The Eels welcome rivals Penrith to CommBank Stadium looking to finish a difficult season strongly, while the Panthers aim to tighten their grip on the minor premiership. With Mitchell Moses returning to lead Parramatta and Nathan Cleary steering a Penrith side eager to respond to last week’s upset loss, Thursday night’s clash pits pride and passion against the competition benchmark.

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Matchday Details

Thursday, 23rd July – 7:50pm (AEST) – CommBank Stadium, Sydney
📺 Broadcast: Nine / Fox League / Kayo
Referee: Gerard Sutton | Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein

Parramatta Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi, 2. Brian Kelly, 3. Jordan Samrani, 4. Araz Nanva, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Ronald Volkman, 7. Mitchell Moses (c), 8. Sam Tuivaiti, 9. Tallyn Da Silva, 10. Jack Williams, 11. Kelma Tuilagi, 12. Kitione Kautoga, 13. Jack De Belin, 14. Dylan Walker, 15. Luca Moretti, 16. Teancum Brown, 17. Harrison Edwards, 18. Joash Papalii, 19. Toni Mataele, 20. Jonah Pezet, 21. Ryley Smith, 22. Will Penisini

Penrith Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Thomas Jenkins, 3. Paul Alamoti, 4. Casey McLean, 5. Brian To’o, 6. Blaize Talagi, 7. Nathan Cleary (c), 8. Moses Leota, 9. Freddy Lussick, 10. Lindsay Smith, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Liam Martin, 13. Isaah Yeo, 14. Billy Scott, 15. Scott Sorensen, 16. Liam Henry, 17. Billy Phillips, 18. Izack Tago, 19. Jack Cole, 20. Jaxen Edgar, 21. Sione Fonua, 22. Kalani Leuluai-Going

Match Preview

The resolute Eels are looking to wrap up the year on a high, but they’ll be up against it when they host the first-placed Panthers this Thursday. Penrith are looking to shore up the minor premiership, while Parramatta enter as heavy outsiders. Will this game go the way the punters expect, or will the old Western Sydney rivalry produce another twist?

The Eels are coming off a bye after a run of results that neatly summed up their season: one poor performance, one win, and one narrow loss. They have struggled to find consistency all year, injuries or not, and will be looking to build the habits of successful teams over this final stretch. Meanwhile, the Panthers are coming off a rare defeat to a desperate Broncos outfit. As the business end of the season approaches, they’ll be keen to treat it as an anomaly and move on.

For the home side, the biggest boost is the return of captain Mitch Moses, who missed the clash against the Roosters following State of Origin. Unfortunately, it has been another season in which injuries have kept him sidelined for an extended period, and both the team and their supporters will be hoping he remains on the field for the final month. The Panthers have made no changes, with Ivan Cleary backing his side to respond after just their fourth loss of the season.

Naturally, the first comparison many will make is between the New South Wales Origin halves, Moses and Nathan Cleary. Both are elite players, but they go about their business very differently. Moses is arguably the game’s best long kicker, a weapon the Eels will need given their forwards have at times struggled to generate metres. In attack, he plays instinctively: he’s just as likely to break from structure and run the ball himself as he is to follow a set play.

Cleary, on the other hand, is simplicity personified. He’s a rugby league robot. He executes Penrith’s structures with remarkable precision, and it works 99% of the time. Give Cleary even possession, and he’ll create more opportunities.

So how do the Eels swing the battle for possession and field position in their favour? Hard running from the backfield will be crucial. Brian Kelly has been an underrated contributor, averaging 161 metres per game, second only to Isaiah Iongi among Parramatta’s backs. However, it’s hard to forget that Penrith’s Brian To’o averages 191 metres per game. Those aren’t exceptional numbers by his standards—just his usual output. Even if the Eels manage to charge the ball up the field, the Panthers can do it as well, and better.

The Eels’ 2025 Ken Thornett Medallist and vice-captain, Jack Williams, has been one of the club’s standout performers this year, averaging 113 metres per game. That’s more than either of Penrith’s starting props. He also possesses excellent footwork and has developed a knack for hitting holes off Dylan Walker’s clever passing. While the Panthers boast greater experience across the pack, a big performance from Williams could go a long way towards levelling the contest.

These sides have met 114 times, with the Eels holding a narrow advantage: 62 wins to the Panthers’ 51 (and one draw). At CommBank Stadium, however, Penrith have won five of the eight meetings between the clubs.

Overall, expect a spirited performance from Parramatta, particularly with a few key players returning. In the end, though, experience should prove decisive. Four premierships bring a level of composure that is difficult to match. The Panthers simply have too many elite players with big-game experience for an Eels spine that, outside of Moses, has collectively played fewer than 100 NRL games.

Prediction

RLZ Tip: Panthers by 14.
Full Round 21 tips → /nrl-round-21-predictions-2026/
Bold call: Liam Martin to score the first try.

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