Parramatta Eels v Gold Coast Titans
Eels v Titans preview
5 hours ago | Kelly Hollis
Eels v Titans preview
Two sides fighting to climb off the bottom of the ladder face off in Sunday night footy when the Parramatta Eels host the Gold Coast Titans in what is shaping up to be a desperate and potentially season-defining clash.
This will be the 27th meeting between the clubs, with the head-to-head record locked at 13 wins apiece since 1998. With such a dead-even history, Sunday night's showdown offers one team the chance to gain the upper hand in a rivalry that has been surprisingly balanced over the years.
Although the Titans got the better of the Eels in their last encounter, history is not on their side when it comes to playing in Sydney. They haven't beaten Parramatta away since 2015. In 2023, they came agonisingly close, falling short by just a single point — a reminder that while the drought remains, the margin for error is shrinking.
Parramatta return from the bye with plenty of questions hanging over them. They've lost their last four games immediately following a week off, and that trend doesn't bode well, especially considering the absence of both first-choice halves. Mitchell Moses is out with a calf injury that has also ruled him out of the remainder of the Origin series, while Dylan Brown remains suspended.
That leaves Joash Papalii and Dean Hawkins tasked with steering the Eels around the park — a halves pairing light on NRL experience and cohesion. It's a big ask for a new combination to click instantly, especially when the team is under pressure and fighting to avoid dropping to the bottom of the ladder.
Zac Lomax has been named to back up from Origin II and will bring some strike and experience out wide, while Wiremu Greig has been added to the bench for his first appearance since Round 24 last year. There's no doubt the Eels are showing improvement in patches, but they were comfortably handled by the Bulldogs 30-12 before the bye and now face the challenge of turning potential into points without their key playmakers.
The Titans, meanwhile, arrive in Sydney with renewed confidence following their most complete performance of the season. Last week's 28-8 dismantling of the Sea Eagles was a statement win — built on energy, effort, and brilliance from AJ Brimson, who ran for 260 metres, broke the line twice, and pulled off one of the assists of the year for Jayden Campbell.
Alofiana Khan-Pereira continued his phenomenal try-scoring form with another double, bringing his total to 50 career tries from just 52 games. His combination of speed, footwork, and anticipation makes him a constant threat on the left edge.
The Titans achieved that win without their Origin stars Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika, who have both been named on the interchange this week and could bolster the side further if cleared to back up. David Fifita has been named in the reserves and could be a late inclusion, which would be a massive boost given his power and X-factor.
Jojo Fifita also returns from injury, slotting into the centres and adding some additional punch to the backline. The Titans' main concern remains their defence — they've leaked 332 points in their last 10 games — but if they can replicate the structure and resilience shown last week, they'll be tough to handle.
Last meeting: Round 19 2024 - Titans 24 Eels 16
Who to watch: For the Eels, Josh Addo-Carr looms as a potential match-winner. The veteran flyer has a staggering record against the Titans, scoring 13 tries in just nine appearances. Addo-Carr's combination of top-end speed, positional awareness, and knack for turning half-chances into points makes him a constant threat on the wing. With an inexperienced halves pairing, Parramatta may look to simplify their attacking structures and get early ball to their strike men out wide, which could play right into Addo-Carr's hands. If the Eels are to find success on Sunday, expect the Foxx to be front and centre.
On the Gold Coast side, Alofiana Khan-Pereira continues to build on his reputation as one of the NRL's most lethal finishers. He's crossed the stripe seven times in eight games this season and is coming off a confidence-boosting double against Manly. Khan-Pereira's raw pace and sharp instincts make him a nightmare for defenders, and he only needs a sliver of space to make teams pay. His ability to turn pressure into points could be the difference, especially if Brimson and Foran can create time and space for him on the edge.
Favourite: Coming off a confidence-boosting win and considering Parramatta's post-bye struggles, the Gold Coast Titans are slight favourites heading into this one.
My tip: There's simply too much going against the Eels in this one — no Moses, no Brown, a reshuffled spine, and a poor track record following byes. While the Titans have their own issues, they've shown they can grind out a result when it matters. If Tino and Fotuaika back up, and Brimson maintains his blistering form, they'll be too strong.
1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Zac Lomax 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Joash Papali'i 7. Dean Hawkins 8. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. J'maine Hopgood 14. Dylan Walker 15. Matt Doorey 16. Wiremu Greig 17. Jordan Samrani 18. Joey Lussick 19. Charlie Guymer 20. Dan Keir 21. Ronald Volkman 22. Samuel Loizou
1. AJ Brimson 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Jojo Fifita 4. Phillip Sami 5. Allan Fitzgibbon 6. Kieran Foran 7. Jayden Campbell 8. Jaimin Jolliffe 9. Sam Verrills 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Chris Randall 12. Beau Fermor 13. Klese Haas 14. Jacob Alick-Wiencke 15. Iszac Fa'asumaleaui 16. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui 17. Moeaki Fotuaika 18. David Fifita 19. Tukimihia Simpkins 20. Sean Mullany 21. Tom Weaver 22. Brian Kelly
Referees: Gerard Sutton; Sideline Officials: Chris Sutton, Clayton Wills; Video Referees: Liam Kennedy;