UPDATE: Both teams struggled, and the low restart and penalty count meant teams could figure it out for themselves. The clunky Dogs had the lion's share of field position, and possession. Again the Eels fought hard for the seventh week straight for no result. Too many errors at critical moments (12-9), poorer completions (78% v 83%) and a few critical penalties against them. There were forward passes from both sides but not all made by the Dogs were picked up. The controversial no try ruling at the death of the first half – where Galvin seemed to lose control of the ball –proved a critical call against the Eels. That's three games and six competition points that have gone begging this season.
The Eels face their oldest foe in their 160th clash in a must win for the Dogs with their season on life-support.
Monday clashes and Accor Stadium have not been happy hunting grounds for the Eels in recent years.
History paints a grim picture for the Eels. They have won only one Monday clash against the Dogs since 1955, losing 6 from 7. The Eels have lost 7 of their last 9 games at Accor in the last five years. They have lost 3 of their last 4 against the Dogs. Their only win against the Dogs since 2022 was round seven's 38-20.
They also carry the worst injury toll in the competition and will have used 30 players, the most of any club alongside the struggling reigning premiers, after Teancum Brown's debut. Congratulations to Eel #872. We wish you a long NRL career. With us.
The Dogs will be desperate and look to bash, barge and ambush the Eels early.
Dogs 14th v Eels 15th
Weather: 18°, cloudy, some earlier showers possible
Referee: Todd Smith (on-field), Dave Munro and Belinda Sharpe (touch judges), Adam Gee (bunker, senior review official)
TAB: Dogs $1.43, Eels $2.85, Eels odds have lengthened a bit as the week went on.
Key team notes: Connor starts at one, with Kiraz to the wing. Edwards starts with Tayln Da Silva to the bench.
Dogs: 22. Connor Tracey 1. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Enari Tuala 6. Matt Burton 7. Lachlan Galvin 8. Max King 14. Bailey Hayward 10. Leo Thompson 11. Sitili Tupouniua 12. Jaeman Salmon 13. Harry Hayes
Bench: 2. Jethro Rinakama 15. Jed Reardon 16. Jack Underhill 17. Josh Curran 19. Sean O’Sullivan 21. Lipoi Hopoi
Cut: 9. Kurt Mann 23. Marcelo Montoya 20. Logan Spinks
Head Coach: Cameron Ciraldo
Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Brian Kelly 3. Jordan Samrani 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Joash Papali’i 7. Ronald Volkman 8. Luca Moretti 17. Harrison Edwards 10. Jack Williams 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Jack de Belin
Bench: 9. Tallyn Da Silva 14. Dylan Walker 15. Sam Tuivaiti 18. Apa Twidle 19. Teancum Brown (debutant) 20. Charlie Guymer
Cut: 22. Araz Nanva 16. Toni Mataele 21. Ryley Smith
Head Coach: Jason Ryles
Under Fire
The Eels remain short on experience in key positions and have had little time to build combinations, with Joash Papali'i and Ronald Volkman only playing their second NRL game together in the halves. It is very much a rebuilding roster in progress.
The Eels showed plenty of character against Newcastle last week. If not for a stack of errors and several bombed try-scoring opportunities, they likely would have walked away with a genuine upset victory. If they won the golden point against the Tigers they would be in finals contentions. What Eels fans? Yes. So close, yet so far. A game of inches, momentum and critical moments.
They are Undermanned. Inexperienced. Lambasted by many of their own fans on social media 24/7 as bottom-tier and not NRL quality. If the club, coaching staff and players listen to that noise, they may as well put up the white flag hand in their NRL licence.
The Dogs are under pressure. Last year's top-four contenders desperately need a win and should come out firing. They have injury concerns of their own, with Viliame Kikau and Jacob Preston sidelined, while Jacob Kiraz has overcome some minor concerns and is expected to play.
They have improved over the past fortnight and, if not for some courageous Tigers defence last week, could easily be coming into this game on a two-match winning streak. Kiraz has been averaging close to 300 metres a game at fullback, and their outside backs have consistently generated strong yardage.
Where the I4Give Cup could be won or lost
The Dogs will try to play up-tempo, force errors, and gain momentum through the middle and exploit Parramatta's edges, particularly the right side, which has leaked more tries than any corridor across both teams.
