Eels Blogs

Update, post game: In a heart-pulsating game that could’ve gone either way, the Eels finally won a close one. They had 52% possession, completed better (90% v 84%), made more metres 1,853m v 1,688m, and made slightly less errors (7 v 8). Due to injuries and reshuffling to the back five, Jezaiah Funa-Luta's debut was put on ice. 

The Eels have reshuffled yet again following Isaiah Iongi’s season-ending injury, adding to this year’s Injury Toll From Hell. A bright spot is the expected debut of young gun Jezaiah Funa-Luta.

The Cowboys arrive in eighth and desperate to consolidate their finals position. The Bulldogs’ loss to Souths gives North Queensland the chance to move four points clear of them and almost wrap up a finals berth.

But the Cowboys should beware. The Home of the Burramattagal People has had the wood on North Queensland for more than a decade.

Welcome to Round 24.

Teams

Eels 13th v Cowboys 8th, 5.30pm Saturday, 14 August, CommBank, Home of the Burramattagal People
Weather: ‎15°C, cloudy, humid, potential for rain
TAB: $2.50 Eels $1.53 Cowboys
Referees: Todd Smith (on-field), Phil Henderson (Touch Judge), Grant Atkins (Bunker)

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

Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Braidon Burns 3. Zac Laybutt 4. Tomas Chester 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Jake Clifford 7. Jaxon Purdue 8. Griffin Neame 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Kai O’Donnell 13. Reuben Cotter
Bench: 14. Soni Luke 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. John Bateman 17. Coen Hess 18. Sam McIntyre 19. Ethan King
Reserve: 20. Kaiden Lahrs
Cut: 21. Mason Kira 22. Liam Sutton
Head Coach: Todd Payton

The Ironman award: Heilum Luki has played every minute of every game this season.

Congratulations to Jezaiah Funa-Luta. 

Form says Cowboys, but...

Eels won 3 of their last 7 games. 

The Cowboys have won 4 of their last 6 games.

But are up and down. They beat the Panthers 26-12 showing their best but then were beaten 16-36 by the Dolphins and 12-82 by the Roosters.

The Eels' Indigenous Curse

Destiny seems against the Eels. They have won 5 from 13 Indigenous Rounds.

A 38.5% win ratio. The average margin is 5 points. Nine of those games have been decided by 1-8 points. Four have been decided by 16-38 point margins.

Despite all this, the Eels beat the Cowboys in last year’s Indigenous encounter 19-18.

Now for some more good news.

Eels have owned them recently

Eels have won 7 of their last 9 games against the Cowboys (78%).

Their golden point win over the Cowboys in Rd 10 was the Eels’ only 2026 victory against a top eight team.

The 11-year hoodoo

The last time the Cowboys beat Parramatta at Parramatta was in 2015. 

The Eels have won the last 5-straight at Parramatta against the Cowboys.

The Cowboys have won only one of five matches at CommBank Stadium. 

The Lands of the Burramattagal People have spoken.

The Fox to break a Record Drought?

Josh Addo-Carr has gone ten games without scoring a try. That's the longest season-drought in his 11-year career.

Ironically, he last scored a try (a double) against the Cowboys in R10. He has scored 15 tries in his last 12 games against the Cowboys.

 It's time.

Final Word

The bookies, pundits, ladder, team sheets and form guide all point to the Cowboys.

But North Queensland is a roller coaster. They can look like a swashbuckling top-four side one week then spectacularly flop like a soufflé the next.

Parramatta's task is made harder by yet another reshuffled team, making continuity almost impossible this season.

But the Eels have one thing the Cowboys cannot ignore: History.

The Cowboys are playing for September. The Eels are playing for pride and their futures.

Despite the Eels' Indigenous struggles, the Home of the Burramattagal People has held an eleven-year hoodoo over the Cowboys. Will they finally break it?