The Parramatta Eels started their 2026 campaign poorly, and based on that losing performance against the Tigers, a lot of work is needed to achieve their goal of finals football this season.
They get the opportunity to turn things around against a Dragons side which struggled against the Raiders.
Teagan Berry started the game strong for the Dragons, scoring in the first minute of the game.
But that was all she wrote as the Raiders would score twenty points after that, while keeping the Red V scoreless from that point.
The last time the Eels played the Dragons was last season, when Parramatta made a comeback to win 12-10 in wet and muddy conditions in Newcastle.
Neither club will want to be 0-2 to start their season, so we should expect a fiercely fought contest.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2026
Kick-off: 1:45 PM AEST
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Kasey Badger
Broadcast: Foxtel and Nine Gem
Live Stream: Kayo & Nine Now
Team Lists
Parramatta Eels
1. Abbi Church 2. Fleur Ginn 3. Rory Owen 4. Lindsay Tui 5. Martha Mataele 6. Cassey Tohi-Hiku 7. Rachael Pearson 8. Elsie Albert 9. Rueben Cherrington 10. Ryvrr-Lee Alo 11. Chloe Jackson 12. Mahalia Murphy 13. Kennedy Cherrington 14. Taneka Todhunter 15. Tess McWilliams 16. Rosemarie Beckett 17. Khyliah Gray 18. Zali Fay 19. Fontayne Tufuga 20. Jasmin Morrissey 21. Kiana Takairangi
Ryvrr-Lee Alo gets promoted to the starting line-up, replacing Boss Kapua, who is suspended for two matches.
Ryvrr-Lee Alo
This gives Khyliah Gray a spot on the bench to make her NRLW debut. It marks a meteoric rise in 2026 for the Eels Tarsha Gale and NSW 19s Origin captain.
Despite the loss, the Eels have remained faithful to the rest of the lineup.
St George Illawarra Dragons
1. Teagan Berry 2. Maria Paseka 3. Shenae Ciesiolka 4. Keele Browne 5. Jayme Millard 6. Taliah Fuimaono 7. Kasey Reh 8. Madison Mulhall 9. Brooke Anderson 10. Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis 11. Montona Clifford 12. Ella Koster 13. Hannah Southwell 14. Tori Shipton 15. Trinity Tauaneai 16. Amelia Huakau 17. Zali Hopkins 18. Taliah O’Brien 19. Ahlivia Ingram 20. Arabella McKenzie 21. Sara Sautia 22. Tyra Ekepati
The home side has made some changes to their lineup, with Brooke Anderson playing dummy-half instead of the lock position.
She will replace Nita Maynard-Perrin, who suffered a head knock against the Raiders.
Hannah Southwell joins the starting lineup in the 13 jumper, and Ella Koster will play in the back row.
Nathan Cross also made tweaks to the bench, with Amelia Huakau and Zali Hopkins as additions.
The Game
After what was a diabolical first half against the Tigers, Parramatta showed some attacking potential in the second stanza scoring three tries. There were opportunities to score more, but the team simply failed to execute clinically.
Where to this week? Errors and completions are first cab off the rank. A raft of errors provided the Tigers with far too much possession and territory, especially in the first half. The Eels will need to start better this week and not let their opponents dictate to them.
They have to build the platform to earn the shifts to their outside backs. If the forwards can create the space, the Eels have the strike power out wide to pile on the points. Rory Owen marked her return with a double and if she gets quality ball this week, supporters should expect her to add to her try tally.
Rory Owen
The second aspect to improve is defence, Steve Georgallis’ side had a non-existent line speed last week, and as a collective, they missed 44 tackles in the game.
Finally, Georgallis will also be looking for an improved kicking game from Rachael Pearson who struggled to hit the mark on multiple occasions.
As for the Dragons, their list of must fix items is just as long as the Eels.
Against the Raiders, the Dragons struggled with creativity in attack, and their halves failed to fire.
With few questions being asked in attack, the pressure fell on their defence and it showed in the stats.
Nathan Cross’ side made 68 more tackles than the Raiders and missed 30.
Their discipline was poor, conceding 6 penalties to 3, and they had two players on report, with Tahlia O’Brien sent to the sin bin in the 66th minute.
