NRLW teams round six: Rachael Pearson’s Eels eyeing top four ahead of clash with struggling Dragons

The fifth-placed Parramatta Eels are desperate to crack a spot in the top four, with halfback Rachael Pearson primed for a crucial role as she comes up against her former side the Dragons in round six. See the full NRLW teams analysis.

St George Illawarra will be facing the prospect of a second straight year outside of the finals when they meet a Rachael Pearson-led Parramatta side on Saturday.

With the season just past its halfway point, Dragons captain Raecene McGregor and coach Jamie Soward are under pressure to save their season from a disastrous 1-5 start.

And they’ll have to do it against an Eels outfit smarting from a touch-up from reigning premiers Newcastle last-start that bundled them out of the top four.

Parramatta coach Steve Georgallis blamed their defeat on an uncharacteristic slow start.

“It was a difficult way to start the game, we haven’t started like that before and it was disappointing for all of us that we started that way,” Georgallis said of their display.

“We did enough to get back into the game in the second half … just lost a little bit of momentum in that middle period. It wasn’t our best game.”

In a boost for the Parramatta, Lindsay Tui will come back into the fold for the Eels.

For the Dragons, a loss would rule them out of any chance of an NRLW finals hope, with the team needing to win the remainder of their games to have half a chance.

Rachael Pearson will be looking to lead the Eels into the top four. Picture: Russell Freeman/Getty Images

Experienced centre Bobbi Law is back from injury, while Soward has opted to shift Zali Hopkins back to hook and Kasey Reh at five-eighth.

Newcastle superstar Jesse Southwell is a chance to return for the Knights, but after a strong performance last week, Evie Jones has kept the no. 7 jersey.

The Roosters have been hit with another blow, missing injured and suspended winger Jayme Fressard for at least the next two weeks.

She will be replaced by lock Taina Naividi who will shift to the wing.

Brisbane prop Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala is also back from suspension after completing a four-game ban.

NRLW ROUND 6 TEAMS

Titans v Sharks
Saturday, 11.05am, Cbus Stadium, Gold Coast

Titans

1. Evania Pelite 2. Georgia Grey 3. Jaime Chapman 4. Niall Williams-Guthrie 5. Emily Bass 6. Sienna Lofipo 7. Lauren Brown 8. Shannon Mato 9. Brittany Breayley-Nati 10. Jessika Elliston 11. Zara Canfield 12. Shaylee Bent 13. Georgia Hale

Interchange: 14. Lily-Rose Kolc 15. Laikha Clarke 16. Rilee Jorgensen 17. Matekino Gray

Reserves: 18. Lailani Montgomery 19. Hailee-Jay Maunsell 20. Dannii Perese 21. Ngatokotoru Arakua 22. Georgia Sim

Sharks

1. Cassie Staples 2. Nakia Davis-Welsh 3. Tiana Penitani 4. Annessa Biddle 5. Georgia Ravics 6. Emma Tonegato 7. Tayla Preston 8. Ellie Johnston 9. Quincy Dodd 10. Holli Wheeler 11. Vanessa Foliaki 12. Rhiannon Byers 13. Brooke Anderson

Interchange: 14. Sharni Smale 15. Chloe Saunders 16. Manilita Takapautolo 17. Tegan Dymock

Reserves: 18. Filomina Hanisi 19. Dominique Du Toit 20. Talei Holmes 21. Georgia Hannaway 22. Andie Robinson

Eels v Dragons

Saturday, 12.45pm, Commbank Stadium, Sydney

Eels

1. Abbi Church 2. Zali Fay 3. Rory Owen 4. Rosie Kelly 5. Monique Donovan 6. Cassey Tohi-Hiku 7. Rachael Pearson 8. Elsie Albert 9. Taneka Todhunter 10. Madeline Jones 11. Chloe Jackson 12. Mahalia Murphy 13. Kennedy Cherrington

Interchange: 14. Rosemarie Beckett 15. Tyla Amiatu 16. Jade Fonua 17. Lindsay Tui

Reserves: 18. Breanna Eales 19. Ruby-Jean Kennard 20. Chelsea Makira 21. Mia Middleton 23. Tafao Asaua

Dragons

1. Teagan Berry 2. Maatuleio Fotu-moala 3. Keele Browne 4. Bobbi Law 5. Alice Gregory 6. Kasey Reh 7. Raecene Mcgregor 8. Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa 9. Zali Hopkins 10. Madison Mulhall 11. Shenai Lendill 12. Ella Koster 13. Alexis Tauaneai

