Despite the disappointing finish, Dylan Brown, Junior Paulo, Ryan Matterson and Clint Gutherson all played out impressive seasons overall. Parramatta has reportedly told Blake Ferguson he won’t be at the club beyond next season. What do you want us to cover at Rugby League Writers this week? It would be a massive drift for the Eels to slip from their 3rd place finish last season, but I am not going to rule it out entirely. ... Blake Ferguson was also ruled out through injury 24 hours before kick-off so George Jennings and Brad Takairangi will line-up on the wings with Ray Stone the new face on the bench. Professional Sports Team. Subscriber (Coming soon): Access to all content across RugbyLeagueWriters.com. Clint Gutherson gushed over Will Penisini and Haze Dunster in a recent DT interview. Venue:
That should still be a focus moving forward given the players they have retained and added over the offseason. $69.95. Statistically (per Fox Sports Lab), Blake was arguably the worst defensive centre in the NRL last year. See. Thankfully, it’s not something that spanned over 20 rounds. NRL - National Rugby League. Things could turn sour if injuries hit in 2021. But with the top four teams widely agreed upon, the Eels will be eager to prove they’re the best of the rest and avoid a decisive logjam that threatens to form around rungs 7-10 on the competition ladder in 2021. An average of 3.2 teams move in and out of the Top 8 every year, and the Eels are at risk of being one of them. Love. Cleary stepped out alongside a new-look right edge that included Maroons representative Kurt Capewell, new recruit Paul Momirovski and rising sensation Charlie Staines. Paulo feeds him. Too often, Parramatta shifted the ball across-field without squaring up defenders or engaging defensive lines, and as a result, those shifting movements often failed to find points. "Marto will do a bit of work in the middle but that's nothing new.". Let’s compare them with the Sydney Roosters, for example. 2021 Trial Gallery Dragons v Eels Parramatta Eels - Official Site 04:07 19-Feb-21 NRL 2021: Jack Bird, Andrew McCullough, St George Illawarra Dragons, pre-season trial against Parramatta Eels Fox Sports (Australia) 23:24 18-Feb-21 "We'll have to rotate our three back-rowers early in the season. Parramatta Eels 36 (9 tries) defeat the Canterbury Bulldogs 0. 2021 NRL Team Previews: Parramatta Eels Eels legend Peter Sterling breaks down the team’s chances in the 2021 NRL Premiership with James Bracey. Long-time readers, you may have seen this vision a few times before, but why wouldn’t you utilise a wrecking ball that can engage the line and move the ball like this? Parramatta Eels 8 (2 tries) defeat the Canterbury Bulldogs 4 (1 try) Harold Matthews Takeaways . "Kurt started out there last year," Cleary said. Parramatta Eels Tour Dates 2021. Parramatta Eels prop forward Reagan Campbell-Gillard can't wait for the 2021 NRL Premiership to kick off. Parramatta Eels 2021 NRL Mens Training Shorts . ~OP, Top 8: This looks like one of the most competitive NRL seasons in recent years. 2021 Parramatta Eels Men's Short Sleeve Sub Polo Shirt, manufactured by Macron SKU: 58130227 Sizing: Regular men's sizing Material: Polyester Colour: Navy / Yellow (Colours may slightly vary from what appears on your screen) Mick Simmons Sport (micksimmonssport) is an official stockist of Macron A quickfire start to the 2020 NRL season had the Parramatta Eels flying high after 10 rounds. Left side duo Dylan Brown and Shaun Lane will do a straight swap with Mitch Moses and Ryan Matterson on the other side of the field. Their depth is arguably the worst of last year’s top eight teams, particularly in the outside backs and playmaking positions. The left edge lost its punch. He gets a good chance to show us what he’s capable of in 2021 with Michael Oldfield the only other real option for coach Brad Arthur to begin the season. Maybe Brown will take on more responsibility in that department this year. 2021 Parramatta Eels Team Preview. Jason Oliver cracks open his notepad to find a key player, style or stat to keep an eye on this season. Related Pages. There is admittedly some logic in having Moses and Matterson on the same side as the Eels’ top try scorer in 2020. Possible Parramatta Eels 2021 LineupCheck out the creators of this song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn54CnIAU0E After scoring 22 tries down the left edge up to Round 12, the Eels managed just nine throughout the ten matches that followed. ~JO, *All stats and video from NRL.com unless stated otherwise. Although, it’s difficult to imagine their roles within the side changing too much. ADD TO CALENDAR 03/12/2021 7:05 PM 03/12/2021 11:59 PM AEST Brisbane Broncos v Parramatta Eels Event Details. Dunster was thrown onto the wing to make his debut in Parramatta’s final game of the 2020 season. He has shown flashes of brilliance in stints at the Cowboys and Broncos, but not enough to lock down a position in either team. Documentary 33:43 EELS86: The story of Parramatta's last premiership. Oscar and Jason give their predicted peak