NRL Team List
Round 24, Saturday 7:35PM, Allianz Stadium
No changes for the Parramatta Eels this week…at least inside their top seventeen. Jason Ryles has smuggled in a very cheeky inclusion in his extended roster as I spy with my little eye – or should I say i’s given Isaiah Iongi has been named in the extended Round 24 team sheet bearing the #21.
It is most likely a question that will be answered 60min before kickoff on Saturday night but the big hypothetical for Round 24 will be who makes way for Iongi’s return? Ryles could venture a few different ways with different line-ups pending whether Iongi replaces Joash Papalii, Dean Hawkins or even Tallyn Da Silva in the squad.
Based on the coach’s pragmatic tendencies I imagine Dean Hawkins in the most likely candidate to make way. It would be an incredibly tough outcome for a player that has performed beyond admirably this season but surely Ryles would want a look at how a Mitchell Moses and Papalii halves pairing functions.
The Eels could also be 1-17 if Iongi is racing the clock to be fit for Saturday night so perhaps we (or I) needn’t overthink things.
Shaquai Mitchell has been drafted into the South Sydney squad this week. Both the Eels and Rabbitohs are coming off dramatic last start wins in the frenzied battle to finish off the bottom of the table. Whoever takes victory on Saturday night almost certainly kicks clear of that malingering threat which means there is plenty to play for.
| Parramatta Eels | South Sydney Rabbitohs | |
| Joash Papalii | 1 | Jye Gray |
| Zac Lomax | 2 | Alex Johnston |
| Will Penisini | 3 | Latrell Mitchell |
| Dylan Brown | 4 | Isaiah Tass |
| Josh Addo-Carr | 5 | Bayleigh Bentley-Hape |
| Dean Hawkins | 6 | Ashton Ward |
| Mitchell Moses | 7 | Jamie Humphreys |
| J’maine Hopgood | 8 | Siliva Havili |
| Ryley Smith | 9 | Peter Mamouzelous |
| Junior Paulo | 10 | Sean Keppie |
| Charlie Guymer | 11 | Jacob Host |
| Jack Williams | 12 | Tallis Duncan |
| Dylan Walker | 13 | Jai Arrow |
| Interchange | ||
| Tallyn Da Silva | 14 | Shaquai Mitchell |
| Luca Moretti | 15 | Liam Le Blanc |
| Matt Doorey | 16 | Brandon Smith |
| Kelma Tuilagi | 17 | Thomas Fletcher |
| Reserves | ||
| Jordan Samrani | 18 | Tyrone Munro |
| Dan Kier | 19 | Lewis Dodd |
| Haze Dunster | 20 | Salesi Ataata |
| Isaiah Iongi | 21 | Haizyn Mellars |
| Toni Mataele | 22 | Cody Walker |
NRL Injury Report
| Sean Russell | Hand | 3-4 weeks |
| Sam Tuivaiti | Knee (MCL) | Next season |
| Kitione Kautoga | Ankle syndesmosis injury | Round 27 |
NRLW Team List
Round 27, Saturday 3:15PM, Suncorp Stadium Stadium
The Eels lose another talented player this week with Tyla Amiatu’s return to the NRL ending as soon as it begun due to a shoulder injury. It is dreadful luck for the young prop and hopefully she can make a full recovery as quickly as possible.
There is good news for the Blue & Gold with Kennedy Cherrington and Boss Kapua making their returns against the Broncos. Both will greatly boost the forward pack and their returns push Ryvvr-Lee Alo and Chloe Jackson to the interchange bench.
Brisbane are a formidable opponent this week and will be installed as firm favourites. Parramatta will need big games out of senior players like Rachael Pearson and Abbi Church is they are to unseat Broncos.
| Parramatta Eels | Brisbane Broncos | |
| Abbi Church | 1 | Tamika Upton |
| Zali Fay | 2 | Kerri Johnson |
| Fleur Ginn | 3 | Mele Hufanga |
| Lindsay Tui | 4 | Julia Robinson |
| Martha Mataele | 5 | Hayley Maddick |
| Rosemarie Beckett | 6 | Gayle Broughton |
| Rachael Pearson | 7 | Ali Brigginshaw |
| Elsie Albert | 8 | Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala |
| Rueben Cherrington | 9 | Jada Ferguson |
| Breanna Eales | 10 | Keliee Jospeh |
| Boss Kapua | 11 | Lauren Dam |
| Mahalia Murphy | 12 | Romy Teitzel |
| Kennedy Cherrington | 13 | Shalom Sauaso |
| Interchange | ||
| Taneka Todhunter | 14 | Destiny Brill |
| Paige Travis | 15 | Chelsea Lenarduzzi |
| Ryvvr-Lee Alo | 16 | Shenae Ciesiolka |
| Chloe Jackson | 17 | Reegan Hicks |
| Reserves | ||
| Tess McWilliams | 18 | Tafito Lafaele |
| Mia Middleton | 19 | Montaya Hudson |
| Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis | 20 | Azelleyah Maaka |
| Chelsea Makira | 21 | Skyla Adams |
| Yasmine Baker | 22 | Tafao Asaua |
NRLW Injury Report
| Tyla Amiatu | Shoulder | Season |
| Cassey Tohi-Hiku | Syndesmosis | TBC |
| Rory Owen | Fractured fibula/syndesmosis | TBC |
NSW Cup Team List
Round 24, Saturday 3:00PM, Kellyville Park
The Eels continued their winnings ways, albeit in nail-biting fashion, against the North Sydney Bears with a pair of clutch conversions from Apa Twidle booting them to a 2-point victory. Nathan Cayless keeps his team-sheet steady this week in the wake of that win, although he has to find a replacement for the unfortunate Saxon Pryke who sustained what looked to be a serious lower leg injury on the weekend.
