13 | Jazz Tevaga |
| Interchange | ||
| Dylan Walker | 14 | Lachlan Croker |
| Luca Moretti | 15 | Corey Waddell |
| Ryan Matterson | 16 | Nathan Brown |
| Matt Doorey | 17 | Matthew Lodge |
| Reserves | ||
| Joash Papalii | 18 | Clayton Faulalo |
| Joey Lussick | 19 | Brandon Wakeham |
| Toni Mataele | 20 | Tommy Talau |
| Ronald Volkman | 21 | Michael Chee Kam |
| Samuel Loizou | 22 | Caleb Navale |
Injury Report
| Bailey Simonsson | Foot | Round 16-18 |
| Sam Tuivaiti | Ankle | Round 19 |
| Dan Keir | Hamstring | Round 18 |
| Arthur Miller-Stephen | Knee | Season |
NSW Cup Team List
Round 12, 5:30PM Friday, CommBank Stadium
As with the lead story for the NRL, Joash Papalii has been named in the NSW Cup in the curtain-raiser clash on Friday night. Apa Twidle has been included on the bench in this grade and provides perfect cover for Papalii if there are shenanigans afoot.
It is a familiar back like otherwise with young guns Araz Nanva and Richard Penisini anchoring the group in the centres. Matthew Hunter comes into the grade to replace Dean Hawkins as he continues his fruitful year across the Flegg and Cup. Toni Mataele returns to the front-row while Charlie Guymer shifts from the edge to lock to cover for the (unknown) loss of Dan Keir. That paves the way for Will Latu to return to the starting line-up in the backrow.
The other major change this week comes in the hookers swapping places as Joey Lussick is set to start with Brendan Hands providing spark from the bench.
| 1 | Joash Papalii |
| 2 | Jake Tago |
| 3 | Araz Nanva |
| 4 | Richard Penisini |
| 5 | Samuel Loizou |
| 6 | Matthew Hunter |
| 7 | Ronald Volkman |
| 8 | Wiremu Greig |
| 9 | Joey Lussick |
| 10 | Toni Mataele |
| 11 | Bryce Cartwright |
| 12 | Will Latu |
| 13 | Charlie Guymer |
| Interchange | |
| 15 | Brendan Hands |
| 16 | Brock Parker |
| 17 | Apa Twidle |
| 17 | Kayne Kalache |
Jersey Flegg Team List
Round 12, 1:00PM Friday, Kellyville Park
Keep in mind that this list could be subject to change but it looks like the Eels are bolstered by the return of Bradley Avery this week. He will take over from Apa at the back while Lorenzo Talataina gets his second start at five-eighth after showcasing some impressive versatility at dummy-half against the Sea Eagles on Friday night.
As with the catch-up game last week, the bench features plenty of SG Ball graduates as Tom Summer and Jezaiah Funa-Iuta are tipped to hold their places in the team. This is a vacant position on the bench in this provisional list so keep an eye out for an updated team sheet from the Eels at some point in the next 24 hours.
UPDATE – It looks like Isaac Jim is the missing Eel with fellow Ball graduate Elijah-Shane Tapau the 18th man this week.
| 1 | Bradley Avery |
| 2 | Mohamed Alameddine |
| 3 | Tuvaka Palu |
| 4 | Will Shears |
| 5 | Dakota Kakoi |
| 6 | Lorenzo Talataina |
| 7 | Josh Lynn |
| 8 | Damascus Neemia |
| 9 | Patrick Spence |
| 10 | Tyrese Lokeni |
| 11 | Domenico De Stradis |
| 12 | William Lewis |
| 13 | Saxon Pryke |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Jack Hudson |
| 15 | Tom Summer |
| 16 | Jezaiah Funa-Iuta |
| 17 | Isaac Jim |
Haze Dunster? Bloke plays great for 1-2 games in cup and disappears and never listed on the injury report. Anyone got any idea what is happening with him?
He’s injured again
Yep, seems to be a string of nagging injuries tripping Haze over between excellent showings on the field. Your best ability is your availability in sports and it has been tough sledding for Haze in that regard.
Hasn’t Ryles quite a few times now kept blokes out of the 17 that ended debuting? Feel like he often does it so they don’t have to do media leading up to the game and ease off a bit of a pressure.
Joash coming onto the bench in favour of Matto for mine, his footwork and pace around the ruck alleviates some pressure off Ryley while making markers and tired middles work overtime.
I guess the one positive is we have had plenty of practice of playing without Mitch.
While DCE has barely missed a game with injury in the past 5-10 years.
Jake Arthur playing halfback for Manly will allow us to combat Turbo a lot easier. Even though I am filthy Daley hasn’t picked him.
Its just weather we have enough points in us with Hawkins running the show.
On paper you have to think it’s Manlys game and all they need to do is show up.
That being said I feel we can match them and with a potentially wet night it might even the playing field.
Im not wrapped to see Samrani at centre I like what hes shown as a edge backrower so far but I think he will do a job.
Honestly hope it doesn’t come down to kicking bless Rusty for having the nuts to step up but hes not a 1st grade standard kicker.
Hopefully Hawkins and Dylan brown can play a better attack now with Walker now playing a link first receiver role to help them get more time and space in attack,
I think Dylan Walker deserves more game time for his leadership and experience with Moses out, as our attack immediately looks a lot better once he is on.
Hopefully Doorey is a late scratching and Joash Papalii comes on towards the end of first half to give Ryley smith a breather, and use Papalii’s speed and footwork around the middle with a few scooting runs out of dummy half, like Brandon smith used to do for the Storm. Kids of like a hybrid running dummy half.
I personally think Matto needs to stay in. We looked a lot netter in the middle with some bigger bodies in the forward rotation last week.