NRL Team List
Round 18 vs Manly Sea Eagles, Sunday 2:00PM, CommBank Stadium
I mean, it is a copy/paste job sans Jonah Pezet coming into the halves to cover for the Origin bound Mitchell Moses. That (not even) surface level analysis is the best we can do this week with the Eels picking and sticking with a side that thoroughly disappointed in their Round 17 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Not much is working for the Eels presently but we also aren’t trying a whole lot of different things to try and fix it – even accounting for form struggles in the NSW Cup.
There may be a very slight element of fool’s gold to Manly’s form since Kieran Foran took over earlier this year but they enter Round 18 as overwhelming favourites. Based on Parramatta’s weekly issues it will take a stark turn around on Sunday in order to be competitive and right now it is incredibly difficult not skeptical about such an outcome.
| Parramatta Eels | Manly Sea Eagles | |
| Isaiah Iongi | 1 | Tom Trbojevic |
| Brian Kelly | 2 | Jason Saab |
| Jordan Samrani | 3 | Clayton Faulalo |
| Sean Russell | 4 | Reuben Garrick |
| Josh Addo-Carr | 5 | Lehi Hopoate |
| Ronald Volkman | 6 | Joey Walsh |
| Jonah Pezet | 7 | Jamal Fogarty |
| Luca Moretti | 8 | Taniela Paseka |
| Tallyn Da Silva | 9 | Jake Simpkin |
| Jack Williams | 10 | Kobe Hetherington |
| Kelma Tuilagi | 11 | Corey Waddell |
| Kitione Kautoga | 12 | Ben Trbojevic |
| Jack De Belin | 13 | Jake Trbojevic |
| Interchange | ||
| Dylan Walker | 14 | Josh Feledy |
| Sam Tuivaiti | 15 | Nathan Brown |
| Teancum Brown | 16 | Ethan Bullemor |
| Harrison Edwards | 17 | Simione Laiafi |
| Joash Papalii | 18 | Aaron Schoupp |
| Charlie Guymer | 19 | Zaidas Muagututia |
| Reserves | ||
| Apa Twidle | 20 | Hugo Hart |
| Ryley Smith | 21 | Blake Wilson |
| Toni Mataele | 22 | Fletcher Baker |
NRL Injury Report
Pending Round 18 update.
| Player | Injury | Return Date |
| Lincoln Fletcher | Hamstring | Rd 21 |
| Junior Paulo | Knee | Rd 21 |
| Will Penisini | Osteitis Pubis | Rds 21-23 |
| Bailey Simonsson | Ankle | Rd 23 |
| J’Maine Hopgood | ACL | Season |
| Matt Doorey | ACL | Season |
NRLW Team List
Round 1 vs Wests Tigers, Sunday 11:50am, CommBank Stadium
It may surprise readers that given my rather broad and eclectic sporting interests that I am not a particularly superstitious individual. However even I am calling for the sage to be burned around Kellyville and for an exorcist to be commissioned after the news that the Eels have lost Keilee Joseph, Layne Morgan and Jayde Herdegen for an unknown amount of time.
It is an awful start to the season for coach Steve Georgallis but Round 1 waits for nobody as the Eels host the Tigers on Sunday afternoon. The starting team looks much like you would have imagined, allowing for the Joseph injury, and the Eels present an excellent team on paper coming into the 2026 season.
I do have some reservations about running a double utility bench setup with both Taneka Todhunter and Rosemarie Beckett. Both are worthy selections in their own right but it has the potential to leave the Eels stretched too thin on resources through the forwards.
