The St George Illawarra Dragons will meet the Parramatta Eels on Sunday, August 6th at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta. This is your game day guide.
- Dragons announce Round 23 team list
- 'At home, with an awesome crowd like that. Not much better': Muhleisen's 'unreal' first taste of first grade
Amone reaches half-century
Dragons five-eighth Junior Amone will play his 50th NRL game when he takes the field for the Red V on Sunday afternoon against the Eels.
A Western Suburbs Red Devils junior and premiership-winner with the Steelers’ 2019 SG Ball side, Amone made a try-scoring debut for the club as a 19-year-old against the Bulldogs at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Round 9, 2021 and would go on to play 11 games his rookie season.
He appeared in every game for the Dragons last season and has again proven to be a pivotal member of the squad this season.
Key timings:
Kick-off: 2.00pm
Where: CommBank Stadium, Parramatta
Watch: Kayo & Foxtel
Carr sticks solid
Dragons interim coach Ryan Carr has named the same 17 that faced the Sea Eagles at WIN Stadium on Saturday.
Jack de Belin will front the judiciary on Tuesday night to fight a grade two dangerous contact charge from an incident that saw him sin binned against the Sea Eagles.
A successful challenge of the grading would see the 32-year-old incur a $3,000 fine instead of a suspension whilst an unsuccessful appeal would result in a four-match ban.
Moses Suli has been named in the centres despite failing to finish Saturday evening’s game due to a minor calf strain whilst Ben Murdoch-Masila has been named among the reserves as he progresses towards a return from a knee injury.
Brown returns for hosts
Dylan Brown is set to return for the Eels after having been unavailable since Round 13 due to suspension, replacing Daejarn Asi at five-eighth.
Joey Lussick starts at hooker pushing Brendan Hands to the reserves whilst Wiremu Greig returns from injury onto the bench alongside Makahesi Makatoa with Ofahiki Ogden dropping out.
Isaac Lumelume starts on the wing in place of Waqa Blake whilst Joe Ofahengaue starts up front with Ryan Matterson in the second row and Andrew Davey on the interchange.
Eels fighting for top eight spot
With five rounds remaining, the Eels are among a number of teams jostling for position in a convoluted top eight picture.
Having dropped three of their past four, Brad Arthur’s men have slid to 11th on the ladder after sitting at fifth just over a month ago.
They are, however, still just two competition points off the sixth place Rabbitohs which should make for an intriguing final stretch for the blue and gold.
The Dragons have managed two wins from their past three against the Eels at CommBank Stadium.
