UPDATE: Jack Williams starts at prop. Dylan Walkers starts at lock. Hopgood goes to the bench. Jason Ryles confirmed Jack De Belin, who has been cut this week against his former club, needed to work on some areas of his game in attack and defence but would be a very important part of the team moving forward. Blake Lawrie comes in at starting lock for the Dragons with rookie Hamish Stewart to the bench.
The Eels return home after the brave Broncos upset but face a Dragons side desperate to avoid 0–3.
The Dragons will test the Eels, breathing fire, after two heartbreaking losses in which they played with toughness and physicality. The Eels defence, currently the worst in the competition, will come under fire and need every bit of resilience they showed against the Broncos.
Teams
Sunday, 4:05pm AEST | 22 March | Commbank Staidum, Parramatta
Sportsbet: Eels $1.43, Dragons $2.84 – an Eels' win is currently, as of Monday, rated the most expected result of the round.
The Eels have shortened a tad in premiership betting, from $23 (start,equal 8th), $51 (after R1, fifth-last) to $34 (after R2, 11th) in the market.
Weather: Expected to be partly cloudy, humid, 25°C, windy
Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Bailey Simonsson (R) 3. Jordan Samrani (R) 4. Sean Russell (L) 5. Josh Addo-Carr (L) 6. Jonah Pezet (L) 7. Mitchell Moses (R) 13. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi (R) 12. Kitione Kautoga (L) 14. Dylan Walker
Bench: 8. J'maine Hopgood 15. Sam Tuivaiti 16. Matt Doorey 17. Tallyn Da Silva 19. Joash Papalii 20. Charlie Guymer
Cut: 18. Jack de Belin 21. Brian Kelly 22. Luca Moretti
Outs: Ronald Volkman (quad, Round 3), Arthur Miller-Stephen (ACL, 2026), Viliami Penisini (groin)
Head Coach: Jason Ryles
Dragons: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Christian Tuipulotu (L) 3. Moses Suli (L) 4. Valentine Holmes (R) 5. Setu Tu (R) 6. Kyle Flanagan (L) 7. Daniel Atkinson (R) 8. Emre Guler 9. Damien Cook 10. Toby Couchman 11. Luciano Leilua (L) 12. Jaydn Su'A (R) 16. Blake Lawrie
Bench: 13. Hamish Stewart 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Josh Kerr 17. Ryan Couchman 19. Mathew Feagai 20. Lyhkan King-Togia
Cut: 18. Hame Sele 21. Loko Pasifiki Tonga 22. Tyrell Sloan
Outs: Nathan Lawson (foot, expected return Round 4), Dylan Egan (ACL, expected return Round 8), Daniel Atkinson (ankle, return TBC), Kyle Flanagan (ankle, return TBC)
Head Coach: Shane Flanagan
Ryles drops Jack DeBelin to reserve bench from the starting team for Hopgood who goes to his regular spot at prop with Williams shifting to lock. Kelma Tuilagi keeps his starting edge after a two-try career performance against the Broncos or push him back to the bench.
Three big ins. Jacob Liddle, Kyle Flanagan, Daniel Atkinson who both suffering ankle injuries in the Storm loss. Atkinson looked impressive at times against the Storm with two try assists, including one brilliant cut-out pass, two linebreak assists, and over 400 kick metres, while Flanagan appeared vulnerable in defence at times.
Stats
■ The Eels have won 4 of the last 5 meetings, with most games since 2023 decided by 1–6 points.
■ The Eels have won the last four straight at CommBank Stadium, and haven’t lost there to the Dragons there since 2021.
■ The Dragons won the most recent meeting 34–20 at WIN Stadium.
■ The Eels have won 6 of their last 7 Sunday games against the Dragons (only one loss since 2011 over last 15 years).
■ The Dragons have lost their last eight away games.
■ Eels winger Josh Addo-Carr has scored eight tries in his last four games at CommBank Stadium.
■ Dragons fullback Clint Gutherson has scored try doubles in his last three games at CommBank.
■ The Eels have scored 115 points in their last three games at CommBank.
Recent matches vs Dragons
2022 — W 48–14 (+34) — CommBank Stadium
2023 — W 26–20 (+6) — CommBank Stadium
2024 — W 44–40 (+4) — CommBank Stadium
2025 — W 23–22 (+1) — CommBank Stadium
2025 — L 20–34 (-14) — WIN Stadium
Last week
Both teams were gutsy, despite the opposite results.
The Eels defeated the Broncos, coming back twice — from 20–6 down and then from 32–28 — to win 40–32 in a see-sawing festival with bravery that had to be seen to be believed.
The Dragons were in the match up to their eyeballs, leading 20–18 with less than 20 minutes to go, before losing Gutherson for 15 minutes to a HIA and making five errors to collapse in a heap, to be demolished 46–20 with the electifying Storm fullback Faalogo scoring a late hat-trick to back up from his two-late tries against the Eels.
Key matchups
■ Clint Gutherson vs Isaiah Iongi: the veteran guru versus the rising star
■ Pezet/Moses vs Kyle Flanagan/ Daniel Atkinson (if they play): new combinations showing green shoots
■ Ryley Smith/Taylln da Silva vs Damien Cook/Jacob Liddle: this battle could be decisive
■ Benches and packs: expect fireworks
Bottom Line
Despite the Eels' recent dominance against the Dragons at CommBank, the Dragons won the last meeting at WIN Stadium.
Most games between these teams lately have been fairly high-scording but close affairs decided by single-digit scores.
The Bookies and history says the Eels, especially at home and on Sundays. But recent results suggest the matchup could go either way, depending on who wants it more.
The Eels’ new left edge with Pezet could again come under fire and be a weak link to be addressed. The Dragons imploded under the pressure applied by the Storm, and ironically their left edge leaked the most tries of any team last year.
This should be a tough game and a good test for the Eels' character, especially as they are expected to win. If it turns into another one-point heart attack at CommBank, Parramatta’s best cardiologists may need to open a 24-hour branch inside the stadium.
Replies
Have you forgotten how bad hopgood was playing that 13 role last season, there is a reason he was moved to the prop role. He had multiple unforced errors in every game playing that role, he hasn't been the same since his back injury in 2024.
Jnr Paulo would be the best option right now for that role, he played it for Samoa at the end of last season and was tremendous.
Despite their loss last week, I reckon the Dragons are going better than the Eels currently. This will be no easy game. We must meet them through the middle. If we try and play cute it could get ugly.
If this is the Eels of old, they take this game lightly and just take it easy until they realise it is too late and Dragons are up. No need to start fast as St. George drifted off last week.
I think De Belin would still start, at least for 20. And I think Williams will go back to edge and Kelma to bench. It'll be very straightforward.
I think it'll be another close one.
I am expecting a comfortable win here. 32-12 eels
JDB any day of the week over Hopgood. Over him, can find a mistake/penalty and is just a reserve grader
Hopgood was one of our best last year when he went to the front row, no chance of him being dropped.
Even last year despite missing the top 8, the Saints had a heap of tight games they lost.
They won't blow a team off the park but stay in the contest through their defence. As long as we don't get frustrated and make stupid mistakes our attack should be able to win it even if scores are close or were down with 10-15 minutea to go.
This will be a harder game then people think, Dragons are solid defensively. Only reason they gave up a flurry of tries last week is because Gutho went off for about 15 minutes
Our defence will slowly get better and come good in the second half of the season
It will be a close game, with Parramatta winning. Moses goal kicking needs to improve bigtime.
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