NRL Team List
Round 16, Sunday 6:15PM, CommBank Stadium
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The week off doesn’t get much worse than losing your starting halves but in classic Parramatta fashion, that is exactly the conundrum Jason Ryles has been faced with as Mitchell Moses (calf strain) and Dylan Brown (bullsh- I mean suspension) have been ruled out against the Gold Coast Titans. So what has Ryles conjured in this time of crisis?
Well, as expected, Dean Hawkins will don the #7 having performed there admirably in recent outings included a career best performance against the Sea Eagles in Round 12. His partner however is the big, bold call as Joash Papalii gets a huge chance to stake a claim in the future direction of this team. Joash will pull on the #6 and get the first chance to showcase why he can be the man to take over from Dylan Brown in 2026.
There is more other notable change for the team with Wiremu Greig’s long exile from the NRL seemingly over as the big bopper earns a spot on the bench. Curiously, Greig has been out of action in the most recent two games of NSW Cup due to suspension so I guess he will have fresh legs for the contest in the ruck.
Both teams have named their Origin stars to back up with Zac Lomax taking his customary place on the right wing for the Eels while Tino Fa’asuamaleuai and Moeaki Fotuaika feature on the bench for the Titans. Former Eel Reagan Campbell-Gillard also meets Parramatta for the first time since parting ways last year.
| Parramatta Eels | Gold Coast Titans | |
| Isaiah Iongi | 1 | AJ Brimson |
| Zac Lomax | 2 | Alofiana Khan-Pereira |
| Will Penisini | 3 | Jojo Fifita |
| Sean Russell | 4 | Phillip Sami |
| Josh Addo-Carr | 5 | Allan Fitzgibbon |
| Joash Papalii | 6 | Kieran Foran |
| Dean Hawkins | 7 | Jayden Campbell |
| Jack Williams | 8 | Jaimin Jolliffe |
| Ryley Smith | 9 | Sam Verrills |
| Junior Paulo | 10 | Reagan Campbell-Gillard |
| Kelma Tuilagi | 11 | Chris Randall |
| Kitione Kautoga | 12 | Beau Fermor |
| J’maine Hopgood | 13 | Klese Haas |
| Interchange | ||
| Dylan Walker | 14 | Jacob Alick-Wiencke |
| Matt Doorey | 15 | Iszac Fa’asuamaleuai |
| Wiremu Greig | 16 | Tino Fa’asuamaleuai |
| Jordan Samrani | 17 | Moeaki Fotuaika |
| Reserves | ||
| Joey Lussick | 18 | David Fifita |
| Charlie Guymer | 19 | Tukimihia Simpkins |
| Dan Keir | 20 | Sam Mullany |
| Ronald Volkman | 21 | Tom Weaver |
| Samuel Loizou | 22 | Brian Kelly |
PSA
Don’t forget to tune in earlier than usual at 6:45PM for a special edition of The Tip Sheet where we chat with Parramatta Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos.
Injury Report
| Mitch Moses | Calf | Round 20 |
| Luca Moretti | Ankle | Round 19-20 |
| Richie Penisini | Hand | TBC |
| Bailey Simonsson | Foot | Round 19 |
| Sam Tuivaiti | Ankle | Round 19 |
| Ryan Matterson | Spine | TBC |
| Jake Tago | Hip | Round 19-20 |
| Will Latu | MCL | Round 17 |
| Arthur Miller-Stephen | Knee | Season |
NSW Cup Team List
Round 16, Sunday 3:45PM, CommBank Stadium
The Eels continue to field a back line ravaged by injury and suspension in the NSW Cup. Nathan Cayless again has called upon the service of Liam Scolari and Beau Newlands over options in the Jersey Flegg but the Flegg is repped by Tyrese Lokeni in the backrow, Matthew Hunter in the halves and Saxon Prkye on the bench.
Ryan Matterson has been named in the front row and will work alongside Toni Mataele who returns from suspension. In case you missed the news, Bryce Cartwright has parted ways with the Eels which is why he is not present in the team list this week.
| 1 | Apa Twidle |
| 2 | Liam Scolari |
| 3 | Araz Nanva |
| 4 | Beau Newlands |
| 5 | Samuel Loizou |
| 6 | Matthew Hunter |
| 7 | Ronald Volkman |
| 8 | Ryan Matterson |
| 9 | Joey Lussick |
| 10 | Toni Mataele |
| 11 | Tyrese Lokeni |
| 12 | Dan Keir |
| 13 | Charlie Guymer |
| Interchange | |
| 15 | Brendan Hands |
| 16 | Brock Parker |
| 17 | Saxon Pryke |
| 17 | Kayne Kalache |
Jersey Flegg Cup Team List
Round 16, Saturday 1:00PM, Kellyville Park
Working with what could be a provisional team sheet for the Flegg, pending the official release from the club eventually, but the Eels look to be fielding a fairly stable line-up this week. Tuvaka Palu is back in the centres in a welcome boost but it looks like Cameron Bamblett is missing with Jayden Ambichi taking over at fullback. Damascus Neemia returns to this grade after making his Cup debut last week and is joined in that regard by Will Lewis.
