SATURDAY, APRIL13th, 2024 COMMBANK STADIUM, SYDNEY
Saturday afternoon will see the struggling Parramatta Eels host the North Queensland Cowboys in round six action.
A Closer Look at the Matchup
While initially, it may seem that the second-placed Cowboys are favored to win, a closer examination suggests that this matchup holds the potential for an exciting contest.
Despite Brad Arthur’s team currently occupying the 14th position, it’s premature to discount their capabilities just yet.
Lineup Changes for Parramatta Eels
Last week’s scoring notwithstanding, Maika Sivo finds himself dropped from the lineup, alongside prop Wiremu Greig and youngster Blaize Talagi.
In their place, Morgan Harper will feature in the centres, shifting Simonsson to Sivo’s wing position. Daejarn Asi makes his first appearance of the year at number six, partnering Dylan Brown in the absence of Mitchell Moses. Additionally, Bryce Cartwright’s return from injury sees him take up the number 12 spot, pushing Kelma Tuilagi to the bench.
Eels Starting Line-up
1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Morgan Harper 5. Sean Russell 6. Daejarn Asi 7. Dylan Brown 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Luca Moretti 15. Ryan Matterson 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Kelma Tuilagi 18. Ofahiki Ogden 19. Blaize Talagi 20. Wiremu Greig 21. Makahesi Makatoa 22. Maika Sivo
Cowboys’ Strong Start to the Season
The Cowboys have had a strong start to the 2024 season, winning four out of their first five games. However, they’ve only ventured out of Queensland once thus far. Their upcoming journey to Parramatta presents a challenging away fixture, but they should approach the game with confidence following their recent victory over the Titans in Townsville.
The Challenge Ahead
The Cowboys surged to a commanding 16-0 lead at halftime before allowing the Gold Coast to claw their way back into the game during the second half, resulting in a final score of 35-22. Emphasizing an 80-minute performance will be paramount for the Cowboys this Saturday.
Forced Change for the Cowboys
Unfortunately, the team faces a forced change this week due to an ACL injury suffered by Zac Laybutt.
Tom Chester will fill his spot in the centres.
Cowboys Starting Line-up
1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Tomas Chester 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Jake Granville 15. Griffin Neame 16. Sam McIntyre 17. Jack Gosiewski 18. Jake Clifford 19. Thomas Mikaele 20. Semi Valemei 21. Jamal Shibasaki 22. Viliami Vailea
Referees: Peter Gough; Side line Officials: David Munro, Kieren Irons; Video Referees: Gerard Sutton;
PREDICTION
Daejarn Asi will bring his NRL game tally to 29 when he lines up alongside Dylan Brown in the halves for the Parramatta Eels this Saturday.
In a bid to address the void left by Mitchell Moses’ injury, Brad Arthur has opted for Daejarn Asi over young half option Blaize Talagi. Asi, who has featured in all five of the Eels’ 2024 NSW Cup games, steps into the role with Parramatta yet to secure a win in the competition this season. Eager to clinch his first competitive victory of the year, Asi’s performance will be pivotal in determining whether he retains his spot in the NRL side over Talagi in the forthcoming rounds.
Meanwhile, Tom Chester earns his second appearance for the Cowboys this season, getting the call-up to the NRL side for this weekend’s game following Zac Laybutt’s season-ending ACL injury. Chester, named in the centres, showcased his versatility with a previous appearance at fullback in the Queensland Cup this year. Having secured a regular NRL spot mid-way through last season, Chester is determined to prove his worth as a permanent fixture in the first-grade lineup.
The Eels can win this, but have to improve after last week loss to the Raiders. Also the Cowboys have some issues of their own, and while looking good at stages they also leak far to many points. So I go to the points start system. I found the Eels with a 10 point start @$1.47, and the Cows @ $1.40,with a 4 points start.
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