The Warriors welcome the Eels to the Central Coast high on confidence and dreaming of the most unlikely of finals berths.
After proving too good for the Knights last weekend, the Warriors face a Parramatta side needing to re-establish their premiership credentials.
All this from a team that has been on the road for almost five months.
After copping a 38-0 hiding from South Sydney in their last start, the Eels need to start winning again to assure themselves of a spot in the top four.
Match: Warriors v Eels
Round 17 -
home Team
Warriors
10th Position
away Team
Eels
3rd Position
Venue: Industree Group Stadium, Gosford
The rundown
Team news
Warriors: The team based on NSW's Central Coast will start 1-17 after Paul Turner and Tom Ale were left out an hour before the match. Eels loan players George Jennings and Daniel Alvaro can't play against Parramatta and Eliesa Katoa (hand) is out injured. Gerard Beale comes in on the wing, Jack Murchie starts in the back row and Josh Curran and Isaiah Papali'i join the bench.
Adam Keighran dropped out of the team's initial 20-man squad on Saturday. Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has scored four tries in his past three games.
Eels: Parramatta will start 1-17 after Haze Dunster and Andrew Davey were the two players omitted an hour before kick-off. Jai Field comes in at five-eighth after the ankle injury to Dylan Brown. Marata Niukore returns from suspension in place of Andrew Davey on the bench.
Brad Takairangi and Stefano Utoikamanu were omitted from the reserves list 24 hours before kick-off. The Eels have scored only 40 points in their past four games.
Match: Warriors v Eels
Round 17 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Eels
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Roger Tuivasa-SheckFullback for Eels is number 1 Clinton Gutherson
-
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Adam PompeyWinger for Eels is number 2 Maika Sivo
-
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Hayze PerhamCentre for Eels is number 3 Michael Jennings
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Peta HikuCentre for Eels is number 4 Waqa Blake
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Gerard BealeWinger for Eels is number 5 Blake Ferguson
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Kodi NikorimaFive-Eighth for Eels is number 6 Jai Field
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Chanel Harris-TavitaHalfback for Eels is number 7 Mitchell Moses
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Jamayne Taunoa-BrownProp for Eels is number 8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Karl LawtonHooker for Eels is number 9 Reed Mahoney
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Lachlan BurrProp for Eels is number 10 Junior Paulo
-
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jack Murchie2nd Row for Eels is number 11 Shaun Lane
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Tohu Harris2nd Row for Eels is number 12 Ryan Matterson
-
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Jazz TevagaLock for Eels is number 13 Nathan Brown
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Wayde EganInterchange for Eels is number 14 Ray Stone
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Adam BlairInterchange for Eels is number 15 Marata Niukore
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Josh CurranInterchange for Eels is number 16 Kane Evans
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Isaiah Papali'iInterchange for Eels is number 17 Oregon Kaufusi
Match Officials
- Referee: Grant Atkins
- Touch Judge: Chris Butler
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Steve Chiddy
Last updated:
Key match-up
Chanel Harris-Tavita v Mitchell Moses. Harris-Tavita is quickly establishing himself as a real force in the NRL. If he is able to outplay Moses on Sunday afternoon his star will continue to rise and the Warriors' late charge for a finals berth will gather even more momentum.
In last Saturday's big win over the Knights the 21-year-old was in total control, forcing two line dropouts, kicking for 387 metres and making one line break.
Stat attack
The Eels missed 41 tackles in their loss to the Rabbitohs last weekend. If they get anywhere near that total against the Warriors they are in for another tough 80 minutes. The Warriors, on the other hand, missed just 20 tackles in their impressive win over the Knights.