for the Eels in 2021 along with a pass mark and worst-case scenario. Lane takes a couple of steps forward, but getting the ball wide seems to be so far forward in his mind that the 110kg and 198cm backrower doesn’t even consider the size advantage he has over the defender in front of him – 85kg and 173cm, Adam Reynolds. It’s important that they recapture their form with the ball early into 2021 and find new ways to keep the scoreboard ticking over throughout the season. Momirovski did his chances of locking in the Panthers' right centre spot no harm alongside Staines, who was solid without brilliant on the edge. In 2010, the NRL adopted their own version of an all-stars concept which pitted a fan-voted squad involving at least one player per club against an Australian Indigenous team. A simpler approach to their footy might be key for Parramatta in 2021. Eels legend Peter Sterling said that 2021 looms as a pivotal year for the club, but improvements can't come without introspection. They have too many experienced and/or representative players to miss the top eight this season, and that is as low as their own expectations should drop. While only credited for 5 try assists and 3 line break assists, in reality, Brown’s influence was often key to Jennings and Maika Sivo crossing for 22 tries between them last season. Then it all changed for the blue and gold. Brown is a better defender than Moses and might help plug some of the holes, but Blake’s own defensive issues must be addressed quickly for the Eels to be a chance in 2021. SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS . Create New Account. Join our league of strong and confident kids. Their pack is big, strong and capable of winning the yardage battle every week, just as they did throughout the first half of last season. Dominique Moraitis, the granddaughter of Morco Fresh fruit and vegetable patriarch and multimillionaire Nick Moraitis, broke up with Parramatta Eels … Forgot account? In a series analysing who will line up in each position for all 16 teams in the opening round of the Telstra Premiership in 2021, NRL.com looks at the Parramatta Eels. Parramatta Eels 2021 NRL Mens Royal Training Singlet . Sports Team. From there, they extended their search for points down the edges more frequently rather than doing what had worked and moving up the field through the middle. It. While Michael Jennings found some yardage down the left edge, another lateral shift to the right side leaves Parramatta the same distance from the goal line a tackle later. 0. Yesterday . Campbell-Gillard: 236 running metres, 33 tackles, 1 try, 68 minutes. It is however, a glaring example of what can happen when the well runs dry – in this case, the left edge. Jase covered it earlier in the preseason, and we still have our doubts about Parramatta’s centre stocks heading into 2021. As their premiership drought lurches toward 13,000 … Don’t be surprised to see him add to that number in 2021. Penrith Panthers. Parramatta Eels. But – and you knew the but was coming – Blake also produced plenty of poor defensive efforts last season, including this one (above) against his new teammate in 2021. Shaun Lane runs an excellent line to draw Brodie Croft into the action, and a gaping hole opens up for Clint Gutherson. We saw the best and the worst of the Eels in 2020. I’ll tip a career-high in that department this season, too. Despite finishing 3rd in 2020, landing inside the Top 8 this season is a pass mark to start. ~JO, Finals: Parramatta’s roster is finals quality. Maika Sivo is an obvious target on the end of backline shifts for Parramatta, and Matterson’s presence on the left edge suggests the Eels might use his ball-playing as another way to get the ball to Sivo in the corner. Panthers Stadium, Penrith, "We can probably still get a bit better in attack but I thought we defended well.". He’s a wonderfully talented athlete with all the offensive attributes of a gun attacking centre. NRL on Nine. But the key difference was the Roosters’ extra 6.9 line engagements and subsequent +7.2 points per game when compared to Parramatta. Subscribe to access all free content throughout the 2021 NRL season now. The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. NRL 2021: Paramatta captain Clint Gutherson says he’s tired of hearing about premiership drought. Kane Evans will join the New Zealand Warriors for two seasons from 2021, and his Parramatta teammates have credited the Eels’ prop production line for the new deal. While conceding 17 points per game over the second half of the season is impressive, the 16.4 points scored per game put an end to their premiership dreams. Grab your tickets so you can say you were there to see it all happen live! As part of a positional switch this season (more on that below), Blake looks set to line up next to Dylan Brown on Parra’s leaky right edge. Tarsha Gale Trial vs Wests Tigers. Moses’ grubber – again back to the other side of the field – doesn’t threaten the Rabbitohs defence. At their best (shrinking the defence in the middle up the field before hitting the edges in