NRL Team List
Preseason Trials Week 2, Henson Park, Sunday 6:00PM
Okay, okay – not exactly EVERYONE since there are some notable omissions for the Blue & Gold but Jason Ryles is not playing around in the opening trial of the game as he brings that pure Gary Oldman (as a young man) energy. Not only has he named a formidable Eels line-up through the First XVII but he has brought a literal horde of exciting prospects to the fore with an eye-popping 28-man team sheet.
It is hard to say there are any real surprises in the starting roster. Jonah Pezet gets the nod at halfback with Mitchell Moses rested and his partner in Joash Papalii is likely an early confirmation on Parramatta’s depth charts in the halves. Jake Tago has been drafted onto the wing with Josh Addo-Carr and Brian Kelly on ice this week. While Tago will no doubt do a solid job for the Eels – it is a reminder of the concerning dearth of proven backline depth facing the club right now.
Sam Tuivaiti and Matt Doorey get the opportunity to convert excellent preseasons into match form with both getting the call to start against a seasoned Cronulla forward pack. Ditto for Charlie Guymer who leads the interchange rotation and has been another standout over the Summer preparation phase.
Almost every annual trial season you will see at least one name jump out from the team sheet as maybe the first clue that someone has impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a shot. Readers of the fabulous preseason training reports by TCT’s own Sixties should swiftly recall the impression made by Teancum Brown before Christmas and that looks to have paved the way for the young bull to claim the final berth in the First XVII. This is a great chance for the rising middle to try and shake up the positional rankings internally.
The extended bench is a smorgasbord of exciting names. While Parramatta’s depth in the backline has raised legitimate questions – it also provides the likes of Apa Twidle, Mohamed Alameddine, Richard Penisini and Araz Nanva the opportunity to deliver fascinating alternative solutions. Can one – or more – of these young backs give Ryles a statement game?
With Ronald Volkman, Lorenzo Talataina and Lincoln Fletcher all featuring on the team list we should expect a full spinal replacement at some point in the second half. While it sounds painful on paper, doctors assure me that there are plenty of reasons to be excited. Volkman was a rock for the Eels in the NSW Cup last year while Lorenzo and Lincoln have been flagged as key rising play-makers at the club.
I expect Apa Twidle and Meni Luke to be part of those wholesale changes in the spine at fullback and dummy-half respectively. That does however mean you have 5 players squeezing into 4 positions so will we see a tertiary rotation in the spine or maybe some interesting selection twist somewhere?
Injuries were pretty much the only thing that prevented Will Latu from pushing for a NRL debut in 2025 and as such a clean start to this year is the ideal platform for him to try and fight and climb up the ultra competitive ranks of Parramatta’s pack. For Jezaiah Funa-Iuta and Ryda Talagi this marks another stepping stone towards first grade for a pair of premier prospects. Both more than held their own in the NSW Cup last year and are poised to make significant strides in 2026.
It is hard not to be excited by the aggressive approach from Ryles with this team list. It features star power, experience, youth and opportunity in spades and I for one am absolutely yearning for kickoff on Sunday night!
| Parramatta Eels | Cronulla Sharks | |
| Isaiah Iongi | 1 | Liam Ison |
| Jake Tago | 2 | Kristian Dixon |
| Villiami Penisini | 3 | Chris Vea’ila |
| Sean Russell | 4 | Michael Gabreal |
| Bailey Simonsson | 5 | Samuel Stonestreet |
| Joash Papalii | 6 | Riley Pollard |
| Jonah Pezet | 7 | Niwhai Puru |
| J’maine Hopgood | 8 | Braden Uele |
| Ryley Smith | 9 | Jayden Berrell |
| Sam Tuivaiti | 10 | Thomas Hazelton |
| Kelma Tuilagi | 11 | Billy Burns |
| Kitione Kautoga | 12 | Siosifa Talakai |
| Matt Doorey | 13 | Toby Rudolf |
| Interchange | ||
| Tallyn Da Silva | 14 | Riley Jones |
| Charlie Guymer | 15 | Bradley Fearnley |
| Jordan Samrani | 16 | Felix Faatili |
| Teancum Brown | 17 | Harrison Hassett |
| Reserves | ||
| Apa Twidle | 18 | Samuel McCulloch |
| Mohamed Alameddine | 19 | Jaxon Lavender |
| Richard Penisini | 20 | Taj Ford |
| Araz Nanva | 21 | Savier Cacciotti |
| Lorenzo Talataina | 22 | Alex Challenor |
| Ronald Volkman | 23 | Nikora Williams |
| Ryda Talagi | 24 | Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa |
| Jezaiah Funa-Iuta | 25 | |
| Will Latu | 26 | |
| Meni Luke | 27 | |
| Lincoln Fletcher | 28 |
NSW Cup Team List
Henson Park, Sunday Time TBC
As expected, the Eels are fielding a NSW Cup trial squad that features plenty of depth options this week. Samuel Loizou, Max Tupou, Kruz Niutili-Schmidt, Felix Niutili Schmidt and Saxon Pryke all featured for coach Nathan Cayless last year and give the Eels a solid core of experience for the preseason fixture.