Tyrese Lokeni and Jordan Samrani will run the edges in the backrow while Dan Keir locks out the scrum. Araz Nanva will play in the centres once again with the ongoing saga with Bailey Simonsson playing out while young guns Lorenzo Talataina and Jezaiah Funa-Iuta continue to hone their craft in reserve grade.
This week is a tough match-up with the Newtown Jets – one of the consistent premiership contenders in the competition. The Eels had an excellent 28-18 triumph over the Bluebags when these two teams met back in Round 9 and will be keen to secure the season sweep against a fellow Top 4 seeded side.
| 1 | Apa Twidle |
| 2 | Jake Tago |
| 3 | Araz Nanva |
| 4 | Richie Penisini |
| 5 | Haze Dunster |
| 6 | Lorenzo Talataina |
| 7 | Ronald Volkman |
| 8 | Wiremu Greig |
| 9 | Joey Lussick |
| 10 | Toni Mataele |
| 11 | Tyrese Lokeni |
| 12 | Jordan Samrani |
| 13 | Dan Keir |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Meni Luke |
| 15 | Brock Parker |
| 16 | Jezaiah Funa-Iuta |
| 17 | Samuel Loizou |
Harvey Normans Women’s Premiership Team List
Round 7, Saturday 11:30AM, Redfern Oval
| 1 | Ella Carlisle |
| 2 | Dallis Graham-Withell |
| 3 | Tamerah Leati |
| 4 | Kiana Takairangi |
| 5 | Caitlin Peadon |
| 6 | Matisse Bettridge |
| 7 | Aaliyah Soufan |
| 8 | Taylah Falaniko |
| 9 | Chelsea Makira |
| 10 | Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis |
| 11 | Josephine Lenaz |
| 12 | Fontayne Tufuga |
| 13 | Jessica Kennedy |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Ashlee Pottinger |
| 15 | Kyliah Gray |
| 16 | Alana O’Loughlin |
| 17 | Liaina Dimech |
| 18 | Matoisha Kalepo |
Jersey Flegg Cup Team List
Round 24, Saturday 1:00PM, Kellyville Park
A couple of changes for the Jersey Flegg after their sensational come-from-behind win against the table topping Melbourne Storm. Jordan Rankin has brought Dakota Kakoi into the centres for Will Lewis (no idea if injury or suspension are factors) while Javahn Stevenson-Hala rotates in for Ieti Samuelu on the bench.
After disposing of the #1 seeded team in the competition on Saturday, the Eels now face the #2 seeded squad in the Cronulla Sharks as they look to simultaneously shore up their position inside the Top 4 and climb as high as 2nd with the handful of games left in the regulation season.
| 1 | Corey Leigh |
| 2 | Lorima Rokasuka |
| 3 | Domenico De Stradis |
| 4 | Dakota Kakoi |
| 5 | Mohamed Alameddine |
| 6 | Matthew Hunter |
| 7 | Josh Lynn |
| 8 | Beau Lucien |
| 9 | Patrick Spence |
| 10 | Ryda Talagi |
| 20 | Trace Beattie |
| 12 | Christoper Petrus |
| 13 | Max Popo |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Raffaele De Stradis |
| 15 | Lachlan Coinakis |
| 16 | Damascus Neemia |
| 17 | Javahn Stevenson-Hala |
| 18 | Isaac Jim |
What happened to Bamblett and Latu?
bit strange for Lewis as well
Always safest to unfortunately assume injuries but since we don’t get injury reports for the lower grades there is an element of mystery to any absence.
Bamblett is listed to play in the halves for Patrician Brothers Blacktown tomorrow, although Petrus is on the same team sheet and he will be turning out for Parra’s Flegg side on the weekend. So who knows if it’s a mystery or simply a player management thing. Oh, and it’s good to see Rokosuka back from injury and getting consistent game time in Flegg. A strong pre-season from him and he could become a bolter for higher honours next season.
I think if Iongi was going to play, he would be named at 1. You could name R Penisini at 18, but it seems Ryles is keeping him back until next year. It may just be a case of having to name someone at 18, mind you, it would be good to get him back for the last couple of weeks to have a glimpse of the majority of next year’s team.
Joash has been good, maybe even better in attack, but II is a solidly better defender.
It’s the makings of a spine that, excepting Moses, could still be there in 10 years. If they all reach their full potential, you can turn the ladder upside down.
Moses is in his thirties now and has become more injury prone so it’s inevitable that Hawkins will get plenty of game time.
The Cowboys were pretty undisciplined last week. Even the Rabbits might show more restraint.
Most important is to improve on the errors and hopefully the weather and it will be a cracker of a game
I’m doing my best not to comment on Sutton being the ref.
Careful not to bite off the tongue mate!
Seems Bailey Simonsson has been given permission to talk to clubs. No doubt his management has already been doing that otherwise he wouldn’t be pushing for the release.
I really admire Ryles he’s obviously honest with his players. He tells them uncomfortable truths. Realistically Bailey would struggle to get game time next year. Especially if wanting to play wing as its been reported.
I’ve been meaning to ask this for a while, but how does Apa Twiddle get his name of Apa, when I can see it officially as Te Hurinui?
Thanks guys.
Tim,
I asked the same a little while back. Would love to know.
Not sure if it’s apas case but alot of people from multicultural names have an English name and one from their culture, I’m Tongan and have one and you can even see it with kautoga being referred too as kitione and Gideon, I think I’ve seen Jethro rinakama have 3 different first name spellings on the official nrl page in 3 weeks.
A longer version of his name is Te Hurinui Apanui Twidle. It would appear that Apa is short for Apanui… surely.
Definite logic there.
Yeah well that makes sense.