Their efforts in Round 1 won’t stand against the Eels, who at least showed some prowess when they had the ball in their hands against the Tigers.
Offensively, the Tigers must limit their errors and prioritise set completions where Taliah Fuimaono and Kasey Reh kicking games can put the Eels back three under pressure.
They will be likely to attack Rachael Pearson on her outside shoulder, and have Teagan Berry shifting on the outside in shape.
The winner?
I expect the Eels to redeem their first-round antics, but let’s not underestimate the chip on the Dragons’ shoulders.
The Dragons have historically dominated this clash, and they have registered 48-12 in two games at WIN Stadium against Parramatta.
Look for a very competitive match with a small winning margin.
Prediction: Eels by 4
Player of the Game: Rory Owen
What has happened to our NRLW team? They were quite good to watch last year. Not even 10 minutes in and we are already down 16-0. Look hopeless.
Mannah Brow is asking a great question. Like him I can’t believe what I am seeing … or not seeing.
Where’s the structure in attack?
Where’s the leg speed in defence?
Where’s the footie smarts, with absolutely ridiculous penalty give aways.
How come we sometimes don’t kick the ball out on a penalty?
Why are we taking conversions from ridiculous angles?
Why is Elsie Albert often being ignored in attack?
I could keep going on, but these things to sort out will do to start with. How disappointing!
Gee this club is a hard follow.
After the disastrous Men’s season I was looking forward to the NRLW season and 2 games in its already a disaster. It would take a miracle for them to play finals from here.
Apologies in advance for the rant, but what a deflating, depressing start! Was hoping we’d push for finals after what felt like 2 solid seasons to build from, but that honestly feels off the cards now. I was hoping last week was just a matter of shaking off the rust, maybe underestimating the opponent and yet…
Obviously, Joseph, Morgan & Herdegen all being injured hurts – but this is fundamentally the same squad as last year, and yet we look so much worse in every single way. Have opposing teams just figured us out? Has everyone else caught up with better recruitment?
I remember the 2024 game vs Tigers, where our goaline scrambling defense was so gritty and basically won us the game. Or the 2025 game vs Dragons, where we lost Rory and Cassy, it was raining, nothing was going our way – but they dug in and won.
Outside of a few sets, literally none of that effort or identity has been present these last 2 weeks. We look so directionless and predictable in attack, soft in defense, and undisciplined overall. We’re getting so many basics wrong: not making touch on penalties; kicking out on the full; no one backing up line breaks, tackling without the ball. I knew it was over when we finallyyy got to touch the ball 10 mins in after a Dragons error, except Mahalia – the captain! – was offside. Or Jackson’s pass after her linebreak which probably cost a near-sure try. Just little things that build and build until suddenly you’ve had 0 sets to their 11, it’s 18 – 0, you’re fatigued, trying to force something to happen, etc.
We always look dangerous when Rory & Martha get the ball, and we’re playing unstructured. And yet it feels like we spend the majority of our sets running up the middle, or the first person who gets the ball takes a hit up. Ginn was basically invisible today as the commentators noted.
Pearson…when she’s on, she’s on. But when she’s having a shocker, the team follows suit. Not that I think we would’ve won if she’d converted, but both were fairly easy kicks, and 22 – 12 is a lot better than 22 – 8. Commentators said it felt like no one wanted to just, grab the game and lead, be a commanding presence. They said we were missing Joseph in that regard. I agree she’s a big loss, but again: we didn’t have her last year, and managed to do that!
Have we hit a ceiling with the coaching? Do we need to be more ruthless with retention & recruitment? Is this club genuinely, actually cursed?! Lol
On a positive note: Gray looked good, and Abbi, Martha, Rory were all effort. Cassy had a nice kick for Rory’s try…I wish she was the last tackle option more often.
Onto next week! 🙂
I would say our fitness staff need to be looked at.
The nrl injuries this year and some of our nrl players looking unfit and down on leg speed and the nrlw players definitely do not look as fit and fast as the other nrlw teams
I’m sure the boys will remove this comment as well as my last as apparently we can’t criticise on here what everyone can see