Eel Dilemma: 10 Grand Final players could be out of Parramatta's season opener. Sean Russell suspended???

So in this article it states Doorey will be fine, Murchie is being considered for starting edge spot. But one other mention that confused me was the mention that Sean Russell is serving a suspension from NSW Cup last year? Can anyone confirm that as if that is the case that makes things even more difficult. If that is the case it will be Blake on the wing and Cini at Centre. If Blake is not fit then Lumelume would be the winger.

Anyway being the SMH it could be way off. I read an article not long ago that said Dunster and Russell are both returning from ACL's, even though Russell missed a few months due to a punctured lung and broken ribs, no ACL at all. So sometimes take it with grain of salt.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/eel-dilemma-10-grand-final-players-could-be-out-of-parramatta-s-season-opener-20230223-p5cn7v.html

For those who cannot access the link.

Parramatta will head into Thursday’s NRL season opener with a staggering 10 players from last year’s grand final line-up either no longer at the club, injured, suspended or without a trial game under their belt.

As if trying to end Melbourne’s 21-year record of winning round-one games was not daunting enough, the Eels will need something special at a packed CommBank Stadium on the back of a rough summer.

Play Video

Play video

0:45

Joey's ominous warning to Milford

Andrew Johns believes Anthony Milford has a month to save his NRL career.

The biggest concern for coach Brad Arthur will be who starts in the back row. Shaun Lane is out with a broken jaw, Bryce Cartwright is pushing to return from his own broken jaw, while Isaiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore have left the club to join the Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors respectively.

Matt Doorey injured his ankle in the final trial game but will be fit, with newcomers Jack Murchie and Jirah Momoisea are in the mix.

Ryan Matterson is suspended for his grand final hit on Penrith’s Dylan Edwards, while Nathan Brown has a hamstring injury.

The news does not improve in the backline, where Waqa Blake (broken arm) and Maika Sivo (knee) could start on the left edge with no trial form. Bailey Simonsson has had shoulder issues, while Sean Russell, another wing option, is serving a suspension from a NSW Cup incident late last year.

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.159%2C$multiply_1.9577%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/c1e72700e416047e73e68c577a9d6fd4ca91bca6 2x" media="(min-width: 1024px)" />https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.159%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/c1e72700e416047e73e68c577a9d6fd4ca91bca6 2x" media="(min-width: 768px)" />

c1e72700e416047e73e68c577a9d6fd4ca91bca6

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.159%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/c1e72700e416047e73e68c577a9d6fd4ca91bca6 2x" alt="Maika Sivo is still returning from a knee injury and did not play in the Eels’ trial games." width="584" height="390" />

Maika Sivo is still returning from a knee injury and did not play in the Eels’ trial games.CREDIT:NRL PHOTOS

Arthur will have a clear idea of who will be ready to take on the Storm after Sunday’s training session.

The only seven players fit from last year’s decider, and who featured in the trials, are skippers Clint Gutherson and Junior Paulo, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Will Penisini, Jacob Arthur, Dylan Brown and Mitchell Moses.

Murchie, who has played 40 games in five seasons at Canberra and the Warriors, hoped to get the green light on Thursday and said a big factor in signing with the Eels was to try and nail down one of the back row vacancies.

“It would be something special if I was there [on Thursday] because I don’t think I’ve ever played in round one in my career,” Murchie said. “I’ve always been coming back from injury, and the one year I was close at the Warriors, I did my pec that week.

Parra’s R-Eel concerns

Waqa Blake - arm; Maika Sivo - knee; Shaun Lane - jaw; Ryan Matterson - suspended; Bailey Simonsson - shoulder; Nathan Brown - hamstring; Isaiah Papali’i - Tigers; Marata Niukore - Warriors; Reed Mahoney - Bulldogs; Oregon Kaufusi - Sharks; Bryce Cartwright - jaw; Sean Russell - suspended; Matt Doorey - ankle.

“I’ve been an edge [back-rower] most of my career, but I’ve been learning to play middle here at Parra as well. I’ll play wherever the team and coach need me.”

Cartwright was sweating on being fit for the first game after suffering five fractures to the left side of his jaw during a training drill involving fringe forward Luca Moretti on January 13.

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.7152447525515115%2C$multiply_0.5609%2C$ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_912%2C$y_54/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/d9bf3ec6753a042190c1db0d7a2df8c742b0e3cd 2x" media="(min-width: 1024px)" data-pb-im-config="{"aspectRatio":1.777778,"type":"landscape16x9","width":297}" />https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.7152447525515115%2C$multiply_0.5685%2C$ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_912%2C$y_54/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/d9bf3ec6753a042190c1db0d7a2df8c742b0e3cd 2x" media="(min-width: 768px)" data-pb-im-config="{"aspectRatio":1.777778,"type":"landscape16x9","width":301}" />

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https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.7152447525515115%2C$multiply_1.0255%2C$ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_912%2C$y_54/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/d9bf3ec6753a042190c1db0d7a2df8c742b0e3cd 2x" alt="Carlton’s Charlie Curnow (left) and Patrick Cripps (right) with Sea Eagles pair Josh Schuster and Daly Cherry-Evans." />

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He smashed his jaw on the right side two years ago, and while there was the one clean break on that occasion, Cartwright said he also had wisdom teeth removed, which made the recovery more painful.

“I couldn’t eat last time and lost about nine kilos,” Cartwright said. “This time I was able to eat about two days later, and I’ve been able to keep training and lift weights.”

https://static.ffx.io/images/%24zoom_0.159%2C%24multiply_1.9577%2C%24ratio_1.5%2C%24width_756%2C%24…

Replies

LB February 26, 2023 at 1:49pm

For those who cannot access the link.

