The last-placed Eels host the dangerous Redcliffe Dolphins tonight at Commbank. They've only faced each other twice in high-scoring encounters producing 128 points. The Dolphins are 14th and will be desperate to make a statement despite an atrocious record in Sydney losing six of their last seven.
Teams
Details: Thursday 8 May, 7.50pm AEST
Parramatta Eels vs Dolphins, CommBank Stadium
Referees: Wyatt Raymond, Kasey Badger (touch judge), Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski (touch judge), Chris Butler (bunker)
Ground Conditions: good
Weather: around 13-15˚C, 2kmh winds, partly cloudy, 77% humidity
Sportsbet: Eels $1.78, Dolphins $2.08
Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Charlie Guymer 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. J’maine Hopgood
Bench: 14. Dylan Walker 15. Luca Moretti 16. Jordan Samrani 17. Matt Doorey
Extended: 19. Joash Papali’i
Cut: 18. Ryan Matterson 20. Dean Hawkins 21. Toni Mataele 22. Brendan Hands
Head Coach: Jason Ryles
Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Francis Molo 9. Kurt Donoghoe 10. Felise Kaufusi 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 14. Ray Stone 13. Tom Gilbert
Bench: 12. Connelly Lemuelu 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Josh Kerr 18. Harrison Graham
Extended: 17. Sean O’Sullivan
Cut: 19. Oryn Keeley 20. Max Feagai 21. Kenny Bromwich 22. Junior Tupou
Head Coach: Kristian Woolf
Injuries
Eels: Zac Lomax (R11), Sam Tuivaiti (R20, ight ankle Syndesmosis), Kelma Tuilagi (R12), Joey Lussick (R11), Dan Keir (R12-14), Arthur Miller-Stephen (Season), Ethyn Martin (TBC), Apa Twidle (TBC). Dolphins: Jeremy Marshall King (TBC), Thomas Flegler (TBC), Trai Fuller (indefinite), Max Plath (R13), Daniel Saifiti (R11), Kurt Don
Stat Attack
- It's one a piece for the Eels versus the Dolphins (Eels won 48-20 in 2023 but lost 44-16 in 2024) with two games producing 128 points in total.
- The Eels have scored 61 points in their last two games at CommBank Stadium.
- The Dolphins have won only one of seven games played in Sydney.
Recap: Last Week
The Eels were brave against the Sharks going down 28-18. Despite a mountain of possession against the Eels (56%-44%), the Sharks being camped in the Eels red-zone in the second-half (24-4 tackles in 20m zone), and some dodgy officiating, the Eels came back from 22-6 down in the 60th minute to stay in the fight.
Eels winger Josh Addo-Carr (above) has scored five tries in his last three games. Will Penisini has also scored three tries in two games against the Dolphins.
The Eels have shown improvement in their resilience, defence and linespeed. In round six they had a bottom four average for their linespeed (pre-contact metres) - now, they're sixth.
| Rank | Team |
Pre-contact metres |
R6 rank |
| 1 | Broncos (5th) | 6.63 | 13th |
| 2 | Cowboys (9th) | 6.32 | 2nd |
| 3 | Dogs (1st) | 6.21 | 14th |
| 4 | Dolphins (14th) | 6.17 | 11th |
| 5 | Dragons (10th) | 6.17 | 3rd |
| 6 | Eels (17th) | 6.13 | 12th |
| 7 | Knights (12th) | 6.07 | 4th |
| 8 | Manly (7th) | 6.05 | 7th |
| 9 | Panthers (15th) | 6.02 | 6th |
| 10 | Raiders (2nd) | 6.01 | 17th |
| 11 | Roosters (11th) | 5.95 | 5th |
| 12 | Sharks (6th) | 5.91 | 8th |
| 13 | Souths (13th) | 5.89 | 15th |
| 14 | Storm (4th) | 5.85 | 2nd |
| 15 | Tigers (8th) | 5.77 | 10th |
| 16 | Titans (16th) | 5.72 | 16th |
| 17 | Warriors (3rd) | 5.62 | 9th |
R10 Linespeed: Pre-Contact Metres
The problem for the Eels has been their lapses. The Eels have only had more possession in two games (R5 Dragons, R7 Tigers) - winning both games. They have only made more run and less errors than the opposition in three games (R3 Dogs, R5 Dragons, R7 Tigers) - winning two of those. They're a young, rebuilding team and have used 29 players (the highest amount of any team).
