1. Joash Papaili
2. Brian Kelly
3. Will Penisini
4. Sean Russell
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Ronald Volkman
7. Mitchell Moses (c)
8. Luca Moretti
9. Ryley Smith
10. Junior Paulo
11. Charlie Guymer
12. Jack Williams
13. Dylan Walker
Interchange:
14. Tallyn Da Silva
15. Saxon Pryke
16. Toni Mataele
17. Jack De Belin
18. Kelma Tuilagi
19. Lorenzo Talataina
Reserves:
20. Araz Nanva
21. Jezaiah Funa-luta
22. Teancum Brown
INs: Jezaiah Funa-luta, Kelma Tuilagi, Sean Russell
OUTs: None
Referee: Peter Gough
Centre Sean Russell and back-rower Kelma Tuilagi are both named to return from concussion in a double boost for the Eels. Araz Nanva and Teancum Brown are the men to make way from the squad.
Replies
How on earth is Gough in ref when he got dropped in a game featuring Eels
Apa Twidle has signed with the Perth Bears.
Manly have had a run of easy games and the emotion boost of adding Foz will be wearing thin. Also with Tommy T gone they seem to drop as a team so I give us some hope.
As for young players like Nanva missing out, I don't really mind. Look at the shit Makasini at tigers copped for a bad game. It can really wreck some kids confidence especially when they have dominated lower grades. Having a taste of first grade before going back to easier opposition is probably better for long term development. Look how top clubs like Storm and Roosters bring through their young players they never rush them.
I reckon we'll be ok... given injuries that squad is fine and it did the job against the Dogs.
Kelly... maybe, but he had some good attack and a heap of big carries last game. Penis as well. Critical of both but if they carry like that and power the start of our sets, all good. Nanva unlucky but that's just how it goes. Great to see Sax stay put... looks almost awkward at times but he's a good 'un... lean but big motor and just tackles. Nice to have some whacking power with Toni.
Honestly think it's more about how we play than the squad we field. We were different and soooooo much better against the dogs. Jnr's best run for ages and why, he played like a massive prop... ran over people and whacked them in defence. Not some quasi-ball player in a props body. Hopefully a Walker bench and JDB start then we're good. JDB cops it as well but he led the defence downfield vs the Dogs and chopped people 1:1... makes a massive difference to their momentum if they don't start with a free 20m and JDB stopped that more than once.
As just about everyone noticed on the weekend it was a game of barely any 6-agains... and it was joyous!!! Like footy of old. It confirmed without a shadow of a doubt that the PVL Ball 6-again rule belongs nowhere but the bin. If it was cricket, Toad V'Landys has deleted test and 50 over cricket for good and ruled that T20 is the only cricket to ever be played.
Couple of mates are Dogs fans and even with the result they loved the game due to this. Neutral fans have said it all over socials - how great a game of footy it was without constant 6-agains. It was a poster-child game for dropping the shit rule. Love to see some more noise about this fact by JR and any other coaches and maybe put some indirect pressure on the refs to ease off.
Therein lies my only concern... if we get a 6-again fest we won't cope. We get a ref effort like the Dogs game, we can win.
We have to be far better than we were in attack against the Dogs to beat Manly.
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