The under-strength Eels face a hostile crowd, bitter Wollongong winds, old demons, and fired-up Dragons side simmering in drama.
Could this be happening? The Dragons finally escape Parramatta. They will host the Eels at home for the first time since 2019 — after meeting the Eels at Commbank for six-straight years.
Former Eels King-pin Gutho and former Dragons star Lomax clash against their old clubs — for the second time. The Eels won the first in a round-five nailbiter off a Lomax field-goal in extra time.
The bye-refreshed Dragons will be hell-bent on honouring the milestones of Klemmer (250th) and Guler (100th) and redemption on their home turf — after conceding 86 points in their last two games.
The Eels have steadily worked their way into the season and while they have missed injured skipper Mitchell Moses, rookies Isaiah Iongi and young playmaker Joash Papali’i have impressed in their debut campaigns. It's been a season of blooding rookies.
Round Seventeen is an orgy of thematic collisions — youth vs experience, undermanned vs strengthened, old kings, new kings, rebuilds, revenge, redemption,
Team Lists
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels
Saturday, 28 June 2025 | 5.30pm AEST | WIN Stadium
Weather: Expected fine, around 12˚C, 82% humidity, 9-15km/h Northerly winds
Ground: Expected good
Sportsbet: $1.64 Saints, $2.26 Eels (Wednesday night)
Referees: Liam Kennedy (on-field), Liam Kennedy (touch judge), Dave Munro (touch judge), Chris Butler (bunker)
Dragons: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Corey Allan 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Emre Guler 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 11. Toby Couchman 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin
Bench: 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Hamish Stewart 16. Viliami Fifita 17. Luciano Leilua
18th man: 18. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 22. Nathan Lawson
Players cut: 19. Lachlan Ilias 20. Blake Lawrie 21. Nicholas Tsougranis
Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Zac Lomax 3. Jordan Samrani 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Dylan Brown 7. Dean Hawkins 8. Jack Williams 9. Joey Lussick 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. J’maine Hopgood
Bench: 14. Dylan Walker 15. Matt Doorey 16. Charlie Guymer 17. Joash Papali’i
18th man: 18. Dan Keir 20. Brendan Hands
Players cut: 19. Toni Mataele 21. Ronald Volkman 22. Samuel Loizou
Dragons — are boosted by the key returns of Valentine Holmes and Jaydn Su’A. Wingers Corey Allan and Christian Tuipuloto return from hamstring injuries. Viliami Fifita plays his first NRL game in 2025.
Eels — Dylan Brown returns from suspension which sees Joash Papalii revert to the bench. Jordan Samrani starts for the suspended Will Penisini. Joey Lussick comes in for the suspended Ryley Smith.
Semi Trailer Suli: The Red-Vs are full of big boppers and experience
The Eels are under-strength, while the Dragons are about full-strength.
Injuries/ Suspensions
Dragons — Mathew Feagai (ankle, R20), Raymond Faitala-Mariner (ill, TBC), Ryan Couchman (ACL, season), Dylan Egan (ACL, season)
Eels — Bailey Simonsson (Foot, R19), Sam Tuivaiti (ankle, R19), Mitchell Moses (calf, R20), Luca Moretti (ankle, R20), Ryley Smith (Suspension, R20), Will Penisini (Suspension, R21)
Forever Iongi time: Budding superstar rookie Isaiah Iongi stepped up last week — turning heads and shaping as one of the buys of the year
The WIN Curse
The Eels — have lost 4 of their last 5 at Wollongong — last playing there in 2018.
Surf's Up. Dragons have that WINning feeling at home.
Bookies Say Dragons, Form Says Eels, History Shrugs
The bookies are leaning towards the Dragons ($1.64) aided by a home ground advantage against an understrength Eels missing six top-liners.
This season, the Dragons have been stronger at home (3/6) than away (2/5).
They’ve never lost a home game by more than 8 points this year. All their heavy losses were away.
Dragons v Eels: At Home — won 12 /17 (71%) | Away — 12 / 26 (46%)
Form? The Eels have won 3 from their last 5 games, compared to the Dragons’ 2 from 4.
The Eels are coming off a 36-20 win over the Titans last week, while the Dragons were smashed by the Dolphins 56-6 (R14) and threw away a halftime lead against the Sharks to lose 30-18 (R15).
