Sydney Roosters
28
Match Complete
Parramatta Eels
0
| S. Walker |  | 76 | ||
| J. Manu |  | 74 | ||
| D. Tupou | | 67 | ||
| A. Keighran | | 53 | ||
| S. Walker | | 51 | ||
| A. Keighran | | 28 | ||
| S. Tupouniua | | 27 | ||
| A. Keighran | | 26 | ||
| J. Morris | | 24 |
| 5 | Tries | 0 | ||
| 4 | Conversions | 0 | ||
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 0 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
Round 20 commences tonight when the Sydney Roosters take on the Parramatta Eels at BB Print Stadium in Mackay. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:50pm (AEST).
If the Sydney Roosters are to have any hope of reaching the top four, they need to beat the Parramatta Eels tonight. A loss would mean they fall two wins and points differential behind the Eels, with only five rounds remaining after this weekend. It is that crucial.
The Chooks are coming off three straight wins but the quality of the opposition may have been a factor. With three mid-season retirements and a number of season-ending injuries, the Bondi club’s depth is being pushed to the limit.
The Roosters did well to come back from an 8-0 deficit against the Knights last Friday, to eventually win 28-8. However, the Knights looked rudderless without Mitchell Pearce and Kalyn Ponga was closely marked.
Plenty of injury concerns again for the Roosters.
Josh Morris comes back into the side to replace the luckless Billy Smith. Joey Manu replaces Matt Ikuvalu on the wing, with Adam Keighran coming into the centres. Siosiua Taukeiaho is expected to make his return from a hamstring complaint.
Without Mitchell Moses in their line-up, the Eels didn’t throw much at a resurgent Raiders last weekend, going down 12-10 in a defence-oriented match.
With Moses gone for an extended period, much responsibility falls on the shoulders of Clint Gutherson and Dylan Brown. Behind one of the better forward packs in the comp, they need to be better tonight.
Tom Opacic will return at centre after being rested in Round 19. Marata Niukore is out with a knee injury, with Bryce Cartwright coming in as a replacement.
Prediction
This match will be billed as the battle of the fullbacks but I think it’s the young halves that may decide it.
Sam Walker and Dylan Brown are no doubt future stars of the game but the grind of the week-to-week NRL may be taking its toll on Walker.
I think the Parramatta forward pack will pick him out in defence, with Reed Mahoney really important in this regard.
It will be tight, but the Eels will get up.
Parramatta Eels by 6.
Game information
Kick-off: 7:50pm (AEST)
Venue: BB Print Stadium, Mackay
TV: Nine, Fox Sports
Live stream: Kayo, Foxtel, NRL Live Pass
Odds: Roosters: $2.38; Eels: $1.58 (odds via PlayUp)
Teams
Roosters
1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Josh Morris 4. Adam Keighran 5. Joseph Manu 6. Drew Hutchison 7. Sam Walker 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Sam Verrills 10. Isaac Liu 11. Angus Crichton 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley
Interchange: 14. Lachlan Lam 15. Nat Butcher 16. Egan Butcher 17. Siosiua Taukeiaho
Eels
1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Tom Opacic 4. Waqa Blake 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Jakob Arthur 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Ryan Matterson 13. Nathan Brown
Interchange: 14. Bryce Cartwright 15. Shaun Lane 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Will Smith
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
When your key player is out and your son is your next playmaker or half back you've got problems. He could have moved Brown to half and played Will Smith at 5/8.: Poor roster management.
Tony
Roar Guru
I wouldn't go that far Tom
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Ben. I see your points on the coach. I’m not sure though. Who else is there? Out of fire into frying pan stuff. Don’t think we could get any of the ‘super coaches’, other guys that seem to have won a premiership had a superstar or two in the team. He may have got eels as far as they can go, but the team is also lacking. Did you read that other article on being a supporter of our team? Lol. Oh to be an eels fan
Tom G
Roar Rookie
He is such a smug twerp he makes Gould sound unassumingly modest
Tony
Roar Guru
Manly fans have such long memories :happy:
Tony
Roar Guru
Yep. Drove me mad. Sounds like a little boy trying to get a word into an adult's conversation
andrew
Roar Rookie
It's cringeworthy stuff listening to SBW constantly saying bro. Sounds like he's trying to be one of the cool kids.
NorthNarra
Roar Rookie
Ouch Hard Yards. Ouchee.
David
Guest
Most certainly, Arthur will go. Who though shall replace him?
Succhi
Roar Rookie
Channel 9 has rolled out SBW again. Must be a deal with uncle Nick to get him on roosters games. He just said bro 3 times. Give me Cronk any day.
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Before tonight I was worried about holding on to our spot in the top four. Now I’m afraid of holding on to a spot in the top eight altogether. Brad Arthur’s time has to be up. I respect him a lot for his work over the last eight years and the Eels owe him gratitude for the work that Ricky Stuart and an inept board left us in but it’s clear now that he’s not the coach to get us to breakthrough the premiership ceiling. His continued selections of inferior players and his tired tactics are being exposed on a weekly basis. We’ve got five incredibly rough games coming up and I’m not confident about any of them anymore. He’s got to go. While I’m afraid of dropping back into mediocrity and the “also-rans” category of the bottom eight; it’s somehow worse being so close to the top level and constantly falling away.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Ha ha
Vivalasvegan
Roar Rookie
Is Cooper Cronk the new Gus Gould? He. Just. Never. Shuts. Up.
David
Guest
Trent Robinson stamps himself as a true great. Another truth laid bare: Arthuson is no good. Is there any club that would be happy to have him next year? Parramatta ought to be a resounding no, Canterbury who do not even have a coach would be the same. Parramatta won 4 premierships in the 80s. Great players and a legendary coach combined for those achievements. Such commidities since then have been as lacking as the need for supports on their trophy cabinet.
JGK
Roar Guru
Wow, that is a belting.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Tryless is big. Rosters aren’t storm or panthers in defence but can’t get a try against a top six team, lol. Jeez. It more then just missing Moses also I think. Still don’t have a leader/General for the team. Can’t be a serious team with lack of centers they got, maybe it’s why they bomb kick so much, only way to get it to Sivo who is a bit of a weapon. Their bench is also not up to the top teams level. Will they rush Moses back maybe too soon
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Well thanks for an entertaining first half of the Season Parra. It's been great. Probably check in on you every now again over the next few weeks, but Merry Christmas and see you next year.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Thanks all for joining the call. Hope you enjoy your Friday and have a great weekend.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Cracks are starting to show at the Eels. Moses may be back next week but he can't be expected to have all the answers. RCG looks to have a stint on the sidelines coming up but its the attack that is the problem. They were camped on the Roosters line early but rarely troubled it. With a horror draw coming up, they could well slip out of the 8
Tony
Roar Guru
There's a lot to like about Keighran