The Parramatta Eels face the Brisbane Broncos at Bankwest Stadium on Friday 18 September in Round 19 of the NRL Telstra Premiership.
The Eels are coming off a defeat to the Penrith Panthers last week and will be looking to return to the winners’ circle as they charge towards the 2020 Finals series whilst the Broncos will be searching for just their fourth win of the season.
Round 19 will be Women in League Round and the Eels will also celebrate the Club's Members Appreciation Round.
Here are five key talking points ahead of tonight’s clash.
Match: Eels v Broncos
Round 19 -
home Team
Eels
4th Position
away Team
Broncos
16th Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Ryan Matterson to play his 100th NRL clash
Eels forward Ryan Matterson will play his 100th NRL clash tonight. An Eels junior who returned to the Blue & Gold in 2020, following stints with the Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers, will bring up his milestone in tonight’s Friday night clash.
Matterson has been a strong performer this season with three tries down the Eels’ right edge.
A special presentation for Matto’s 100th
Final home game of the regular season
The Eels will play their final home game of the regular season at Bankwest Stadium tonight and will cap it off by celebrating the Club’s Members Appreciation Round.
Pending on where the Eels finish on the table, Bankwest Stadium may host an Eels finals clash, where the stadium has an approved 50% capacity for the NRL Finals series.
Mahoney returns
Eels hooker Reed Mahoney returns tonight after suffering a shoulder injury. The young hooker has been crucial to the Eels line up this season in both attack and defence and the number nine will be itching to return to play tonight.
Ray Stone has been ruled out with injury in the only other change for the Eels line up this week.
Broncos changes
The Broncos have made a handful of changes to their line up after a 18-6 defeat to the Gold Coast Titans last week.
Brisbane have an all-new front row with hard-working prop Payne Haas out for family reasons and Rhys Kennedy suspended while five-eighth Sean O'Sullivan has been dropped.
Brodie Croft was set to return but suffered a head knock at training so Tyson Gamble starts in the halves, Ben Te'o and Joe Ofahengaue start up front and Jamil Hopoate and Ethan Bullemor return on the interchange.
Eels race towards the finals; Broncos want to avoid wooden spoon
The Eels will be looking to return to the winners’ circle and being their charge towards the 2020 NRL Finals series, and a victory over the Broncos will start their momentum at the back end of the regular season.
The Broncos will also be desperate for victory and to lift themselves off the bottom of the table, after a Bulldogs victory over the Rabbitohs on Thursday night saw the Bulldogs jump above the Broncos on the ladder.
