Mitchell Moses and the Parramatta Eels host Tom Dearden and the North Queensland Cowboys in a blockbuster clash at CommBank Stadium.
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MATCH CENTRE: Eels vs Cowboys teams, scores, videos, updates
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Zac Laybutt is out, with Semi Valemei coming onto the wing. Harrison Edwards drops out with Coen Hess starting at prop. Thomas Mikaele drops off the bench with Nicholas Lenaz and Kaiden Lahrs joining the pine.
Dylan Brown is reportedly set to be recalled — but in a surprise new role. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, coach Jason Ryles is expected to make a late change with Brown moving into the centres in place of Jordan Samrani, who was originally named to replace the injured Sean Russell. It would be a shock call by Ryles given he had dropped Brown — who will join the Knights next season — from the 17 so he could start planning for the future. And while Brown is quite versatile, he’s only started in two of his 138 NRL games at centre. Both were in 2022.
Kelma Tuilagi comes into the 17 on the interchange, after playing in the NSW Cup upon return from suspension last weekend. Jordan Samrani goes into the team at centre, replacing Sean Russell, and Dylan Walker has been picked at lock forward, with Luca Moretti going to the interchange.
In welcome news for under-pressure Cowboys coach Todd Payten, highly-paid forward Jason Taumalolo is back from a calf injury. It may be too little, too late for Payten though, with the Cowboys sitting in 13th spot and highly unlikely to play finals. North Queensland have lost four of their last five, putting the heat well and truly on Payten, but he will welcome back Taumalolo with open arms. It will be Taumalolo’s first game since Round 9, with injury hindering his campaign in 2025. Even if Taumalolo plays every game for the Cowboys between now and the end of the season, he will have only played 10 games this year, which is his least in a season since 2011. There’s more good news for the Cowboys. Halfback Jake Clifford returns from a quad injury, centre Viliami Vailea is back in the team after recovering from a foot injury while interchange forward Thomas Mikaele returns from a knee injury. Zac Laybutt shifts from the centres onto the wing, in place of Robert Derby who is out with a knee injury. Taumalolo has been named to start at prop, replacing Griffin Neame. Jeremiah Nanai shifts to the forward back after he was in the centres last weekend. Jaxson Purdue shifts from five-eighth into the centres. Semi Valemei has been named in the reserves, and could be a late inclusion having been sidelined with a broken jaw.
TEAMS
Eels team: 1. Joash Papalii 2. Zac Lomax 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Jordan Samrani 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Dean Hawkins 7. Mitchell Moses 8. J’maine Hopgood 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Charlie Guymer 12. Jack Williams 13. Dylan Walker 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Luca Moretti 16. Matt Doorey 17. Kelma Tuilagi 20. Haze Dunster 22. Dylan Brown
Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 19. Semi Valemei 3. Jaxson Purdue 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Braidon Burns 6. Jake Clifford 7. Tom Dearden 17. Coen Hess 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. John Bateman 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Marly Bitungane 16. Kai O’Donnell 20. Nicholas Lenaz 22. Kaiden Lahrs 18. Jaxson Paulo 21. Jamal Shibasaki
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