Matchday Details
Thursday, 5th March – 8:00pm (AEST) – AAMI Park, Melbourne
📺 Broadcast: Nine Network / Nine Now / Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Todd Smith | Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Melbourne Storm
1. Sualauvi Faalogo, 2. Will Warbrick, 3. Jack Howarth, 4. Moses Leo, 5. Nick Meaney, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Stefano Utoikamanu, 9. Harry Grant (c), 10. Josh King, 11. Joe Chan, 12. Ativalu Lisati, 13. Alec MacDonald, 14. Tyran Wishart, 15. Cooper Clarke, 16. Tui Kamikamica, 17. Davvy Moale, 18. Preston Conn, 19. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown, 20. Lazarus Vaalepu, 21. Angus Hinchey, 22. Trent Toelau
Parramatta Eels
1. Isaiah Iongi, 2. Bailey Simonsson, 3. Will Penisini, 4. Brian Kelly, 5. Sean Russell, 6. Jonah Pezet, 7. Mitchell Moses (c), 8. J’maine Hopgood, 9. Ryley Smith, 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Jack Williams, 12. Kitione Kautoga, 13. Jack De Belin, 14. Dylan Walker, 15. Sam Tuivaiti, 16. Matt Doorey, 17. Tallyn Da Silva, 18. Kelma Tuilagi, 19. Joash Papalii, 20. Jordan Samrani, 21. Charlie Guymer, 22. Teancum Brown
Match Preview
The Storm have never lost a Round 1 match under Craig Bellamy’s watch and flogged the Eels in this exact fixture one year ago. After a strong finish to 2025, Jason Ryles gets another chance to break a streak the Storm have protected for over two decades.
Melbourne kicks off the 2026 season on the back of a second straight Grand Final loss. They remain the benchmark of the competition. That said, they have lost several players in the short space between October and now and present a slightly different-looking side to the one that faced the Broncos. Still, everyone knows Bellamy could polish a third-grader into a consistent first-grader if he wanted to, so whoever pulls on that jersey will be fit, firing, and fully aware of the importance of starting the season with a win.
The Eels, meanwhile, finished 2025 on a red-hot streak, including a victory over the eventual premiers (the Broncos) on their home turf. They ended the season in 11th place, despite looking wooden spoon-bound for much of the year. It was a significant tick of approval for Ryles, who rebuilt the side from the ground up and oversaw rapid improvement across the season. Parramatta will be keen to continue that momentum and start fast.
Melbourne features Sua Fa’alogo as the full-time fullback for the first time following the departure of Ryan Papenhuyzen. Nick Meaney shifts to the wing to cover for the injured Xavier Coates, while Moses Leo moves into the centres. An entirely new-look back row of Joe Chan, Ativalu Lisati, and Alec MacDonald replaces Eli Katoa, Shawn Blore, and Trent Loiero, who are all unavailable. Although named in the team list, Jack Howarth has reportedly been battling a groin injury and could be a late change.
The Eels are close to full strength, with their only notable absence being gun winger Josh Addo-Carr. His injury sees Sean Russell shift to the wing and Brian Kelly come into the centres.
There are match-ups across the park that will define this contest. Harry Grant remains the key to Melbourne’s momentum and clearly outmatches his opposite number, Ryley Smith. The Storm pack has slightly more size, while the Eels’ forward unit is built on mobility and speed. A glimpse of how Parramatta may approach this game was evident in the trials against the Roosters’ larger pack, where they opted for shorter passes and strong line running rather than a traditional, middle-heavy approach.
The halves battle shapes as a highlight, with Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster lining up against Mitchell Moses and former Storm player Jonah Pezet. As a combination, the Storm pairing has the runs on the board by a country mile. You know what you’ll get: Hughes will steer the ship and Munster will provide the spark. However, Moses arguably boasts the best kicking game in the NRL and can turn a poor set into a strong one, which may offset periods where Parramatta struggles to generate metres through the middle. All eyes will be on how he combines with Pezet in their first official outing together.
Out wide, the contest appears evenly balanced. Both sides have reshuffled backlines and lack their strongest combinations. Former All Blacks Sevens player Leo may be targeted, given his limited NRL experience. Bailey Simonsson played very little NRL last year and could show signs of rust, although the aerial threat of Coates leaping over him will not factor into this contest.
Overall, with the quality of the spine players on both sides, expect a fast, high-completion, end-to-end battle. It may ultimately come down to whichever team “blinks” first — whether through an unforced error or a missed tackle that shifts momentum.
The key statistics do not favour the Eels. The Storm have never lost a round 1 match under Bellamy. They have won 30 of their 48 meetings with Parramatta and boast a 76 per cent winning record at AAMI Park. If statistics alone told the story, Melbourne would be a shoo-in. However, new combinations and personnel changes can disrupt even the best teams, at least temporarily. The Eels will be desperate to atone for last year’s corresponding fixture and, at close to full-strength, should provide a genuine contest.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Eels by 2 points.
Bold call: Pezet will star against his former team and seal the game with a late try.
Related
- NRL Round 1 (Week 2) 2026 Predictions & Tips
- NRL Round 1 Team Lists – 2026 Season
- NRL 2026 Results Tracker
- 2026 NRL Match Review Results Tracker: Charges, Suspensions & Fines
