Ashes Third Test, Headingley

Australia lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test at Edgbaston and drawing at Lord's.

The Aussies will be without former captain and the best batsman in the world after Steve Smith was ruled out with concussion following a Jofra Archer bouncer that struck him on the neck in his first innings at Lord's.

Marnus Labuschagne is expected to fill Smith's spot like he did at Lord's when he entered the fray as Test cricket's first ever concussion substitute where he scored an admirable 59 runs, helping to steer Australia to a draw on the final day.

It's expected that Peter Siddle will drop out of the side to allow for the return of James Pattinson who was rested for the second Test. Mitchell Starc seems destined to remain on drinks duty.

England meanwhile are expected to name an unchanged 11 although they may tinker with the make up of the batting order. Joe Root has struggled at first drop, while Jason Roy has failed to make the switch from opening in the ODI team to becoming a Test opener. Root is expected to move down to four with Joe Denly jumping into the number three position.

Many are talking about the effect of Jofra Archer's entry into Test cricket. Interestingly, his debut performance lands him as just the 312th best bowler on debut with overall figures of 5/91. He need only look across at his opponents in Pat Cummins (7/117) and Josh Hazlewood (7/142) who had better debut figures.

The Headingley pitch is rumoured to be a slow deck that will crumble and break up towards the end of the match. An interesting decision by the ground staff there given Australia's Nathan Lyon has been collecting wickets for fun and spun the English into knots in the first Test.

As always the toss will be important and Tim Paine will be hoping his luck continues. This will likely be a bat first pitch because no one will be looking to bat last on a decaying deck.

Play starts at 8pm AEST tonight so get your picture-in-picture going or set up a second screen to make sure you don't miss the first ball while watching the Eels belt the Dogs.

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Coryn Hughes replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"Im seeing Metcalfe at St George if you ask me as there halfback.
Atkinson at 6 
Drinkwater at fullback 
Liddell as there 9.
I think Metcalfe wants to run a team that's what he was at the Warriors before he got hurt.What it does tell me though is…"
1 minute ago
Coryn Hughes replied to Joel K's discussion Ryles on 2gb
"It's just a pure observation there is no gripe just the mentioned.I'm an eyes person that's the evidence your asking for my eyes are telling me we've adapted something different to what we were at the beginning of the season.It feels as if we aren't…"
20 minutes ago
Prof. Daz replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"Nikorima is probably a better defender than Volkman but Nikorima at Dolphins has had a steady stream of tall, fast outside backs to take alot of pressure off of him in attack. Nikorima reminds me of Terry Lamb in some ways. Of course hated that dog…"
4 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"So CHT wants to go play in the halves with Luia at PNG starting 2028? And Metcalfe is actually contracted to the end of 2028, so if CHT's intents are as stated, Metcalfe hangs around?
If Metcalfe leaves because he wants to play 7, then he won't be…"
4 hours ago
Trev replied to Joel K's discussion Ryles on 2gb
"Not going to lie you have said a whole lot of nothing. You keep making claims without backing it up with any evidence. On three separate occasions you have said the same thing using different words instead of providing evidence"
5 hours ago
Richard B'Stard replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"Sounds as though Volk will get snapped up if we don't lock him down soon, and Lorenzo will stay and develop while we hopefully land Metcalf or CHT.If we replace Volkman with Nikorima then MON can get rooted."
6 hours ago
LB replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"Lorenzo is 20 this year. Still has one year of Flegg eligibility. I must add, he has played the year in Cup with various Halfbacks and spine players. That is difficult to get a groove with. The reason Ryles hasn't played Talataina yet is the…"
6 hours ago
Parra fan on The Hill replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"It would be criminal not to extend Volkman for another season. He deserves it fully."
6 hours ago
Joel K replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"It will be Lorenzos spot when the club thinks he's ready
if he's not ready next year then we have Volkman who can do the job 
I'd be more interested in signing a centre/wing and a prop"
6 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin's discussion External signing likely for Eels’ next five-eighth
"Or, internal is not out of the running yet?
They thought Pezet was more ready to go than Volman but mistakes happen?
They figured Moses might miss games due to injury and Origin and Pezet was a good bet at replacement 7, leaving 6 to be filled by…"
7 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Aj's discussion Jonah Pezet
"Or, maybe Pezet's defense was a known problem but not the scale of it? And also that once Pezet arrived, not enough attention had been given to Pezet wanting to put himself on the radar so Broncos wouod 'see him' and the 7 jumper would be his? I…"
7 hours ago
Vasily Arkhipov replied to Aj's discussion Jonah Pezet
"Recently,  I experimented by pulling up some grass on  my land. There are a couple of areas that had struggled for many years to grow grass under the shadow of some massive pine trees. Even when I surgically removed low lying branches from said…"
7 hours ago
Mitchy replied to Joel K's discussion Ryles on 2gb
"We played above our weight IMO - and we hung in there; Moses also kicked for more yards than they did - this also created fatigue combined with the less errors;  just look at our spine compared to them; our guys did v well and Volk and Pap both had…"
7 hours ago
LB replied to Parra fan on The Hill's discussion Parra Juniors- Sanders v Talagi versing
"Talagi being used at Fullback was that he needed a possible heir to Gutho and with Brown & Moses in the halves they needed to find a spot for Talagi. We didn't have a back-up Fullback at the time either. He was learning the position and thrown upon…"
8 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Joel K's discussion Ryles on 2gb
"Coryn, the Eels lack super fast centres and so, true, they don't attack from the backfield like Cowboys or Dolphins. But ensuring you make your 40 and kicking to a corner if you haven't ran 60 metres by play two is simply stock play for almost…"
8 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Parra fan on The Hill's discussion Parra Juniors- Sanders v Talagi versing
"All true Coryn. My only point was that it's false to assert BT would not have developed at the Eels because the team defense sucks. As you note Moses got better and our defense wasn't great! But also, as noted, by the logic of negation Talagi should…"
8 hours ago
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Keaon done deal

As of Thursday, December 11, 2025, South Sydney Rabbitohs forwardKeaon Koloamatangi has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Parramatta Eels, but it is not yet officially announced by the clubs.  Soon to be announced.

Read more…
14 Replies · Reply by Poppa Jan 9
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