shape in good ball), they can sniff around the top of the ladder and be talked about alongside the Storm, Rabbitohs and Roosters. Panthers hooker Api Koroisau was also at his weaving best to set up Cleary's try in the second half and prove a handful through the middle. Add to Cart . All 16 clubs can argue for their place in the Top 8 at this time of the year, but only three or four would come as a genuine surprise if they made it. Parramatta had a strong run in 2020; however, they continued their poor finals footy run in recent years with two straight losses. Ticketing Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said Capewell was likely to start in the back row in round one ahead of Liam Martin, who came off the bench. Log In. The Brisbane Broncos will play the Parramatta Eels in Round 1 of the 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership at Suncorp Stadium on Friday 12th March 2021. It leaves Parramatta with a handful of elite in-form players ready to lead the charge in 2021. The set bears repeating here. Defensive lines will be forced to compress if Parra’s pack can get a roll on. Reports surfaced over the offseason that Brad Arthur has made a prominent – if not perplexing – change to his team’s makeup for 2021. With both western Sydney clubs fielding near full-strength teams for their only trial before round one, Cleary and recently re-signed halves partner Jarome Luai crossed for tries either side of half-time to build a 12-0 lead. You can also find the latest player signings and player movements for the upcoming season. Bullish Turpin promises Broncos are finals bound in 2021, Panthers v Cowboys: Momirovski secures start; Drinkwater hits No.1, Full Match Replay: Panthers v Eels - Round 3, 2021, You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content. We called the Eels out last year for shifting the ball just for the sake of it last season, and now the proof is in the numbers. *Select ‘Free Membership’ now to receive an exclusive early bird offer before the start of the 2021 season. New and exciting stars will line up alongside club legends as they look to make a mark and put their name in lights. His hit and spin close to the line caused havoc in 2020. "I've got concerns, because I think … Not as a prediction or a sign of things to come, but something to look out for early in the season. February 20, 2021. news.com.au February 28, 2021 2:01pm Video Parramatta’s metre-eating, ball-playing forward pack will again be regarded as one of the best in the business in 2021. But this time, it’s all about being a Junior Paulo fanboy. Brown put his rangy backrower into plenty of half gaps, which often saw Lane offload to a man in support. It’s our friends who inspire us to be our best both on and off the field, always pushing, never settling. We saw the best and the worst of the Parramatta Eels last year leaving us with more questions than answers heading into the 2021 NRL season. He developed a nice combination with Lane, in particular running off his hip. "It was a good first trial to have that intensity against a good Parra side," Cleary said. It was less than a week ago when foxsports.com.au sat down and predicted how every NRL team would line up in Round 1. Sports Team. They also threw the most offloads (13.3/game) and ranked highly (6th) in general-play passes too. Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary said he felt the side picked up where they left off last season after overcoming arch-rivals Parramatta 16-6 in a high-intensity trial game at Panthers Stadium. Starting Line-up. Yesterday. As the National Rugby League season draws closer, we look at how the Parramatta Eels will go in 2021. From there, they can start to utilise Paulo’s impressive skillset to move the ball while either standing in the tackle or shifting the ball on the move. Professional Sports Team. They dominated the left side early in the season before the points dried up. When they do, it’s a struggle to get him to the ground. Both averaged roughly the same metres per game and did so with almost exactly the same mix of direct hit-ups and shifts of the ball. Moses and Brown have swapped sides for 2021. Conceding just 11.8 points per game, they laid claim to the best defence in the competition. 0. Paulo’s 155 running metres per game last season marks a career-high. NRL 2021: Parramatta Eels Season Preview. Top 4: The Eels have retained most of their talent following a 3rd place finish last season. Parramatta looks like a team we will touch on a lot here at RLW throughout the year. March 1, 2021 … In 2021, they’ll be looking to prove they can be competitive during finals time. Add to Cart. St … Nathan Brown gets an offload away on the return shift, but Moses, Campbell-Gillard and Brown all fail to take a step forward before releasing the ball wide. The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. pic.twitter.com/ItnqgWe3L1. Special Price $89.95 Regular Price $169.95. Oscar Pannifex unpacks a scrum of three key questions ahead of the 2021 NRL season. South Sydney Rabbitohs. The key to the upcoming season is