Interchange: 14. Sophie Clancy 15. Tayla Curtis 16. Jamilee Bright 17. Steph Hancock

Reserves: 18. Jordyn Preston 19. Charlotte Basham 20. Kimberley Hunt 21. Kaarla Cowan 22. Bronte Wilson

Knights v Tigers

Sunday, 12pm, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

Knights

1. Tamika Upton 2. Tenika Willison 3. Shanice Parker 4. Abigail Roache 5. Lilly-Ann White 6. Georgia Roche 7. Evie Jones 8. Rima Butler 9. Olivia Higgins 10. Simone Karpani 11. Laishon Albert-Jones 12. Yasmin Clydsdale 13. Hannah Southwell

Interchange: 14. Nita Maynard 15. Kayla Romaniuk 16. Tayla Predebon 17. Grace Kukutai

Reserves: 18. Sheridan Gallagher 19. Jules Kirkpatrick 20. Viena Tinao 21. Isabella Waterman 22. Jesse Southwell

Tigers

1. Botille Vette-Welsh 2. Rebecca Pollard 3. Leianne Tufuga 4. Shaianne McGlone 5. Tiana-Lee Thorne 6. Pauline Piliae 7. Losana Lutu 8. Sarah Togatuki 9. Salma Nour 10. Christian Pio 11. Brooke Talataina 12. Montana Clifford 13. Najvada George’

Interchange: 14. Sophie Curtain 15. Natasha Penitani 16. Tara Reinke 17. Ebony Prior

Reserves: 18. Tess Staines 19. Jessica Kennedy 20. Claudia Nielsen 21. Iemaima Etuale 22. Evie Mcgrath

Broncos v Cowboys

Sunday, 1.45pm, Totally Workwear Stadium, Brisbane

Broncos

1. Hayley Maddick 2. Julia Robinson 3. Mele Hufanga 4. Shenae Ciesiolka 5. Stacey Waaka 6. Gayle Broughton 7. Ali Brigginshaw 8. Brianna Clark 9. Jada Ferguson 10. Chelsea Lenarduzzi 11. Tazmin Rapana 12. Romy Teitzel 13. Keilee Joseph

Interchange: 14. Destiny Brill 15. Tafito Lafaele 16. Lavinia Gould 17. Annetta Nuuausala

Reserves: 18. Lauren Dam 19. Skyla Adams 20. Mariah Denman 21. Jasmine Fogavini 22. Bree Spreadborough

Cowboys

1. Krystal Blackwell 2. Vitalina Naikore 3. Jakiya Whitfeld 4. Jasmine Peters 5. Libby Surha 6. Tahlulah Tillett 7. Kirra Dibb 8. Tallisha Harden 9. Emma Manzelmann 10. Harata Butler 11. China Polata 12. Tiana Raftstrand-Smith 13. Bree Chester

Interchange: 14. Jetaya Faifua 15. Lily Peacock 16. Sareka Mooka 17. Shaniah Power

Reserves: 18. Francesca Goldthorp 19. Ebony Raftstrand-Smith 20. Lillian Yarrow 22. Shellie Long 23. Lavinia Tauhalaliku

Roosters v Raiders

Sunday, 6.10pm, Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Roosters

1. Sam Bremner 2. Taina Naividi 3. Jasmine Strange 4. Isabelle Kelly 5. Mia Wood 6. Jocelyn Kelleher 7. Tarryn Aiken 8. Millie Elliott 9. Keeley Davis 10. Otesa Pule 11. Amber Hall 12. Olivia Kernick 13. Tiana Davison

Interchange: 14. Tavarna Papalii 15. Pani Hopoate 16. Samantha Economos 17. Eliza Lopamaua

Reserves: 18. Shannon Rose 20. Brydie Parker

Raiders

1. Apii Nicholls 2. Madison Bartlett 3. Cheyelle Robins-Reti 4. Mackenzie Wiki 5. Shakiah Tungai 6. Zahara Temara 7. Ash Quinlan 8. Tommaya Kelly-Sines 9. Chante Temara 10. Sophie Holyman 11. Monalisa Soliola 12. Hollie Dodd 13. Simaima Taufa

Interchange: 14. Emma Barnes 15. Grace Kemp 16. Kerehitina Matua 17. Sereana Naitokatoka

Reserves: 18. Felice Quinlan 19. Georgia Willey 20. Tatiana Finau 21. Amelia Pasikala 22. Alanna Dummett

Originally published as NRLW teams round six: Rachael Pearson’s Eels eyeing top four ahead of clash with struggling Dragons