Should those lapses continue, the Eels could be in strife.
The Dolphins are a team capable of punishing defences as Storm found out in round seven a few weeks ago. The Storm were ahead 16-2 in the 28th, but the Dolphins run away with the game 42-22. Remember round seven last year at TIO? The Eels led 10-4 at the 49th and looked to be in the game. But over the next 30 minutes the Dolphins pulverized us 40-6 to run home with the game 44-16. It was typical of the Eels second-half last year.
With speedsters Hamiso-tabuai-fidow (above) who has scored seven tries in his last five games, Jake Averillo, Herbie Farnsworth and rising half Isaiya Katoa, the former Panther wunderkid - there is a clear and present danger.
Last week, the Dolphins went down to the Roosters 36-26 to record two-straight losses. But they fought back from 32-8 down in the 66th minute. A reminder of their ability to scored quickly.
The problem for the Dolphins this year has been inconsistency: LLLLWWWLL. They seem to get into losing and winning habits and fall in and out of them.
Some dubious officiating against us has been another consistent theme - especially over the last month. Under Wyatt Raymond (above) the Dolphins have won two from two, while the Eels have won one from five - conceding 42 points per game on average. Not a sight for sore eyes. Let's hope history doesn't keep repeating itself and we get a fair rub of the green.
The Eels were full of spirit at training this week (image supplied by the Eels' club)
Despite the Eels sitting last, there have been green shoots in both their attack and defence under the Ryles' rebuild. But tonight the Eels will need enough go-forward, control the ball, limit their errors, control where the Dolphins get the ball with good kick chases to reduce the stress on their defence - or else we've seen what the Fins can do.
| For (Attack) | ppg | Against (Defence) | ppg | |
| 1 | Storm (4th) | 31.0 | Dogs (1st) | 14.8 |
| 2 | Raiders (2nd) | 28.7 | Sharks (6th) | 18.4 |
| 3 | Broncos (5th) | 27.6 | Knights (12th) | 18.8 |
| 4 | Dogs (1st) | 26.5 | Storm (4th) | 21.5 |
| 5 | Manly (7th) | 26.3 | Broncos (5th) | 21.6 |
| 6 | Dolphins (14th) | 24.2 | Tigers (8th) | 21.6 |
| 7 | Cowboys (9th) | 24.0 | Warriors (3rd) | 21.8 |
| 8 | Sharks (6th) | 23.9 | Manly (7th) | 21.8 |
| 9 | Tigers (8th) | 23.8 | Raiders (2nd) | 22.0 |
| 10 | Panthers (15th) | 23.8 | Souths (13th) | 23.0 |
| 11 | Dragons (10th) | 23.0 | Dolphins (14th) | 23.6 |
| 12 | Roosters (11th) | 22.7 | Panthers (15th) | 24.0 |
| 13 | Warriors (3rd) | 21.8 | Dragons (10th) | 24.8 |
| 14 | Titans (16th) | 20.3 | Cowboys (9th) | 25.8 |
| 15 | Eels (17th) | 16.9 | Roosters (11th) | 27.3 |
| 16 | Souths (13th) | 15.2 | Titans (16th) | 31.3 |
| 17 | Knights (12th) | 12.8 | Eels (17th) | 31.5 |
Round 10 For and Against Stats for the season
Replies
Good point Randy " losing composure can have it's uses," I agree if that composure includes frustration with your self as coach as well and not directed with " blaming" individuals for loses. . That's where the spirit of team breaks down. There are strategies which complement reducing errors .My point is he may need to broaden his outlook on dealing with reducing errors.