Kyliah Gray makes an appearance in the extended squad and she looks to be one to monitor this season after an outstanding campaign in the Tarsha Gale Cup.
| Parramatta Eels | Wests Tigers | |
| Abbi Church | 1 | Caitlin Turnbull |
| Fleur Ginn | 2 | Emily Bass |
| Rory Owen | 3 | Rikeya Horne |
| Lindsay Tui | 4 | Shenai Lendill |
| Martha Mataele | 5 | Lily Rogan |
| Cassey Tohi-Hiku | 6 | Losana Lutu |
| Rachael Pearson | 7 | Racene McGregor |
| Elsie Albert | 8 | Sarah Togatuki |
| Rueben Cherrington | 9 | Salma Nour |
| Boss Kapua | 10 | Saniece Monschau |
| Chloe Jackson | 11 | Kezie Apps |
| Mahalia Murphy | 12 | Shaylee Bent |
| Kennedy Cherrington | 13 | Holli Wheeler |
| Interchange | ||
| Taneka Todhunter | 14 | Christian Pio |
| Tess McWilliams | 15 | Tara Reinke |
| Rosemarie Beckett | 16 | Faythe Manera |
| Ryvvr-Lee Alo | 17 | Namoe Gesa |
| Reserves | ||
| Zali Fay | 18 | Portia Bourke |
| Fontayne Tufuga | 19 | Brooke Talataina |
| Jasmin Morrissey | 20 | Jetaya Faifua |
| Kiana Takairangi | 21 | Lucyannah Luamanu-Leiataua |
| Kyliah Gray | 22 | Tyla Amiatu |
NRLW Injury Report
| Jayde Herdegen | Quadriceps | TBC |
| Keilee Joseph | MCL | TBC |
| Layne Morgan | Orbital Fracture | TBC |
NSW Cup Team List
Round 18 vs Manly Sea Eagles, Sunday 6:00PM, James Hardie Centre of Excellence
The Cup put in a significantly improved shift against the Newcastle Knights in Tamworth last week. While it was disappointing to see them squander a lead at the very end of the game, they took it to the Knights for the full contest after a good month of second half collapses.
Now they need to back it up against the Sea Eagles on Sunday.
The team list named will likely be subject to change given that reserve grade takes place later in the night on Sunday as compared to the NRL. It will likely free up two players from the optional bench in the NRL.
In terms of the named squad though the biggest news by far is the promotion of Ryda Talagi to the starting team. It has been coming for a bit and to be honest, given Parramatta’s struggles to land recruits for 2027 – they have to be leveraging the development of their best prospects right now. More of this please.
| 1 | Brad Avery |
| 2 | Devonte Vaivela |
| 3 | Siamani Leuluai |
| 4 | Araz Nanva |
| 5 | Richie Penisini |
| 6 | Lorenzo Talataina |
| 7 | Apa Twidle |
| 8 | Ryda Talagi |
| 9 | Ryley Smith |
| 10 | Toni Mataele |
| 11 | Tyrese Lokeni |
| 12 | Jezaiah Funa-Iuta |
| 13 | Saxon Pryke |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Kruz Niutili-Schmidt |
| 15 | Max Tupou |
| 16 | Zack Visconti |
| 17 | Max Popo |
| 18 |
NSW Womens Premiership Team List
Round 4 vs Wests Tigers, Sunday 2:00PM, James Hardie Centre of Excellence
Updated for Round 18.
| 1 | Ella Carlisle |
| 2 | Irae Savea |
| 3 | Jasmin Morrissey |
| 4 | Kiana Takairangi |
| 5 | Freedom Crichton Ropati |
| 6 | Tess Staines |
| 7 | Aaliyah Soufan |
| 8 | Jessica Kennedy |
| 9 | Ava Jones |
| 10 | Ryshe Fa’amausili |
| 11 | Fontayne Tufuga |
| 12 | Tia Matthews |
| 13 | Khyliah Gray |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Kate Fallon |
| 15 | Alana O’Loughlin |
| 16 | Josie Lenaz |
| 17 | Laura Came |
| 18
19 |
Teagan Long
Mitszy Cairns |
Jersey Flegg Cup Team List
Round 18 vs Manly Sea Eagles, Sunday 4:00PM, James Hardie Centre of Excellence
Updated for Round 18.
