UPDATE: We upset the Chooks 30-10. We hustled, hunted in packs. Pressured the Roosters into imploding. Roosters made 11 errors completing 1/9 in the last twenty minutes when the game was on the line at 20-10.
Last week, the Boogeyman struck again. This week, the Eels host Baba Yaga. The one you send to kill the Boogeyman, Johnny Wick reminds us.
History is a brute. We have lost 10 of their last 12 against the Roosters since 2017. Not a single win outside Parramatta since 2008. Our most recent win against them was over three years ago. Round 15, 2022.
The Roosters arrive in ruthless form. Sam Walker's wizardry is back steering, and they've won three-straight steamrolling the third-placed Dogs, Dolphins, and Manly. They've scored 96 points in two weeks while the Eels have conceded 100 points to them in their last three meetings. An average 14–33 defeat.
For us, there are glimmers. Commbank. The place we've had our only two wins against them in nine years. It’s Dylan Walker’s 250th NRL game. And if Moses hits top gear, hope lives.
This week’s focus: Unity. Kaizen. Can we bounce-back after being out-hussled in last week’s 20–16 loss to Souths?
Matchups
Forwards Battle: The Dogs and Dolphins tried to bash the Roosters. They got blown away.
Middle: Whyte, Collins and Leniu will aim to smash us. Yet the Roosters concede more tries here than any other side.
Roosters’ Left vs Eels’ Right: Moses, Lomax, Penisini and Tuilagi own the 4th-leakiest right edge. Five of our last seven tries were conceded here. Lomax has 7 tries in 7 games.
Eels’ Left vs Roosters’ Right: The Roosters’ right edge has Walker and Nawaqanitawase threats, but it can be error-prone. Can Papali’i, Moses, Brown and Addo-Carr pounce?
Eels vs Raymond-Gee: Under those two officials, collectively, we have lost 14 from the last 16 games since 2021. Baba Yaga.Can Walker’s milestone galvanise the squad?
Bottom Line
We own just one win from ten against top-eight teams this year. And 85 errors in 6 weeks. We're rebuilding. And lack cohesion at key moments. The Roosters, meanwhile, are humming. An intimidating power game. Every inch a finals force in their trademark late-season surge.
If we hold their middle. If we tighten our fundamentals, there’s a path. Better ball control. Support. Execution. Last-tackle options. Urgent kick-chases. Win the loose ball contest. Hussle. Fight. If not, a blowout looms. Kaizen is at stake.
History, form and the bookies all scream Rooster. The head nods along. But the heart clings to Commbank magic.
Moses’ leadership, boot and composure will be decisive. Can he be the glue that binds and inspires? Or will Baba Yaga devour again?
Team Lists
UPDATE LAST HOUR: Lomax is playing. Roosters pack reshuffled. Lenui and Ioelu starts. Watson and Wong to bench.
Saturday, 7:35pm AEST, 23 August 2025, Eels v Rooster, Commbank Stadium, Parramatta
Sportsbet: Eels $3.20, Roosters $1.35
Weather: Could be Wet.
Referees: Wyatt Raymond (on-field ref), Adam Gee (bunker), Chris Sutton (touch judge)
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Eels: |
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Junior Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Robert Toia 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase 6. Hugo Savala 7. Sam Walker 10. Lindsay Collins 14. Benaiah Ioelu 17. Spencer Leniu 11. Angus Crichton 13. Victor Radley 8. Naufahu Whyte Bench: 9. Connor Watson 12. Siua Wong 15. Salesi Foketi 16. Egan Butcher 18th Man: 18. Ethan King |
| Cut: 18. Dean Hawkins, 20. Dan Keir,
22. Joey Lussick, 19. Haze Dunster |
Cut: 19. Blake Steep, 20. Taylor Losalu, 22. Tom Rodwell 21. Sandon Smith |
| Coach: Jason Ryles |
Coach: Trent Robinson |
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INS |
INS |
Sportsbet wooden spoon watch: Titans $1.57, Knights $2.30, Eels $34 odds have lengthened. Souths are off the list.
Replies
Yes but we wete as equally on top while he was there, be it briefly.
Agree, we were here to play tonight.
Absolutely! well said HKF!!
20 plus errors and a 53% completion rate definitely helped us but I'm with the commentary a lot of those errors were forced by us in contact and scoreboard pressure is a real thing.