Parramatta will head into Thursday’s NRL season opener with a staggering 10 players from last year’s grand final line-up either no longer at the club, injured, suspended or without a trial game under their belt.

As if trying to end Melbourne’s 21-year record of winning round-one games was not daunting enough, the Eels will need something special at a packed CommBank Stadium on the back of a rough summer.

Play Video

Play video

0:45

Joey's ominous warning to Milford

Andrew Johns believes Anthony Milford has a month to save his NRL career.

The biggest concern for coach Brad Arthur will be who starts in the back row. Shaun Lane is out with a broken jaw, Bryce Cartwright is pushing to return from his own broken jaw, while Isaiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore have left the club to join the Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors respectively.

Matt Doorey injured his ankle in the final trial game but will be fit, with newcomers Jack Murchie and Jirah Momoisea are in the mix.

Ryan Matterson is suspended for his grand final hit on Penrith’s Dylan Edwards, while Nathan Brown has a hamstring injury.

The news does not improve in the backline, where Waqa Blake (broken arm) and Maika Sivo (knee) could start on the left edge with no trial form. Bailey Simonsson has had shoulder issues, while Sean Russell, another wing option, is serving a suspension from a NSW Cup incident late last year.

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.159%2C$multiply_1.9577%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/c1e72700e416047e73e68c577a9d6fd4ca91bca6 2x" media="(min-width: 1024px)" />https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.159%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/c1e72700e416047e73e68c577a9d6fd4ca91bca6 2x" media="(min-width: 768px)" />https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.159%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/c1e72700e416047e73e68c577a9d6fd4ca91bca6 2x" alt="Maika Sivo is still returning from a knee injury and did not play in the Eels’ trial games." width="584" height="390" />

Maika Sivo is still returning from a knee injury and did not play in the Eels’ trial games.CREDIT:NRL PHOTOS

Arthur will have a clear idea of who will be ready to take on the Storm after Sunday’s training session.

The only seven players fit from last year’s decider, and who featured in the trials, are skippers Clint Gutherson and Junior Paulo, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Will Penisini, Jacob Arthur, Dylan Brown and Mitchell Moses.

Murchie, who has played 40 games in five seasons at Canberra and the Warriors, hoped to get the green light on Thursday and said a big factor in signing with the Eels was to try and nail down one of the back row vacancies.

“It would be something special if I was there [on Thursday] because I don’t think I’ve ever played in round one in my career,” Murchie said. “I’ve always been coming back from injury, and the one year I was close at the Warriors, I did my pec that week.

Parra’s R-Eel concerns

Waqa Blake - arm; Maika Sivo - knee; Shaun Lane - jaw; Ryan Matterson - suspended; Bailey Simonsson - shoulder; Nathan Brown - hamstring; Isaiah Papali’i - Tigers; Marata Niukore - Warriors; Reed Mahoney - Bulldogs; Oregon Kaufusi - Sharks; Bryce Cartwright - jaw; Sean Russell - suspended; Matt Doorey - ankle.

“I’ve been an edge [back-rower] most of my career, but I’ve been learning to play middle here at Parra as well. I’ll play wherever the team and coach need me.”

Cartwright was sweating on being fit for the first game after suffering five fractures to the left side of his jaw during a training drill involving fringe forward Luca Moretti on January 13.

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He smashed his jaw on the right side two years ago, and while there was the one clean break on that occasion, Cartwright said he also had wisdom teeth removed, which made the recovery more painful.

“I couldn’t eat last time and lost about nine kilos,” Cartwright said. “This time I was able to eat about two days later, and I’ve been able to keep training and lift weights.”

https://static.ffx.io/images/%24zoom_0.159%2C%24multiply_1.9577%2C%24ratio_1.5%2C%24width_756%2C%24…
Uncle Wizardssleeve- Indigenous Elder-Freemason Hunter -He/Him February 26, 2023 at 2:00pm

On a positive note , Ryan " short arms long pockets " Matterson still has his 4 grand and won't have to survive on only 8 grand from this weeks wages.
Parrapowa February 26, 2023 at 2:29pm

I'll wait for Tuesday before stressing.
- LB > Parrapowa February 26, 2023 at 2:32pm
  
  The Russell suspension has caught me off guard as i have heard nothing at all about it, every other team list has him also which is weird.
  
  I think you will find Blake, Doorey and Cartwright all play on Thursday.
  - Parrapowa > LB February 26, 2023 at 2:53pm
    
    Russell will be there on the wing, no where I've seen that sates his suspended, if he was you'd hear about it.
    - LB > Parrapowa February 26, 2023 at 2:57pm
      
      Exactly what i am referring to. Surely one of the other sites would've mentioned it before putting him in a team list.
      
      He is in every single predicted team list.
      
      SMH poor jounalism, though should i be surprised.
Muttman February 26, 2023 at 2:52pm

4 players are no longer at the club.
N Brown also meant to be elsewhere by now.
- LB > Muttman February 26, 2023 at 2:53pm
  
  Yeah typical media making it worse than what it actually is.
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin February 26, 2023 at 3:03pm

Unbelievable decision from Matterson especially now that we're desperate for player availability.
- LB > Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin February 26, 2023 at 3:12pm
  
  I think the only thing it hurts is our bench rotation. Murchie starting hurts it even more.
  
  Looking very thin with possibly: JA, Makatoa, Momoisea, Greig/Ogden/Cartwright.
  
  Murchie and Matterson strengthen that straight away.

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