Newcastle Knights v Parramatta Eels Tips & Preview

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Match Analysis

The clearest line on the Round 13 card. Parramatta go in catastrophically undermanned: Mitchell Moses is OUT with the hamstring strain that pulled him from Origin (Volkman steps into the halfback jersey alongside Joash Papalii, who shifts from fullback to five-eighth), and Junior Paulo is OUT for 8 weeks after a knee arthroscope. Jack Williams captains in Paulo's absence. Isaiah Iongi returns from an ankle injury at fullback, which is one positive, but a half-strength halves pairing against a top-six side at home is a brutal start.

Justin Holbrook has stuck with the same starting Newcastle side that downed the Titans in Magic Round. Kalyn Ponga and Jacob Saifiti both back up from Origin — both will be tired but neither played 80 minutes Wednesday and both have had three days. Thomas Cant is the only new face on the six-man interchange. Knights are class up front and Ponga at the back gives them broken-field threat the Eels simply can't match.

$1.25 ML offers no value. −14.5 is the play — expect Knights to be up by 18+ at half-time and cruise. Margin 13+ at $1.70 is the alternate angle if you prefer cleaner pricing on the cover.

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