2021 NRL – Canberra Raiders vs Parramatta Eels Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Canberra Raiders vs Parramatta Eels taking place? Saturday 17th April, 2021 – 10:35 (UK)
Where is Canberra Raiders vs Parramatta Eels taking place? GIO Stadium, Canberra
Where can I get tickets for Canberra Raiders vs Parramatta Eels? Click here for ticket information on 2021 NRL matches
What channel is Canberra Raiders vs Parramatta Eels on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Canberra Raiders vs Parramatta Eels? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
THE TEAM NEWS
CANBERRA RAIDERS
Starting 13: Aekins, Simonsson, Croker, Scott, Rapana, Wighton, G. Williams, Papalii, Hodgson, Soliola, Young, Whitehead, Tapine – Interchanges: Starling, Sutton, Havili, Guler – Reserves: Kris, Frawley, Harawira-Naera, Lui
Unavailable: Harley Smith-Shields (Injured), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Injured), Ryan James (Rested)
- Canberra Raiders were unable to live with the quality of top of the ladder Penrith Panthers last week and they will hope to respond here as they look to improve on their 3-2 record following that defeat.
- The Raiders started well but the loss of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad caused them serious disruption and they have suffered a huge blow with the fullback set to miss at least six games with a neck issue.
PARRAMATTA EELS
Starting 13: Gutherson, Sivo, Opacic, Niukore, Ferguson, Smith, Moses, Campbell-Gillard, Mahoney, Paulo, Lane, Matterson, N. Brown – Interchanges: Kaufusi, Papali’i, Hipgrave, Cartwright – Reserves: Lussick, Dunster, Greig, Rankin
Unavailable: Michael Jennings (Suspended), Michael Oldfield (Injured), Waqa Blake (Injured), Dylan Brown (Suspended)
- Parramatta Eels’ 100% start to the season was ended by a superb performance from St. George Illawarra Dragons last week and the Eels face a difficult task to make an immediate return to winning ways as they head to Canberra.
- The Eels were the recipients of nine set restarts last week, almost double the number that their opponents received, but they could not make their field position count despite making more metres than their opponents from 18 less carries.
THE PREDICTION
Parramatta Eels struggled to convert several good opportunities last week as they failed to execute in the 20 and that saw them succumb to a first loss of the season. St. George Illawarra Dragons got the better of them in what was a deserved loss for the Eels and having not won in Canberra since 2006, this looks like an almighty challenge for them to bounce back here. The Raiders also lost out last week as they went down to red-hot Penrith Panthers but having nilled the Eels in their last two matches at this ground, coupled with Parramatta’s record in Canberra, it is the hosts that should make an immediate return to winning ways.