consistency and bottling the first ten rounds of 2020. Their pack is one of the strongest and skilful in the competition and if Moses, Brown and Gutherson stay fit and in form, Parramatta could again find themselves with a double-shot in this year’s finals series. If form slumps or injuries force Arthur’s hand in the outside backs, his options are extremely limited. Reading ahead, the ups and downs of 2020 have left us with a lot more questions than answers for 2021. Wests Tigers. "I thought the first half was at a good speed, it was good practice," coach Cleary said. Eels 2021 updated squad list. Brad Arthur has assembled a big, powerful pack that is more than capable of moving the ball across the park. Perhaps Paulo’s freakish talent as a ball-player contributed to Parramatta’s over-attraction to shift the ball? He catches a dodgy pass and straightens off his left foot to engage Jamil Hopoate. Fresh from re-committing to the Panthers on Friday, Luai was first to leave the field in the second half as Ivan Cleary turned to Bulldogs-bound Matt Burton for some much-needed game time. He finished up with five try assists last season. As rocks or diamonds as they come, Blake lit up our screens with some ridiculous individual efforts in attack last season. 2021 Parramatta Eels season; Team information; CEO: Jim Sarantinos: Coach: Brad Arthur: Captain: Clinton Gutherson; Stadium: Bankwest Stadium < 2020: 2022 > The 2021 Parramatta Eels season is the 75th in the club's history. Sports Team. Add to Wish List Add to Compare. As much as we love watching big Junior Paulo ball-play at the line like a silky half, any forward pack featuring him, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Nathan Brown, Shaun Lane and Ryan Matterson must be thinking run first, pass second. Parramatta Eels 0 defeated by the Wests Tigers 8 (2 tries) Tarsha Gale Trial vs Wests Tigers. As of 2019, Parramatta's home ground stadium has been rebuilt and they now play as the majority tenants at Bankwest Stadium, … $69.95. With Moses expected to command most of the attack again in 2021, having him link up with the destructive Fijian winger more often has its merits too. In an exclusive interview, Eels … From there the Panthers displayed the sort of defence which led them to last year's grand final, showing no signs of a 2020 hangover leading into their season opener against the Cowboys on March 13. A mountain of a man at 188 cm and 123 kg, Paulo is imposing as a ball-carrier. ~JO, 9th or lower: I’m not saying Parra are going to miss the finals in 2021. There was a lot to like about Brown’s 2020 season on Parramatta’s left edge. There’s also no reason – that we can think of – for them to even be moved in the first place. "Most of our team is the same but as a coach, it's always nice. What will the Parramatta Eels look like and how will they play? Although they were prolific movers of the ball, Parramatta weren’t engaging the line as well as other teams near them on the competition ladder. 0. Ready to play? View the latest NRL news and rumours for the Parramatta Eels and their players. Sports League. You can find the list of Parramatta Eels tour dates here. TV Show. There’s no reason Brown and Lane can’t emulate this on the other side of the park in 2021. We take a stab at profiling their playing style ahead of Round 1. 2020 Wrap. Parramatta Eels concert tickets are on sale. Sports Team. St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin has finalised his 24-man team for the Dragons' second pre-season trial against the Parramatta Eels at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. Key men Koroisau and Nathan Cleary soon followed Luai to the sidelines as the clock wound down before Burton sealed the result late with a slick cut-out pass for Taylan May to cross in the corner. Consistency is the key if they’re to develop the sort of game plan that can propel them into Week 3 of the finals. Subscribe to access all free content throughout the 2021 NRL season now. He’s what I consider to be the perfect modern-day prop. Opacic won’t be able to emulate Jennings’ electric running game, but if he can run convincing lead lines as Gutherson sweeps out the back or be a reliable link man with the ball en route to Sivo, Opacic can play a role in this team. NSW Blues . Why put more kick pressure on Moses despite him doing almost all of Parramatta’s kicking last season? Eels Will Penisini signs contract upgrade. The suspension of a rejuvenated (and now we might know why) Michael Jennings has left Brad Arthur skinny on centre-three-quarters, and in an era when we have become suddenly flushed with young outside-back talent – think Stephen Crichton, Bradman Best or Kotoni Staggs – the Eels’ centre combination of Tom Opacic and Waqa Blake hardly turns heads. Parramatta Eels 2020 NRL Mens Home Jersey . Their left edge attack dominated every defence put in front of it to play a major part in Parramatta’s 22.8 points per game. NRL clubs have confirmed their top 30 squads and development player lists for the March 1 deadline heading into the 2021 season. 