To stand a chance, the Eels need to do the fundamentals better. Some of the things they failed to do against Newcastle. Starting with Ben Gardiner's Three Pillars: reduce errors, play direct rather than side-to-side, and manage the ruck better. They also need to kick for at least 600 metres, maintain that output in the second half, improve their kick chase, and take their opportunities when they arise.
If the restart count balloons under Todd Smith in the Dogs favor in the first half, the game will almost be lost by then even if the ledger gets balanced later.
Bottom line
The Eels' fight over the past six weeks, despite little reward, has impressed even hardened Bulldogs fans such as Chad Townsend's faboulous sidekick, Hectic Eric, who despises Parramatta with a passion. Is this the week the Eels drop away? Or will the fight continue?
The bookmakers, history, and most experts will favour the Bulldogs. Not many outside the Eels camp will give them much chance. Few will believe in the Eels.
But the players must believe.
Replies
Another game we lost due to a referee calling a penalty. Burton and Curran stayed down to milk it.
Annoying loss because it's another team that is not really better than us.
If we had one experienced half there we would've be on it.
Teancum is a player, tho.
We are missing a lot of our cap though
Efforts not enough sure I can applaud it but when you continually see the samething week after week it's like I can't work out how we are actually going to win a game.
Yes the Newcastle and now the Dogs were that poor they came down to our level and invited us in the contest we still didn't have the nouse execution or leadership to take advantage and when you see 1.3 sitting up in the box another week prepping for SoO the beer tasted a bit sour tonight.
There just seems to be zero answers the Pezet experiment has been the biggest waste of space of a signing of all time and I bet his shits already packed for Brissy.
I think TDS is the tonic we need at hooker but the rocks or diamonds wow and his distribution and defense especially around contact tonight was shit.
Rookies I mean what are we waiting for here why bother with Tuilagi why stop wasting your time.
Samrani effort personified on the 2 Volkman kicks where the fark was Kelly 30 metres behind him I mean find someone else.
Moving JaC to centre to try and get him earlier ball I mean at least it's something different.
Russell nothing tonight.
Same old shite in the middle of the park we pick the same every week and get arseholed I mean what's to lose starting Tuivaiti Brown and Smith what's there to lose.
Bottom farken 4 team threatening the Dragons for the spoon regardless why not play our juniors shit give Talataina a go at 6 he can be no worse.We got NFI who our 6 is going foward regardless so why roll out the same shit show.
Last but not least onfield leadership I couldn't really tell who the captain was regardless.Halves game in the balance NFI it's a shit show even if the game was there for the taking we'd have not had the ability to take advantage of it.
But at least we tried hard and effort was still there and while they haven't given up on JR the 26 ship has well and truely sailed.I hope for the coaches sake there's some sought of late season run to give everyone some sought of solace for a season that never amounted to much.
I watched the NSW Cup match very closely yesterday. I hate to say it but Lorenzo was very average. His confidence is shot. I know a lot of that team and most are still elgible for Jersey Flegg. However, defence was appawling. Some of the tries the dogs scored in Cup was Parra not competing. Ryda was OK, but he is a big kid with confidence and if he gets surrounded by some decent footballers he will improve greatly. Canterbury were 1 point above us on the table and down in the bottom 4. Yet they put on 60 points against Nsw Cup. We had GYMER, MATELE and PRYKE all recently playing NRL.
There was not one footballer in that team that could be considered for NRL next week.
This is the same story every year - our depth is never up to scratch. And yes I know we are injury ravaged, but other teams are copping it too (eg Rabbitohs and Cowboys) and are still fighting for Top 8.
Injuries have definitely cost us a place or two on the ladder, but they haven't changed the fact that our Top 30 squad is very sub standard and so far the plans to change that appear missing with the only recruit coming our way so far coming to us from the only team lower than us on the ladder.
Reece Walsh was easily holding his own in first grade NRL at a year younger than Lorenzo is now. Dylan Brown was a year younger than Lorenzo on his debut too. If he's not ready now, then maybe he isn't the "all our eggs in this basket" player he's being presented as and maybe we shouldn't be looking at a stop gap (eg Pezet) but an actual ready made product to replace Brown.
Our depth has been a laughing stock for a long time now.
What about the game before 60- 4 or something and the knights game we are officially in the funk
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