Matchday Details
Thursday, July 31 – 7:50pm (AEST) – CommBank Stadium
📺 Broadcast: Nine / Fox League / Kayo
Referee: Gerard Sutton | Bunker: Chris Butler
Eels
1. Joash Papali’i 2. Zac Lomax 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Dean Hawkins 7. Mitchell Moses 8. J’maine Hopgood 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Charlie Guymer 12. Jack Williams 13. Dylan Walker 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Luca Moretti 16. Matt Doorey 17. Sam Tuivaiti 18. Jordan Samrani 19. Kelma Tuilagi 20. Bailey Simonsson 21. Toni Mataele 22. Dylan Brown
Storm
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Grant Anderson 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Tyran Wishart 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Tui Kamikamica 14. Jonah Pezet 15. Ativalu Lisati 16. Bronson Garlick 17. Joe Chan 18. Kane Bradley 19. Alec MacDonald 20. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown 21. Josiah Pahulu 22. Lazarus Vaalepu
Match Preview
This Thursday night, round 22 kicks off with the 14th‑placed Eels hosting the third‑placed Storm at CommBank Stadium. For Parramatta, it’s about continuing their recent growth and finishing the season as high as possible, even if finals are all but out of reach. Melbourne, meanwhile, are locked in a battle for a top‑two spot and will be eager to keep their winning momentum rolling.
Jason Ryles has stuck with the same 17 that dramatically edged the Broncos last week. The Storm lose their halfback Jahrome Hughes, but welcome back two of their biggest stars — Ryan Papenhuyzen and Cameron Munster — giving them a near full‑strength spine. Tyran Wishart steps in for Hughes, bringing work rate and reliability to the role.
Last week reminded everyone just how much Mitch Moses adds to the Eels. His kicking game dominated field position, his composure settled the side in tight moments, and he laid on a couple of key tries. With the Storm missing their chief organiser, the door opens for Moses to exploit Melbourne’s game‑management gap — expect him to find the corners and trust his defence to chase hard.
But Munster’s return almost cancels out the Hughes absence. While not a traditional game manager, he thrives on the big moment and can turn a match in a heartbeat. The duel between the two State of Origin playmakers will be fascinating — Moses got the better of him in this year’s series opener, but Munster has a knack for producing magic when it matters most.
When these sides met back in round 1, the Storm handed the Eels a crushing 56‑18 defeat. Melbourne have had the upper hand in recent seasons, not losing to Parramatta since 2022. Thursday night offers the Eels a chance to measure their progress — they might not spring the upset, but a far more competitive showing should be expected this time around.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Storm by 14.
See our full Round 22 Predictions here: 2025 NRL Tipping: Round 22 Writer Predictions
Have your say: Who wins? Drop your tip in the comments or vote in our poll.
Related Links
- Round 22 Late Mail
- 2025 NRL Round 21 Injury List
- Power Rankings – Round 21