Form since round ten (R11-16)
Eels: Attack—7th (23.2pg) | Defence—5th (16.8pg)
Saints: Attack—13th (18.5pg) | Defence— 14th (29.5pg)
History? The ghosts of Wollongong say Dragons. But, the Eels have slayed the Dragons over 4-straight games and 7 of their last 9 encounters — albeit mostly at home.
Lomax the Dragon Slayer: Who could forget his field goal and penalty goal in a golden-point thriller in Round five (Eels won 23-22). Eat your heart out Buffy.
Mostly tight, but a few blowouts
The last three encounters between these two teams have been close affairs — decided by 1-6 points. Between these two, over the last eight years, since 2018:
Most have been close — 1 to 14-point margins (80%, 8 of 10 games)
A few blowouts — 34-plus margins (20%, 2 of 10 games)
A Battle Of Exes: Ryles is up against his old club while alleged new Eels' recruit Jack De Belin edges closer to his 250th.
Dragon Lover: The Fox has scored 9 tries in 7 games against the Dragons.
Breathing Fire: The Flanagans are feeling the heat.
Pressure, Pride & Points to Prove
Is there unrest in the Saints camp? With Lachlan Ilias firing in Reggies, Kyle Flanagan is under pressure, with dad Shane watching and critics whispering 'nepotism' much to Shane's visible ire. Eels fans know that feeling.
The desperate Dragons face two recent floggings, a sea of drama, and milestones to honour on home turf. Will Flanagan's fire-breathers smoke the understrength Eels or self combust?
Parramatta, meanwhile, smell momentum. A rare chance to notch back-to-back wins, even without star skipper Mitchell Moses and several key outs. They'll need to avoid shooting themselves in the foot — they've made more errors than the opposition in 9 of 14 games. It's a young team filled with rookies and they've been up for the better part of two months now facing a more experienced and physically imposing side hellbent on scorching the earth. Will the undermanned Eels break the WIN curse or drop their bundle?
Brothers In Arms: It's All Hands on Deck
Footnotes
What would the table look like, after round ten (R11-R16)?
The Cowboys have taken the biggest nosedive, while the Panthers and the Dolphins are the big movers up — while the Eels have been steady.
Stats are sourced from David Middleton, nrl.com, rugby league project, Foxlab and statsinsider
Replies
I'm hoping my great week ( got my hair done for the first time in 7 months- got to be a female record ) continues with a good win
but .... the cynic in me says the refs will give it to the " town " 😔🤬
My wife's hair will be the death of me Carlo.
Soooooo many products I trip over in the shower. Between "I'm growing my natural curls out" and "I'm going back to get it straightened" means different shampoo's & creams, more haircuts.... more $$$$
I've lost count of how many thousand$ I have sunk into it!
Yeh well she has that gorgeous mane which prob needs all that - I'm good with a bottle of tresemme - joys of German heritage mb
I swear to god bert , I think I was meant to be male I'm so low maintenance ( as far as upkeep goes) ... Thank the lord , as these days I'm budgeting like the 23 year old from the 2000s saving her money for dollar drinks 🙄🙄
lol. You two...
Carls — It's great you did your hair. Actually, I'm all for my wife doing the three-hour salon experience regularly as well. I'll even wait for her. Fair dinkum, many men love a feminine woman even if it's not PC these days.
Bert — It's the renegade soap you need to watch out for. As an aside I don't mind Strawberry Body Shop stuff (for my wife). Did you find that Luwak-infused conditioner?
On form Parra by 10.
However, they have good INs whilst we have bad OUTs.
Also, Liam Kennedy will be tired as he is both ref and touchie
Finally realised touchies are useless so getting him to do both jobs.
Trying to think from the top of my head but I think Iongi, Hopgood, Russel and Paulo are the only 4 players that have played every game this year. Thats a diabolical unavailability list considering we have had 2 byes as well.
Has Hopgood played every game? Maybe he has. It's also interesting that Russell is likely not in the top 17, so the fact he has had to play every game is a worry. I know most injuries are just bad luck, but I would like to see the club investigate a bit deeper here. Injuries can cost games, as we well know.
Yep so from the 4. One is a fullback in his rookie year. One is an outisde back there is only there for depth and not first choice. One is player that has fallen off and carrying a back injury. Paulo has been good.
Russell missed one game where he was dropped, it was Dogs game in Round 3 but still the others are slim.
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