| 1 | Nathan Howlett |
| 2 | Lorima Rokosuka |
| 3 | Dakota Kakoi |
| 4 | Harley Walker |
| 5 | Druzel Taula |
| 6 | Cameron Bamblett |
| 7 | Lincoln Fletcher |
| 8 | Saumaki Saumaki |
| 9 | Jack Hudson |
| 10 | Jordan Miller |
| 11 | Trace Beattie |
| 12 | Christopher Petrus |
| 13 | Jackson Koina |
| Interchange | |
| 14 | Lachlan Coinakis |
| 15 | Markkuz Ofanoa |
| 16 | Stirling Faumui |
| 17 | Maison Ong |
| 18 | Wesley Tongamoa |
Gutted about the injuries to Joseph and Morgan. Morgan would have been a great 14 in my opinion. Agree about the bench, I think Tufuga should come in for Todhunter to add more forward power off the bench. I think Racene McGregor and Shaylee Bent will be huge for the Tigers this season, so can expect a decently close game this Sunday.
Honestly what a miserable looking team. Kelma picked again despite being repeatedly horrendous, de belin has been a complete let down all year, Russell clearly out of form all year leaving and still being picked.
Ryley and joash just rotting in reserve grade with a park football team.
When is the season over so we don’t have to be let down every week. It’s sad when the biggest joy we’d have as a club right now is seeing our R&R sacked
Same shit, new week. No accountability or standards in this team
Sixties can u give me your thoughts on Ryley Smith being camped in reggies? I’ve watched a bit of cup and he’s looked lively and busy as always. He definitely missed sone tackles against big men in the middle earlier in the year but surely he’s worth persevering with. A big heart and plays with energy every week. Has DeSilva overtaken him as our number 1 hooker and perhaps Edward’s 2?
DaSilva being picked over Ryley makes me lose faith in Ryles.
What are these team selections they are starting to make absolutely no sense and just seem ridiculous.
Two halves leaving end of the year start in front of joash.
Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting any different. There’s multiple other players who won’t be here next year and are completely out of form.
What’s the point of offering nanva a first grade contract if you’re not even going to give him a go. Funa latu also has a first grade contract as well next year for what to be a full time reserve grader. The season is well and truly gone and we are tired of seeing these players who offer no value to us short and long term anymore. There is no difference between coming 12th and 16th there both an overwhelming fail.
It just looks like all we are doing is trying to avoid a spoon and what a low bar that is
Of our starting side named this week 6 of the 17 are not currently contracted to the club next year (Russell, Pezet, Volkman, Kelma, de Belin, Walker). It moves to 8 when you look at the match day 20 (Twidle, Mataele).
40% of our match day squad not contracted and no sign of anyone joining to replace them.
We have signed one player for 27 and have gone nowhere near replacing the talent that has left our club over the past few years.
Our cup side is filled with guys who will never play NRL while we have guys in our flegg side like Petrus and Bamblett missing out on opportunities. Watch both of them get snapped up by a rival club offering a genuine pathway to NRL while our R&R team fumble negotiations.
What on earth is our recruitment and retention team doing? In what metric could they possibly be meeting the expectations of their roles? It is legitimately negligent this level of mismanagement is allowed.
I can handle the team list except the fact that Kelma gets another repreive.
I just cannot believe it!
What does that bloke have to do to get dropped ?????
I know that the Cup team isnt winning awards but surely .. surely there is a thing called accountability ??????
Sorry but his inclusion in this team tells you everything about what’s wrong with this club moving forward.
Put him down for another 2 or 3 crucial misses in defence on our line and a couple of dropped balls for good measure.
Anyone else see that petition someone created
Already has 750 signatures, that should be pretty alarming to the board
https://www.change.org/p/parramatta-eels-review-the-football-department-back-jason-ryles-demand-better