1. The likes of Gutherson, Moses and Brown should be able to finish things off from there. It’s difficult to get a read on how Parramatta might plan their attack. The two big props got it done for the Eels in the end.Junior Paulo: 213 running metres, 30 tackles, 68 minutes. Like last year, a strong run of results could see the Eels breakup those five teams, leaping one of them into 4th. Andrew McCullough will don the Red V for the first time against the Eels, mere days after arriving at the club. "The pre-season we've had has built into this, we've laid the foundation to kick off where we wanted to. They played with their first-choice pack for the most part while their spine players remained relatively healthy. Add to Cart. We covered one particular set in Round 16 last season, highlighting how one-dimensional they had become to an opposition defence. The Eels need to move their way up the field first and provide their attacking players with as many opportunities in good ball as possible. The Parramatta Eels can confirm its current squad list for 2021. How that changes the attack in good ball remains to be seen. ~OP, 9th-10th: Parramatta were on the good side of the injury gods last season. Add to Wish List Add to Compare. The NRL’s desperation to keep the ball in play is leading to more ‘stuff’ happening every game. When we make friends, it's for life. To. Fixtures Trial matches. Ideally, we don’t see anything like it. NRL 2021: North Queensland Cowboys Season Preview, NRL 2021: Brisbane Broncos Season Preview. Parramatta search down the right side following two one-out hitups off the ruck; Souths have little issue with shutting it down. A standing Paulo and a wrapping Mahoney have caused a few problems this season.pic.twitter.com/uClZ4eaJ6U. Without a reliable contingency plan, Parramatta could find themselves in serious trouble if Moses or Gutherson go down for an extended period. Putting Moses – a right-foot kicker – on the left edge means he will have markers charging at him from the inside when kicking off his right foot. Free Membership: Access all free content at RugbyLeagueWriters.com and receive our weekly newsletter before each round of the 2021 NRL season. Melbourne Storm. Defending players don’t want to stand in front of him. Sydney Roosters. What channel is Parramatta Eels vs South Sydney Rabbitohs on? Not Now. Add to Wish List Add to Compare. This portion of the prior season previews has been dedicated to intrigue, curiosity, and in some cases, serious doubts. You feel like programs are going well and you're doing everything right but you still need to see them play. His 56 missed tackles was the most by any player in his position, and he conceded the second most line breaks (21) by full-time centres in 2020. Each club must have … A quickfire start to the 2020 NRL season had the Parramatta Eels flying high after 10 rounds. ~OP, 4th: Five teams stand out from the pack heading into the 2021 season. Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary said he felt the side picked up where they left off last season after overcoming arch-rivals Parramatta 16-6 in a high-intensity trial game at Panthers Stadium. Paulo has the motor to add to his already impressive output under the new rules. Patrick Spence. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, and their home ground was Parramatta Stadium (formerly Cumberland Oval). The Parramatta Eels have reportedly suspended payments to banned centre Michael Jennings following his alleged drug cheating scandal. What is most important is how Parramatta moves up the field. or. Per Fox Sports Lab, the Eels’ big boppers averaged the second-most run metres per game in 2020, and we’re expecting more of the same this season. Both teams blew off the cobwebs with end-to-end play in the opening half before Luai lit up the left edge with a typical light-footed effort to step inside two defenders on his way to the line. That’s the Eels at their worst. https://www.msn.com/.../2021-nrl-team-previews-parramatta-eels/vi-BB1e5UnW NRL 2021: Q&A with Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur - talking Mitch Moses, Bryce Cartwright and Andrew Johns. Gates Open: 5.30pm Kick off: 7.05pm . Brisbane Broncos v Parramatta Eels at Suncorp Stadium (8.05pm) Broncos predicted team: 1 Jamayne Isaako 2 Xavier Coates 3 Tesi Niu 4 Herbie Farnworth 5 … With Michael Jennings suspended under the NRL’s anti-doping policy, the Parramatta Eels are looking for a centre. "There was a little bit of rust but I thought lots of things were good.". In the space of a few days … The Eels have a handful of new faces to their 2021 squad with Bryce Cartwright, Keegan Hipgrave, Joey Lussick, Michael Oldfield, Tom Opacic and Isaiah Papali’i joining the Blue & Gold squad this season. 2 days ago. Both packs went about their work in a similar manner last season, and for the most part, achieved similar results. See more of Parramatta Eels on Facebook. A few other stats stand out, though, and for the wrong reasons. After 43 games across four years and two clubs, Opacic’s reputation as a fringe first-grader has unwillingly developed.