Coryn, exactly. Our pressure & them trying to score quicky were catalysts. Last 20 mins: Rosters made 11 errors (half for the whole game) & completed 1/9 sets (11%).
That last 20 murdered their stats. But it was pressure that caused it. They got to 20--10 and put their foot on the gas.
We hunted in packs. We chased in numbers. We hustled in numbers. We won some critical loose ball contests. It was Panther-esque. That pleased me the most. It's not something you equate with the Eels over the last 20 years.
If you're an opposition plotting a path to victory against the Eels, it's not usually difficult. Stay with them. Stay in the grind. Pounce once they implode. It was even easier under BA with our compressed ruck & middles: Pepper different corridors compress the ruck into a dog's breakfast and switch points of attack out wide quickly. Hard for a winger to defend 20-30m. I think the Roosters expected us to implode, and got frustrated when things weren't going to plan.
Even Havala's kicking game was compromised. He took forever to kick and Smith was a hound dog. We did a lot of little things right. For once. Our support play and kick chase was better too.
PS: Fair refererring also helped. Other touchies may have made our life more difficult and pinged us for random stuff, which we've seen quite often. We do well with Chris Sutton.
Lateral agility has improved out of this world that's all roster related we don't have the big bodies we used to have and we have more athleticism on the edge than the last 2 years.
Middlles are coming along I really think Hopgood is growing into his role as a starting prop for us I don't know how long he'll last there but he's going good.Paulo is the glue with out him the middle falls to pieces and while not having the impact with the ball he used to have he's more mobile and still has an off load and ball skills that fit how the team wants to play.
Roster wise I'd really love to see us target an impact foward a guy who plays with an edge that's the ingredient missing in the fowards.I still think we'll get monstered by more athletic and physical sides but there's definitely some fight in us which is a good thing.I was very happy seeing JR show emotion in the box he deserved a win like that after last week's disappointing performance.
Yep. Ryles seems to lean towards athletes with leg speed, an engine & the right attitude.
How good is Walker. He helps out Pap and Moses enormously. Hopgood is a middle but just doesn't have the same skills level. Few locks do. Moses called Walker another half and helps them push out 2 passes wider. Let's hope Walker lasts a few years.
Imo we need more grunt in the middle, edges and centres imo. A few classy recruits would really provide the difference.
I think JDB should work out and help shore up the middle unless injuries strike. Hopefully, Bird is just a nonsense rumor though.
My guess is our cap is hampered until 2027 with dead wood. Matto, Lane, Simo, Hands, and any freight. That could be a $3m plus black hole. We might see more action recruiting wise after.
Ryles seems to have a good scent for R&R and a clear direction he's heading in with the club. They're aligned for the first time in a long while. Let's hope it continues. Any distractions or diversions can only set us back into a deeper hole even than the one we found ourselves in.
PS: Not convinced Kelma is the solution. He seems a bit lacksidaiscal at times. Odd for a Storm junior. He got dropped for that once earlier in the year. For switching off. Maybe he's thinking about golf. It's likely to happen again. It's a weak link sport. We need to reduce our weaknesses. Ryles has done well so far tbh.
Walkers been heaven sent especially for a guy like Papali'i who plays better in space.Actually glad there starting him and can see why he won't get a go at 6 they'll keep him in the first reciever role to give the mentioned time and Moses space.The time thing with the pill is important for Papali'i as it gives him that little bit extra in the decision making process.
Easily the best signing of the season.
With regards to recruitment for me it's JR or bust all the rest are just facilitators.JR will have control over all of that and I don't see any of the other mentioned protagonists getting in his way.They don't have the master plan JR does especially round the footy.Basically he's the be all and end all because no one else in the building has the road map how to get there so from what I'm seeing pretty much everything footy especially round the FG side is JR no one else.
Tuilagi just needs to be told to do what he does we'll hit holes help his halves out and make tackles that's it.He does that we could have a player if is as he was last week floats then I got no issue moving him.Hard running outside in hole hitting back rowers are a halves best friend.
Its why I love Briton Nikora the best outside in line running backrower in the game.
Just wait till you see Chris Petrus. He is like Tuilagi but works hard in all aspects of his game. Athletic. Great tackling technique.
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