Eels v Roosters: RCG, Sivo return; Warea-Hargreaves out
The battle of 10th and 11th on the ladder shapes as one of the matches of the round as two of the NRL's powerhouses fight to keep their season alive.
Coming off a heavy defeat to the Broncos and coping with the loss of star playmaker Mitch Moses, the Eels face a monumental challenge to bounce back against a dangerous Roosters outfit.
Brad Arthur's men have lost three of their past four matches to slump from seventh to 10th while the Roosters have won three of their last four to breath new life into their season.
Not only do the Roosters need to keep winning but they also need to give their points differential (-84) a substantial boost in their last three games against the Eels, Wests Tigers and Rabbitohs.
The Eels boast a far healthier differential of +21 and have a guaranteed two points to come from a bye in the final round but winning without their main man Moses will be no easy assignment.
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Team News
Eels: There are no late changes to the Eels line-up an hour before kick off. With Mitch Moses gone for the season, the responsibility of steering the ship falls to Dylan Brown and Daejarn Asi. The return of Maika Sivo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard from suspension provides a timely boost but back-rower Andrew Davey is set to miss the game under concussion protocols. RCG's return allows Joe Ofahengaue to move from prop to lock to cover for Davey.
Roosters: Kiwi prop Jared Warea-Hargreaves is out of the side with acute neck pain, with Fletcher Baker moving from the bench to start. World Cup winner Angus Crichton makes his return from a knee injury suffered in Round 17, with Dylan Napa now a late inclusion on the bench in the team update an hour from kick off. Halfback Sam Walker had been named as 18th Man on Tuesday, but dropped out of the squad when it was trimmed on Thursday along with Corey Allan and Nathan Brown.
Match: Eels v Roosters
Round 25 -
home Team
Eels
away Team
Roosters
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Eels is number 1 Clinton GuthersonFullback for Roosters is number 1 James Tedesco
-
Winger for Eels is number 2 Maika SivoWinger for Roosters is number 2 Daniel Tupou
-
Centre for Eels is number 3 Will PenisiniCentre for Roosters is number 3 Billy Smith
-
Centre for Eels is number 4 Bailey SimonssonCentre for Roosters is number 4 Joseph Manu
-
Winger for Eels is number 5 Sean RussellWinger for Roosters is number 5 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
-
Five-Eighth for Eels is number 6 Daejarn AsiFive-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Luke Keary
-
Halfback for Eels is number 7 Dylan BrownHalfback for Roosters is number 7 Drew Hutchison
Forwards
-
Prop for Eels is number 8 Reagan Campbell-GillardProp for Roosters is number 10 Lindsay Collins
-
Hooker for Eels is number 9 Joey LussickHooker for Roosters is number 9 Brandon Smith
-
Prop for Eels is number 10 Junior PauloProp for Roosters is number 15 Fletcher Baker
-
2nd Row for Eels is number 11 J'maine Hopgood2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Siua Wong
-
2nd Row for Eels is number 12 Bryce Cartwright2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 Nat Butcher
-
Lock for Eels is number 13 Joe OfahengaueLock for Roosters is number 13 Victor Radley
Interchange
-
Interchange for Eels is number 14 Luca MorettiInterchange for Roosters is number 14 Sandon Smith
-
Interchange for Eels is number 15 Ryan MattersonInterchange for Roosters is number 16 Terrell May
-
Interchange for Eels is number 16 Wiremu GreigInterchange for Roosters is number 17 Angus Crichton
-
Interchange for Eels is number 17 Brendan HandsInterchange for Roosters is number 19 Dylan Napa
Reserves
-
Replacement for Eels is number 18 Makahesi MakatoaReplacement for Roosters is number 21 Fetalaiga Pauga
Match Officials
- Referee: Ashley Klein
- Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
- Touch Judge: Chris Sutton
- Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins
Last updated:
Stat Attack
- Daniel Tupou ran for 223 metres and had four tackle breaks and a try when the Roosters beat the Eels 28-20 in Round 5.
- Eels back-rowers J'maine Hopgood and Bryce Cartwright are equal leaders on the offload tally for 2023 with 49 apiece.
- The Eels have won seven of their past eight games at CommBank Stadium.
- The Roosters have won seven of their past nine games against the Eels.
- Eels winger Maika Sivo has scored 41 tries in 46 games at CommBank Stadium.
- The Roosters have won six from eight at CommBank Stadium.
- Eels winger Sean Russell has scored a try in four consecutive games.
Match: Eels v Roosters
Round 25 -
home Team
Eels
10th Position
away Team
Roosters
11th Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
