Source: Radio New Zealand
Five-eighths Ronald Volkman and Chanel Harris-Tavita will face off, when Parramatta Eels host NZ Warriors. RNZ/Photosport
NRL: NZ Warriors v Parramatta Eels
7.30pm Saturday, 2 May
CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Live blog updates on RNZ
With a bye week looming near on the horizon, the NZ Warriors must beware the ‘banana skin’ risk posed by Parramatta Eels on Saturday.
On paper, the Eels shouldn’t pose much of a threat – they have conceded more points than any other team in the NRL this year at an average of 35 a game.
They sit near the bottom of the ladder, with just three wins from eight games, but their victims include the champion Brisbane Broncos and highly rated Canterbury Bulldogs.
The Warriors could so easily roll into Sydney, believing they were entitled to the two points on offer, before finalising a few days of well-earned rest and relaxation.
Not so, insists fullback Taine Tuaupiki.
“Fish has smashed it into us that we want to happy this bye round,” he said of fearsome captain James Fisher-Harris. “We want to go home, relax and not be upset.
“We just want to send it, whatever it takes to get his one last win and then take a couple of days off, relax and reconnect.”
Coach Andrew Webster is talking up Parramatta’s parochial fanbase, especially at home.
Taine Tuaupiki is solidifying his grip on the Warriors fullback spot. Photosport
“Them and the Broncos, from an Australian point of view – not us – probably have the greatest followings in the NRL,” Webster said. “They’re hard to beat there.
“I feel like they’re a proud club – they know what they want and they know the direction they’re heading. Even if they don’t have every piece of the puzzle available, they can make you pay.
“This year, they’ve knocked off the Broncos and the ‘Dogs, who are meant to be grand final contenders. They’re a good team and we’ve got to be ready for it.”
Here’s what you need to know about this match-up.
History
Over their 31 years, the Warriors have lost 27 of their 46 meetings with the Eels, including 16 of 23 on the road and seven of their last 10 encounters since 2017.
The biggest win of the rivalry came in 2014, when the Warriors held Parramatta scoreless in a 48-0 walkover at Mt Smart, with English fullback Sam Tomkins scoring two tries and halfback Shaun Johnson perfect (8/8) from the kicking tee.
Parramatta’s biggest margin was 56-12 at home in 2001, with fullback Brett Hodgson and lock Daniel Wagon grabbing two tries each, while lock Wairangi Koopu and five-eighth Motu Tony had tries for the Warriors.
The Eels entered the competition in 1946 and have won four premierships, all during the 1980s (1981, 82, 83, 86), coached by Jack Gibson and featuring league legends like Ray Price, Peter Sterling, Eric Grothe, Steve Ella, Mick Cronin and Brett Kenny.
Nathan Hindmarsh is the club’s most-capped player (330), while Cronin holds the pointscoring record with 1971, across 215 games between 1977-86.
The Warriors showed their Anzac spirit with a comeback win over the Dolphins. Photosport
Form
Since losing back-to-back games last month, the Warriors have now gone on a three-game winning tear, beating Melbourne Storm, Gold Coast Titans and the Dolphins.
The euphoria of finally ending their 11-year drought against the Storm has been tempered by Melbourne’s six-game slump, which suggests perhaps this wasn’t the season-defining result it seemed at the time.
Still, after eight rounds, they sit second on the competition table, two points behind Penrith Panthers, and ahead of Wests Tigers, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters on points differential.
That difference is just four points on Wests and 14 on South, so with the bye looming, the Warriors will want to boost their margin against vulnerable opponents.
They continue to lead the competition in set completion (84 percent) by a full three percentage points from Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles. They have provided more try assists (37) than any other team, despite trailling Panthers in actual tries (47-42), and are ahead in both kicks (173) and kick metres (5313), with halfback Tanah Boyd setting the tone.
Boyd has the most kicks (135) and kick metres (4368), while Dally M-leading front-rower Jackson Ford has amassed 619 post-contact metres to pace that category.
Placed 15th, the Eels have ridden a rollercoaster journey through the season, conceding 50 points to the Storm and Titans, and 48 to the Panthers, but counting the Broncos and Bulldogs among their victims.
Tanah Boyd provided the winning conversion from near touch against the Dolphins. Photosport
They have struggled statistically, leading the league in errors (95) and ineffective tackles (165), and trailling only Newcastle Knights in missed tackles (301).
Individually, their standout performer has been halfback Mitch Moses, who is fourth in kicks (110) and third in kick metres (4119), and his continued health has been a boost to his team.
Teams
Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Erin Clark
Interchanges: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 16. Demitric Vaimauga, 17. Jacob Laban, 18. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 20. Luke Metcalf
Reserves: 21. Kayliss Fatialofa, 22. Te Maire Martin, 23. Makaia Tafua
With co-captain Mitch Barnett and centre Ali Leiataua both under concussion protocols, Tanner Stowers-Smith will return from a hamstring injury to the interchange, while Adam Pompey walks back into the starting line-up, after serving a dangerous charge suspension.
Star half Luke Metcalf is also named on the bench, after rehabbing a hamstring strain.
Co-captain Mitch Barnett will again be sidelined, this time by concussion. Photosport
Eels: 1. Joash Papalii, 2. Brian Kelly, 3. Will Penisini, 4. Sean Russell, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Ronald Volkman, 7. Mitch Moses, 8. Luca Moretti, 9. Ryley Smith, 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Charlie Guymer, 12. Jack Williams, 13. Jack de Belin
Interchange: 14. Tallyn da Silva, 15. Saxon Pryke, 16. Toni Mataele, 17. Dylan Walker, 18. Kelma Tuilagi, 19. Lorenzo Talataina
Reserves: 20. Jordan Samrani, 21. Teancum Brown, 22. Araz Nanva
Meanwhile, former Warriors Dylan Walker has been named on the Eels bench, despite leaving their loss against Manly early with an arm injury, suffered in a crunching tackle by Sea Eagles second-rower Haumole Olakau’atu.
Another former Warrior, Ronald Volkman, will start at five-eighth, while the line-up also features Auckland-born Junior Paulo and Auckland-raised Kelma Tuilagi.
Player to watch
Any conversation about fastest NRL players historically includes Josh Addo-Carr, but not so much new Warriors recruit Alofiana Khan-Pereira.
Even at 30, ‘The Fox’ still has wheels, but has scored only four tries in his seven outings this season, while ‘Lofi’ has as many from just three games.
They likely won’t line up head-to-head in this encounter, but if one of them breaks into the open field, we may be treated to an elimination race between two of the competition’s swiftest.
Josh Addo-Carr can still skin the Warriors in the open field. Brett Phibbs/Photosport
Kiwi player to watch
Second-rower Kelma Tuilagi was born in Apia, but grew up in Auckland, where he attended Waitakere College and played his junior footy for Glenora Bears, before moving again to Melbourne.
He has played for the Junior Kiwis, but now has four tests for Samoa, and made his NRL debut for Wests Tigers against the Warriors in 2021.
What will happen
These are the games the Warriors really need to put away early and they’ll do that this time.
Warriors by 20.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