Trace Beattie is the latest SG Ball graduate to be close to pushing into this grade as he is sighted in the 18th man slot.
| 1 | Jayden Ambichi |
| 2 | Mohamed Alameddine |
| 3 | Tuvaka Palu |
| 4 | Antioch Faitala-Mariner |
| 5 | Bradley Avery |
| 6 | Lorenzo Talataina |
| 7 | Josh Lynn |
| 8 | Damascus Neemia |
| 9 | Jack Hudson |
| 10 | Teancum Brown |
| 11 | Domenico De Stradis |
| 12 | William Lewis |
| 13 | Ieti Samuelu |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Patrick Spence |
| 15 | Tom Summer |
| 16 | Ryda Talagi |
| 17 | Beau Lucien |
| 18 | Trace Beattie |
Any idea on why Coinakis got looked over for Flegg? I though he was good last week
Wiremu on the bench… been suspended and then hasn’t even been playing well in nsw cup prior to that. A stark reminder of just how bottom of the barrel parts of this team are.
I think that Wiremu probably will start with Jack reverting to second row, where he:s so dangerous. This is a massive opportunity for Wiremu. If that happens I’d like to see Kelma start with his named second row partner coming off the bench as prop, where he’s better suited. If we used that configuration the results could impact heavily on recruitment priorities.
A very interesting game.
I see you say a conversation with Sarantinos is happening. Instead of asking him sugar coated questions would you please probe him with what’s going on with R& R. Every Parra fan on the planet is sick of being in the dark.
I would like sarintinos to be asked:
1. what has he and his team learnt from last few years and what systems do they have in place to stop such a disappointing failures from 2023-2025 occurring in future? Preferably no rubbish answers about “continuous improvement” and vague reflections on need to be competitive every day.
2. It Seems like there was minimal future planning by the end of the Brad tenure and the job of an administrator is to plan for future while coach focuses on the short/medium term. Why was that?
3. Why did it take ryles coming in for the club to see the huge roster problems it had? Why were there such little urgency to address problems before they snowballed.
Really interested to see how Joash goes at six, particularly in defence. He seems like a smallish chap – is that right? I also seem to recall some people on here saying they saw him play six in Reggies and he struggled. So a big call for the firsts but a great opportunity for him to show his stuff.
I hope we don’t fall into a touch football game with the Titans. We’ve done that before and it didn’t work.
Sad to see Cartwright go. He had some special talent, if only he could have displayed that with greater consistency. There was that one display, can’t recall against who, but he caught the ball mid air and then without looking, and still in mid air, somehow passed the ball around his back to the winger who scored. If that had happened ten, twelve times a season then we would be in a better spot. So would he I guess.
Bryce played 185 NRL games for three clubs across twelve seasons – a far better career than that enjoyed by most who ever pull on a boot for a NRL club.
Good luck to him.
Fair call Noel and yet I’m still left with a sense of “if only”. Perhaps unfairly.
It’s an interesting one giving Joash a shot at 6. He didn’t look comfortable there at cup due to his minimal experience in the halves.
I thought Volkman has been playing 6 at cup good this year. We are in 3rd. 🥉
My understanding is Jason Ryles is giving guys a shot to figure out if anyone can possibly play 6 next year internally.
I love the open mindedness to providing opportunities, but I think it’s important to avoid the wooden spoon this year.
If we get the wooden spoon you can bet no high quality players (especially 6’s) will want to join parramatta for 2026 and beyond if we become (in their eyes) the new West tigers.
I wish Joash all the best but you can call me scared if you like… I really think it’s in our best interest to avoid the wooden spoon, Volkman is more experienced at 6. This is one game I think we need to maximise chances of winning.
Besides that it’s pleasing to see Joash get his opportunity in a big fan of his. And best wishes to Carty in his future. I won’t lie it’s sad to see Carty go out like this.
Onwards and upwards. ☝️📈
Can see us getting completely rolled thru the middle again. While ever we are playing Doorey and Samrani on the bench together then throw in wiremu who struggles to push out more then 20 minutes a game in first grade we are massively vulnerable. I just can not see us getting up field with our forwards unless Paulo and Williams are absolutely huge for us. Front rowers and centres have to be absolutely top of our list for recruitment. You win the middle then the game opens up and your centres can rip teams apart. We’re struggling to win either department right now
No problem giving Joash a shot. It’s a lost season, so see if what you have can work going forward and volkman isn’t the long term answer.
On the flip side a bench forward rotation of Doorey and Greig highlights how far we have dropped.
I think we still need to look at the injury toll before going how far we’ve dropped, neither are in our top 17 but half our top 17 is out until round 20. Yeah we need a good middle forward or 2 but at full strength Luca was carving a spot out as a damaging starter in the middle, Williams was starting on an edge and playing as one of the most dangerous back rowers in the game for a bit and tuivaiti was bruising people off the bench, yeah it’s not perfect but moretti and tuivaiti are some big outs.
It also sounded like something could be cooking before June 30 as well.