The Eels have hit the board early with hooker Joey Lussick taking advantage of some soft Penrith goal line defence and diving over from dummy-half.
After 7 minutes, the Eels lead the Panthers 6-0 at BlueBet Stadium.
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MATCH CENTRE: Panthers vs. Eels teams, stats, video
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MATCH PREVIEW
In what is one of the NRL’s great grudge matches, the Penrith Panthers play host to the Parramatta Eels in The Battle of the West.
Both teams had differing fates in Round 1 with the Panthers failing to hit the scoreboard in a shock 8-0 loss to Melbourne, while Parramatta needed to start hot after a down 2023. They did, proving too classy for the Bulldogs in a 26-8 win.
While the Panthers have been far and away the best team in the NRL over the past four to five years, winning three premierships, Parramatta have had the wood over their western Sydney rivals in the regular season.
The Eels have won four of their last five meetings against Penrith, with the exception coming in the 2022 grand final when the Panthers saluted 28-12.
The Panthers are boosted by a couple of key additions with starting hooker Mitch Kenny and starting backer rower Scott Sorensen returning.
Eels coach Brad Arthur has named an unchanged side. Halfback Mitch Moses battled with a groin injury during last week’s win against the Dogs but stayed on the park for the duration of the game and has been passed fit to play tonight.
TEAMS
Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Taylan May 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Luke Garner 18. Daine Laurie 18th man: 14. Soni Luke
Eels team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Morgan Harper 5. Sean Russell 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 16. Joe Ofahengaue 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood 10. Junior Paulo 14. Brendan Hands 15. Ryan Matterson 17. Kelma Tuilagi 18th man: 20. Luca Moretti
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