Sterlo's Parra Preview - Eels v Dragons, Round 22
The Parramatta Eels take on the St. George Illawarra Dragons at ANZ Stadium on Saturday 11 August from 7:30pm in Round 22, the Women in League Round of the NRL Telstra Premiership.
Blue & Gold Head Coach Brad Arthur has shuffled the order of the backline and added Jaeman Salmon to the run-on side for his second NRL match.
Corey Norman shifts from five-eighth, where Salmon is to play, to fullback.
Clint Gutherson moves from fullback to centre, Jarryd Hayne slides from centre to wing and Bevan French is named as a reserve.
Will Smith comes onto the bench. David Gower, Oregon Kaufusi, Ray Stone and French are the reserves.
For the Dragons, a Paul Vaughan injury last week brings Leeson Ah Mau to start in the front row.
Vaughan is replaced by Blake Lawrie in an otherwise unchanged lineup.
Parramatta has a favourable recent and all-time head-to-head history against St. George Illawarra.
It was the last match that broke an Eels six-game winning streak between the two, a 20-18 Dragons victory at WIN Stadium in Round 16.
The Blue & Gold have won 17 of the 34 games with two draws.
Since that fixture St. George Illawarra has lost four of their five matches, the Eels have won two of four.
A Parramatta win could move the team off the bottom of the ladder, as they sit level on wins with the North Queensland Cowboys.
They are one win away from the Manly Sea Eagles and Canterbury Bulldogs (before the start of Round 22). Manly host the Bulldogs at 5:30pm Saturday.
It's the second last home game of the season. Get to the stadium early to watch the Eels Jersey Flegg competition team play from 5:15pm.
This Eels v Dragons clash will kick off at 7:30pm Saturday. Click through to get your tickets!
Eels: 1 Corey Norman (c), 2 Jarryd Hayne, 3 Michael Jennings, 4 Clinton Gutherson (c), 5 George Jennings, 6 Jaeman Salmon, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Siosaia Vave, 9 Reed Mahoney, 10 Tim Mannah (c), 11 Marata Niukore, 12 Tepai Moeroa, 13 Nathan Brown
Interchange: 14 Will Smith, 15 Kane Evans, 16 Peni Terepo, 17 Brad Takairangi
Reserves: 18 Bevan French, 19 David Gower, 20 Oregon Kaufusi, 21 Ray Stone
Despite a rare win last start, Brad Arthur has implemented a major reshuffle. Rookie Jaeman Salmon starts at five-eighth with Corey Norman taking over at fullback, moving Clint Gutherson to centre, Jarryd Hayne to wing and Bevan French out with Will Smith returning on the bench.
Dragons: 1 Matthew Dufty, 2 Jordan Pereira, 3 Euan Aitken, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Jason Nightingale, 6 Gareth Widdop (c), 7 Ben Hunt, 8 James Graham, 9 Cameron McInnes, 10 Leeson Ah Mau, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Tariq Sims, 13 Jack De Belin
Interchange: 14 Jeremy Latimore, 15 Kurt Mann, 16 Blake Lawrie, 17 Luciano Leilua
Reserves: 18 Jacob Host, 19 Nene Macdonald, 20 Zac Lomax, 21 Hame Sele
Leeson Ah Mau starts at prop for Paul Vaughan (ankle, four weeks) with Blake Lawrie called up on the bench.
Head-to-head: Played 34; Eels 17 wins, Dragons 15 wins, drawn 2
Previous result: Dragons won 20-18 at WIN Stadium in round 16
Matches at venue: Played 5; Parramatta 3, Dragons 2
Points per game: Eels 15.7; Dragons 23.6
Points conceded per game: Eels 21.9; Dragons 18.5
Televised: Live on Channel Nine and Fox League
Radio: ABC, 2GB