All good points, I would not have shown anyone my true feelings but for some reasons coaches like Bellamey can get away with Blue Murder via expletives and physical reactions.
On the other side of the coin BA was lambasted for not showing any emotion.....human beings are funny creatures, both in putting and taking.
Ryles impresses me as being balanced and human and his commentary the previous week in the pressor was very balanced and astute.....unlike his tactics in last nights game LOL
Poppa " behavioural analysis" has always interested me. In myr earlier days on this site I did some post's on Eric Berne,s theory of transactional analysis. Berne identified three egos states that we all operate and how they interact depending on where you are in that ego state.Eg Parent, Adult and Child. Finding the right balance in your interactions will generate a predictable response. If you talk to someone with a parent mode ( usually totalitarian by nature)you will get child response.If you talk to people as an adult you more likely will get an adult response.. The best leaders are those that communicate as adults. . I suppose if you have a dummy spit like Bellamy you lose credibility. Bellamy is a special case who maybe gets away with it or he communicates more respectfully in a different environment..
Some coaches like Jack Gibson Ivan Cleary have a good presence and seem to get the most out of individuals. Ryles looks good.
Do you have any views on how you deal with errors eg head high tackles, 6 agains, dropped balls, poor judgements etc. Is that related to fatigue? (Eg Errors in the first 10 minutes) Can you train that out of players and how?
@tad, Taddy you have to look at the whole picture, we had a very high penalty count in our favour discipline is not all about errors, Further example would be Dolphins extraudinary completion rate, was that because their handling was so good or our tackles so soft.
This was a game we lost because we basically did not understand tactically how to win, just played good.
Why is this even a topic ? He didn't score , not even close. What if Gymer kicked two feild goals from his own 10m line ?
What if Brown didn't throw two under 7s forward passes when we were attacking in their danger zone ?
To answer the question honesty , the conversation would be similar , however with the added commentary that we were very lucky to sneak away with the game. We'd still be very alarmed. Just less alarmed .
My biggest disappointment was that we went away from our attacking structures that were killing. Making 13m, 14m and 22m sets. What a disaster. We need hard hitting middle and a meat eater. Moretti and Doorey and walker made a massive difference. Samrani was good. Katauga made some nice passes.
It's amazing how much we missed Sam Tuivaiti. Our forwards la led punch and quick play the balls and Tuivati has been close to our best forward and allows others forwards time and space after his runs. He is our best forward which is a sad thought considering he has played less then 10 games.
As a club we've deliberately decimated our middles. The cupboard is bare. Said this early in the season and got yelled at but I'll keep saying it. Experience matters!!!
You can't put 50 games into people overnight, it takes years. This is not a knock on the players or their efforts at all. Not one bit. So yeh we've set a new culture etc. Cool stuff. We're so far from a premiership it doesn't bare mentioning.
For those of you who insist that Ryles is the answer you don't know, you hope. I hope too, but stop pretending in Ryles we trust.
What happens in 2 years time when we aren't making the finals and things are grim again? New coach again? And suddenly Iongi is no good, and Lomax is over paid and Ryley Smith is overrated?? So we tear the joint down to the foundations and start again?
What a great way to run a professional club. If I was a sponsor paying my hundreds of thousands I'd be supremely pissed right now. This isn't schoolboy footy where we are simply proud of the effort. This is NRL, the formula 1 of the sport. Winning matters, the rest is irrelevant.
Go Parra, real fans never get upset or criticise. Yay, always next week. Yay. Go Parra.
I agree with you here Mutts, your essentially saying the same as me and like you, i am saying there is no need to discount experience if we have nothing better to replace them with.
i am not against cleanouts, i am just commenting on "wear outs" anyone that is better and available needs to be understood as to why?
Another loss. How predictable. Yawn.
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