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
Didn't mind the bench. I like Da Silva coming on after 20mins and Edwards fills in the middle. But Moretti and De Belin not getting a lot of minutes either.
Our forwards are so shit with winning the collision in defence and repeated efforts.
Brown and Tuivaiti were the positives. Tuivaiti started slow but he got going as momentum started piling up.
I think that was one of the lowest games I have seen in a long time . Terrible decisions by this ref, multiple incidents. To decide a game by that penalty with 3 minutes on the clock just typifies our season. Canterbury are not winning anything real soon. The quality of passing between Galvin and his backs was diabolical . That is their spine .
We miss Moses for his game awareness as well as his kicking. Critta and Kiraz were there to be spotted but our halves kept going for the Same play. Moses on the short blind tears them a new arsehole.
We are playing tough but ww can't give away 60% possession and field position to any team. We just couldn't get any field position to throw anything at them . Shit result all round. Watched the nsw cup and they were woeful . We are in a very ordinary position as a club . If we manage to avoid the spoon it will be well done Ryles.
I think we are missing some vital points. The Bulldogs were absolutely terrible for most of that game. Our kids fought hard, made way too many mistakes. 73% completion , no one deserves to win a game of 1st grade with that stat.
Lets not gloss over how terrible our team really is. Fight and spirit top of the class and that's a credit to Ryles and the culture they are introducing. Talent and skill is shocking on so many levels, near bottom of the class of 2026. 60 missed tackles and 13 errors does not win you football games. The fight and heart in the kids may be clouding our judgement.
'We could of made some use of our captains challenge a couple of times and won, in great field position they chose not to. Thats on our team as well. Tallyn Da Silva has huge potential and can break a game open, but his lapses in judgement with forward passes, giving escort penalties etc is sub standard for what we need from him. They cost us tonight as well.
It appears this year sitting second last it's now about recruiting well for next year and getting game time into the kids we are keeping. I'm starting to wonder about Rylie Smith, he may be on the outer from this point onwards with Edwards arriving and Tallyn looked at as having more protential / upside with experience and game time.
Can we stop saying second last as technically without bye points we are ahead of GC. I know it's not much difference but is fact.
Ok I can bury my head in the sand. It still dosnt stop the official ladder showing us in second last, still dosnt stop the ribbing from other supporters. But if it helps you out LB I can change. From now on I'll just say we are close to the bottom of the table.
Hope that helps .
Blue Eel, what are you talking about, "close to the bottom"? When I look at the ladder, the Eels are like two inches from the top of the ladder at most. Two inches ain't much at all! We are close to the top! It's all perspective.
That's where our progression has stalled BE skill and execution has gone missing and the ruck is absolutely diabolical defensively.The Dogs we're still stupid enough to continue going round us when the middle was there to be taken all it took was someone with half a clue at dummy half and prospered off the work Topinua King and Thompson had done in the middle and edge.
They almost forced it to Crichton and Galvin forced it when all they needed to do is short pass through the middle of us and we'd have been fried chicken.
I think we need to go back to starting Riley Smith at hooker with Da Silva coming off the bench, Edwards can start at lock and de belin can play reserve grade.
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