Parramatta Eels vs St George Illawarra Dragons: Preview & Prediction
CommBank Stadium should be full of noise on Sunday afternoon. Kick-off is set for 4:05 pm in Sydney and 6:05 pm in New Zealand.
This feels like a game with plenty of tension around it already. Both sides have shown enough to believe they can take it.
Parramatta Eels
Parramatta head into this clash with fresh confidence. They were hammered 52-4 by Melbourne in Round 1.
Then they answered with a 40-32 win over Brisbane on Thursday night. That comeback mattered.
Mitchell Moses steered them well, and Jonah Pezet had a huge say late.
Isaiah Iongi also looked dangerous whenever the game opened up.
The Eels still carry a few concerns. Their defence has looked shaky in patches.
J’maine Hopgood is suspended for Round 3. Will Penisini remains uncertain, even with Josh Addo-Carr back in the mix.
That takes some steel out of the middle and some balance out of the backline.
St George Illawarra Dragons
The Dragons look tougher than many expected. They lost 15-14 to the Bulldogs in golden point in Las Vegas.
That defeat was painful, but it also showed real grit. Their defence stood up well, and Daniel Atkinson handled his club debut calmly.
Damien Cook also set the tone with a 90-minute effort in the middle.
There are still issues around the Red V. Jacob Liddle remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Nathan Lawson and Dylan Egan are also still out. That hurts their depth.
Even so, the Dragons have looked organised and committed early in the season.
Recent history says this match could go either way. The Eels edged the Dragons 23-22 at CommBank last season.
The Dragons hit back later in the year with a 34-20 win in Wollongong.
So there is not much separating these teams on paper.
So, who are we backing here?
Eels vs Dragons: Best Odds
| 🏈 ️ Bookmaker | 🐍 Eels | 🐉 Dragons |
|---|---|---|
| 🏈 ️ Betcha | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
| 🏈 ️ 20 Bet | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
| 🏈 ️ SpinBet | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
| 🏈 ️ TAB | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
| 🏈 ️ MrBet | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
Prediction for Eels vs Dragons
The Eels look like the safer pick. They have more attacking spark, and Moses gives them the clearest game manager on the field.
The Dragons should make this ugly and competitive. That is probably their best path.
But Parramatta have more speed in the spine and more punch near the line.
Our bet is on the Parramatta Eels to win.
The Dragons should stay in the fight for long stretches.
Still, Parramatta look more likely to land the bigger moments at home.
Eels win by 4 to 8 points.
