Eels Blogs

There are bogeys. Then there's Baba Yaga. The one you send to kill the bogeyman.

Every horror movie has a demon that just won't die. Jason. Freddy. Michael Myers. Wayne. South Sydney.

Unfortunately, recent history has felt like watching the same horror movie on repeat.

You know exactly what's coming. But you still hope for a different ending.

Tonight is the 140th meeting between these two. Welcome to Round 23.

Teams

Souths 8th v Eels 13th, 7.35pm 8 August, Allianz Stadium
Weather: 13°C clear, Light winds, Dew 9°C Possible
TAB: Souths $1.34, Eels $3.30
Referees: Wyatt Raymond (on-field), Grant Atkins (bunker)

Ryley Smith starts with Da Silva off the bench. Dylan Walker has been rested for the Eels, while for Souths they have three big ins Cameron Murray, Tallis Duncan and David Fifita, but Campbell Graham has been ruled out.

Souths: 1. Matthew Dufty 2. Alex Johnston 3. Tallis Duncan 4. Jack Wighton 14. Jye Gray 6. Cody Walker 7. Ashton Ward 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Brandon Smith 10. Keaon Koloamatangi 11. David Fifita 12. Adam Elliott 13. Cameron Murray
Bench: 15. Lachlan Hubner 16. Sean Keppie 17. Jamie Humphreys 18. Jayden Sullivan 19. Thomas Fletcher 21. Moala Graham-Taufa
Players cut: 5. Campbell Graham 20. Liam Le Blanc 22. John Radel
Head Coach: Wayne Bennett

Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Brian Kelly 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Jordan Samrani 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Ronald Volkman 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Sam Tuivaiti 22. Ryley Smith 10. Luca Moretti 11. Jack Williams 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Jack de Belin
Bench: 9. Tallyn Da Silva  14. Saxon Pryke 15. Junior Paulo 16. Teancum Brown  19. Jezaiah Funa-Luta 20. Toni Mataele
Players cut: 17. Kelma Tuilagi 21. Sean Russell 18. Joash Papali’i
Head Coach: Jason Ryles

Stats

The Eels are chasing back-to-back wins for the first time since R3.
Josh Addo-Carr has scored 14 tries in his last 15 games against Souths.
Alex Johnston has scored 18 tries in 17 games against the Eels.

Form: Both inconsistent
Eels      3 / 6 |  Average score 16 - 20.5pg
Souths 3 /6  |  Average score 23 - 27pg

Allianz Alert
Souths have lost 5 of their last 6 at Allianz Stadium.
The Eels only win against Souths in the last six years was at Allianz in 2023.
Maybe, just maybe, the stadium isn't cursed. Only the opponent.

The Curse

The Eels have lost 10 of their last 11 against Souths.
Eight years.
Two wins from fourteen.
The Eels' worst record against any club.
Different coaches. Different captains. Different excuses. Same rabbit.

Then there is the Indigenous Nightmare.
Eels have won 5 /12. (42%).
Souths have won 10 /12 (83%).
Souths have won 4 /5 (80%) against the Eels.
Apparently Baba Yaga celebrates Indigenous Round too.

Last Week

Souths lost to the white-hot Sharks 32-16. As expected.

The Eels somehow beat the Tigers despite making 19 errors and completing at 67 percent. How? Don't ask. Both teams are low on confidence and have largely forgotten how to win. 

Even the Footy Gods shrugged but at least they showed mercy to the right team. For once.

The Eels can't expect lightning to strike twice and will need to do the fundamentals a lot better this week to be competitive and stand a chance of an upset. 

Desperation

Souths sit precariously on the edge of the eight. If they lose to the Eels and Manly beat the Storm, they will be nudged outside the eight.

The Eels will first need to contain the ruck and their middles before worrying about their edges. But we all know what their lethal left edge can do, even without Big Latrell. Just ask Cody Walker and Mitch Moses. 

The bookies say Souths. History says Souths. The curse says Souths.  Everything points towards a desperate Baba Yaga.

But sometimes... the monster loses. Sometimes.