Tomorrow, in front of the biggest home crowd of the season against the struggling Knights hellbent on avoiding the spoon, the Eels have one last chance to build momentum for next year, honour Will Penisini’s 100th game as well as Members' Appreciation Day. They also have the chance to win three-straight for the first time since mid-2023.
History Leans Parra
Parramatta have won 7 of their past 8 against Newcastle. The Knights, meanwhile, limp in on an eight-game losing streak. Their worst run in eight years since the 2015-17's three-consecutive spoons. Their Dark Ages after Bennett.
11-Year Hoodoo
Newcastle haven’t beaten Parramatta in Parramatta since 2014.
Getty Images: Moses celebrates with Iongi in last week's boilover against the Warriors. Mose has scored four tries in his last three games against the Knights.
Evolving, Devolving
Parramatta are 4/6. Newcastle 0/8, conceding 36 points a game. In that stretch, the Eels have beaten finals contenders Warriors, Roosters and Broncos, a win over the Cowboys and narrow losses to Souths and the Storm.
The Eels' revival is built on resilience, conceding just 17.7 points per game since Round 21, which is comparable the the top-two defences overall. The Dogs (16.9) and Storm (18.7). A season of gradual improvement. A horror start (1/6). Then, Gradual progress (4/11). Now, a gritty late surge.
The Knights were in it at the break against Cronulla18-10 last week, before getting overrun 40-16 on the back of poor completions. Without Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Sharp and Dylan Lucas, they’ve spiralled winlessly since round 16 when they had the second-best defence and were more competitive. Since then, they have had both the worst attack and worst defence in the competition. Losing Leo Thomson for this game, doesn't help their cause.
One Thing
On top of injuries, the Knights’ end of season schedule has been brutal. Seven of their past eight opponents sit in the top seven including the Raiders, the minor-premiers, twice.
Against top-eight sides they struggle (1/12) with their lone win over a finals contender a then last-paced Penrith in Round 12. They fare better against bottom-nine opposition (5/11). Will we see a closer, harder game than many expect?
Milestone Madness
Parramatta have made a habit of winning on milestone days over the last seven weeks. Paulo’s top-ten club entry. Addo-Carr’s 200th and 150th try. Walker’s 250th. Legacies matter.
Final Word
Form, logic, history and bookies all favour Parramatta. Yet, expectations breeds different sorts of pressure. Not just to win, but win well against a desperate Knights. The fate of the spoon in their hands.
How did we fare the last time that happened? In Round 24, heavy favourites against Souths, they stumbled to a 20-16 loss on the back of sloppy completions and a mountain of errors. A mental relaxing. Souths, hungier, won the loose ball contest. Ryles admitted: "We Got What We Deserved."
For Parramatta, this isn’t just about beating a wounded Newcastle. It’s about proving they can maintain their edge, even as heavy favorites, learning from the past. To carry real belief into the future.
Team Lists
Eels (12th) v Knights (16th)
Sunday, 4.05pm AEST, 7 September 2025, CommBank, Parramatta
Weather: Expected sunny, 15-20˚C, 15km/h moderate winds
Sportsbet: $1.22 Eels, $4.45 Knights
Referees: Wyatt Raymond (on-field ref), Liam Kennedy (bunker), Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski and Phil Henderson (touch judges)
Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Zac Lomax 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. J’maine Hopgood 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Jack Williams 13. Dylan Walker
Bench: 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Matt Doorey 16. Charlie Guymer 17. Jordan Samrani
Reserves: 20. Toni Mataele 22. Joash Papali’i
Players cut: 18. Dean Hawkins 19. Dan Keir 21. Joey Lussick
Coach: Jason Ryles
Knights: 1. Fletcher Hunt 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jakob Arthur 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 13. Tyson Frizell 11. Jermaine McEwen 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 15. Mathew Croker
Bench: 14. Jayden Brailey 16. Thomas Cant 17. Elijah Leaumoana 19. Cody Hopwood
Reserves: 18. James Schiller 22. Lachlan Crouch
Players cut: 10. Leo Thompson 20. Matthew Arthur 21. Connor Votano
Coach: Adam O'Brien
Eels:
In — Mitch Moses' old partner in crime crime, Dylan Brown is six. Brown hasn’t played at six since R19 (Panthers), before playing centres (R23-25.
Out — Joash Papali'i to extended reserves.
Knights:
In — Frizell at prop, Cody Hopwood onto bench
Out — Leo Thompson
Replies
Bad day EA or has there run in indicated this performance was on the cards ?
Their defence was really strong to start the year but has fallen off to end the year. So sort of seen this coming if we made errors in attack or got couple unlucky stuff
They smashed storm last week but were 12-0 at the start. Storm used their back up JF team. So yea concerns around their defence and attitude were there
The ref and panthers have left us back into the game but we fail to capitalise and make errors our selves
To win big games you need a good fullback. So cannot understand how Howlett is playing over Bamblett
He may be spent from the school-boys game on thursday EA
Yep maybe
Tuvuka Palu is so asssssssssss
Popo, Lokeni and Petrus our best players today. Lots of woeful performances. Alamadine and Palu woeful. I voted for Alamadine as POTM because he was that instrumental in Panthers victory. Tacking thin air and dropping the ball. Hunter and Lynn both shit as well. Very disappointing end to the season that should have ended with so much better. Yes we did not have our best players available as they were promoted to cup due to injuries to NRL and JF. But the senior players who normallt play were unacceptable today
EA, agree Lokeni, Popo and petrus were about our best today. But had no competiion from their mates. In a game we lost 34-12 I'm really starting to recognise lokeni as a good player. Dyed locks help.
We lacked poise from the start and gave the cats 2 knock-ons which allowed them to score 2 trys in the first 10 minutes. Lucien was over between the posts and only had to hang on to the ball but the full-back some how showed grit to knock the ball out of his grasp. Then Hunter put in a grubber and chased to miss grounding it by an inch.
It went like that.....presented them with a 12nil start after 10mins and allowed them to play confidently to score points at will.
Have I mentioned we don't exhibit any P O I S E.
What caused a lot of our knock-ons was terrible delivery in passes that arrived head high and slightly behind the receiver.
Any coach worth his salt would make sure we rectified those passes next year and gave ourselves a chance.
We are officially out of the finals.
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