There are a number of graduates from the Eels’ Flegg program named as well. Bradley Avery, Dakota Kakoi, Pat Spence and Damascus Neemia were all quality contributors in the Under 21s last year and could give the Eels some very handy depth in the NSW Cup through the upcoming campaign. Beyond that there are plenty of new faces and names to get acquainted with but keen eyes will spy a returning player from a number of years ago in Elie El-Zakhem!
| 1 | Bradley Avery |
| 2 | Sione Lino |
| 3 | Kytak Chan |
| 4 | Samuel Loizou |
| 5 | Dakota Kakoi |
| 6 | Bobby Miller |
| 7 | Joseph Nohra |
| 8 | Max Tupou |
| 9 | Kruz Niutili-Schmidt |
| 10 | Tyrese Lokeni |
| 11 | Mason McCarthy |
| 12 | Felix Niutili-Schmidt |
| 13 | Saxon Pryke |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Pat Spence |
| 15 | Chase Chapman |
| 16 | Damascus Neemia |
| 17 | Leo Nasio |
| 18 | Elie El-Zakhem |
Is there any sighting of Ryan Matterson at all? No mention apart from rehab for a few days?
I’ve heard whispers he may be medically retired due to concussion concerns
If concussion rumours re Mattoe are true, is it such that we pay out the rest of his contract in full and it comes off the cap?
Bit concerned that Meni Luke is our 3rd choice dummy half. We need Coinakis to develop quickly into nsw cup this year.
Interestignly Lokeni and Pryke who both had a full nrl pre season are only listed in the nsw cup tria
Can someone please tell me why Samuel Louzou has not progressed to NRL standard.
Living interstate does not allow me to see his games. So what is it with him because he has been at the Eels for a number of years.
Still concerned about the depth or lack of it in the outside backs. Seeing names like Tago and Alemeddine as possible back ups underlines what a poor job has been done in recruitment in that area, there are some decent juniors coming through but are a fair time away before they are knocking on the door of higher grades
It’s been reported Lomax cannot train with any NRL team until his court case is resolved. The hearing is set for the first week in March. So, the NRL bosses have finally got something right. Whoever made that decision deserves some credit but only a little bit because it wasn’t until there was an uproar that they actually did something about it.
You cant train with a team if you have no registered contract as you can not be insured.
Vlandys is not doing us any favours there.
Teancum to push for a debut this year.
Elle El-Zhakem is back at the club ???
Interesting
Brett, he would have some experience in him’; also interesting Chase Chapman former Penrith kid is with us.
Our forward pack has some serious potential the depth just looks so strong. Outside back is scary short.
Especially wingers if tago and allamadine are next men up depth going off previous form I know where every team will go if they play.
Allamadine was miles off at the back end of last year
Two missing names of great interest – Luca Moretti and Matterson – are they injured or are they, like, for example, Moses and Kelly – guaranteed a first grade start in March?
I recon Moretti is injured/small niggle based of Instagram.
Matto is probably given the game off to work on his latest Instagram post. Jk. There are rumours he got another head knock.
Guymer needs to be prioritised over moretti – he is always nicked up and Guymer is younger with better potential
Good call Ron. We’ll see how Moretti aims up and get through the first 10 rounds. His value isn’t great atm. Has struggled with lower leg issues for two years now
Maybe like you said, better to keep young Guymer on the books and prioritise guys like Teancum Brown and Ryda. Even Maybe better extending Jnr for another year or two.
I think moretti and doorey are expendable in next year or so as Teancum, ryda, tuivati, Guymer, will latu (pushing jack Williams to middle) etc come through
Dichotomy in that sense, granted that Moretti seems very injury orientated and equally granted that Guymer seems a very heads up player who you cannot help admire.
This illustrates the dilemma that Ryles faces in the final conclusions of many of these players…..presumably they will play themselves in or out and the correctness of their judgements prevail. I trust the development potential is better adjudged by Ryles and his team over the same process that BA fostered.
We have a lot of equality in our developing forwards, I just hope that the ability we are recognising places them above their equivalents in other clubs and that the potential we recognise is not plateaued at just our club.
We have been guilty of this overestimation of our juniors in the past, my fingers are crossed that this is not the case this time around.
Very keen to see the boys this weekend. I am not overly worried about the outside backs tbh if people recall we had a dearth of players leave at the end of 24, and look at the opportunity it allowed? I think Ryles is going to unearth a couple more players this season and a back will be one of them; we have seen the forwards young ones) noted from last year but for me one of the kids in the backs will take their chance.
Its interesting to note that we also have a star studded reggies team with a Baseballer playing for us during the off -season!! The LA dodgers have allowed him to play footy for a while and rest his pitching arm….. 🙂
No doubt the cross code game will assist him…
Surely 40 and 60’s this is the first time we have snagged a baseballer to play for us?
And, who is he?
LA baseballer…..pitcher
Nice story Milo. I like it. Will be interesting to see what skills he brings. Hand eye coordination, speed. Strength perhaps being a pitcher?
The first Team List Tuesday fort the year is like waking up on Christmas morning
Agreed.
What’s the story with Toni Mataele? Injured or out of favour?
He hasn’t kicked on in general. Also, the debut was weak. I think others have/will overtake him and the club doesn’t see him part of future
It was the courts that made that decision please dont give the nrl credit for anything at all except for potentially trying to ruin the game especially trump vlandys.
I believe the Flegg are playing a trial just prior to the NOE trial.
The expected opposition would be the Newton Jets (Sharks feeder club)
PS. No sign of AMS either. I would love to see him get a chance to continue his development.