The Tip Sheet

The NRLW and NSWWP come to the fore this weekend with a bye round putting the men's competitions on the backburner. While both teams are looking to snap back from losses last weekend their respective seasons stand in deeply contrasting situations. The NSWWP are looking to keep touch with the breakaway group at the top of the ladder while in the NRLW the Eels desparately trying to disengage the handbrake. Sixties and Forty20 take a deep dive into both games as the Eels suit up to take on the Wenty Magpies in reserve grade and the Gold Coast Titans in the NRLW.

And just like that the Parramatta Eels and Jarome Luai have confirmed that their unlikely partnership for 2027 is very much real and official after the club put out a press release on Tuesday afternoon announcing that the premiership and Origin winning half was joining the Blue & Gold next year. Luai, a polarising figure in the code, has understandably split fans on whether it is the right move for the Eels but regardless of where you stand there it is ultimately the first major move Parramatta have made for next season since signing Jaydn Su'A. Sixties and Forty20 reflect on the news and the significance of the signing and ruminate on who could be next as the media link the Eels to Jack Howarth. As always, the boys go around the NRL to scope out the latest happenings. The NRL is prepared to make an allowance for Mark Nawaqanitawase to play in the World Cup while Josh Hannay has unloaded on officials after his team went down to the Melbourne Storm in Round 19. All that and more in another live edition of The Tip Sheet.

Daniel Tupou got his magic milestone game as the 300-gamer notched a hat-trick on Saturday night. For the Parramatta Eels though, it was a case of some genuinely gutsy defence getting worn down by a string of errors as the Roosters took an age to capitalise on a gargantuan gap in possession and territory. Sixties and Forty20 review the Round 19 loss in a game where the Eels were all heart but came up short against a top-of-the-table side.

Another mammoth preview podcast sees The Tip Sheet covering five grades, some massive news out of the Tigers (for which you should also check Ep 74 for more in depth thoughts) and a rapid fire review of Origin III. Sixties and Forty20 run right through the Flegg all the way to NRL as the Eels face the Roosters in the mens footy and the Dragons/Steelers in the ladies this week. With only the NRLW dropping their game last week the Blue & Gold now have a terrific chance to build across Saturday and Sunday - so how do they stack up? Lincoln Fletcher is set to make his NSW Cup debut in Round 19 as he rejoins Lorenzo Talataina in the halves. It adds an extra layer of interest to the Cup this week as the Eels ramp up their development in reserve grade. In the NRLW, Parramatta will be looking for a vastly improved effort after they slumped to a disappointing loss to the Tigers in Round 1 while the NRL squad will be looking to play spoilers to Daniel Tupou's 300th cap on Saturday night.

The NRL was rocked by a breaking report today that the Wests Tigers had given Jarome Luai permission to sign with other clubs for the 2027 season following his decision to link with the PNG Chiefs from 2028. That situation has swiftly evolved into the Parramatta Eels leading the chase for his short term services as they look to simultaneously install a star next to Mitchell Moses and keep the pipeline open for a number of highly touted halves prospects. Sixties and Forty20 convene for an emergency podcast as the wheels whir into motion for the Eels. Of all the potential players - could Luai be the signing to ignite some recruitment momentum for the Blue & Gold?

The NRL is set for an explosive expansion of the salary cap in the wake of the a massive windfall from the new media deal. With rumours suggesting the figure could be around 20 million dollars, the landscape of the code will be changed forever. Sixties and Forty20 tackle the mind-blowing numbers in a live edition of The Tip Sheet. Meanwhile, in Parradise the Eels are reloading after a largely successful weekend against the Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers. Injury and suspension have struck both the NRL and NRLW as Jason Ryles and Steve Georgallis turn to young options to replace Sean Russell (Quadriceps, Rd 23) and Boss Kapua (Suspension, Rd 4). Lincoln Fletcher is set to make his NSW Cup debut this week in an exciting iteration of Team List Tuesday. The big decider for State of Origin takes place tomorrow night - who will prevail? The boys give their finals thoughts on the game before going around the code to discuss the latest bits and bobs.

Just as we all expected! The Parramatta Eels were too tough and too hungry for the lowly Sea Eagles. In a complete reversal of their respective ladder positions it was the Blue & Gold that largely dictated terms to Manly on the first Sunday of July. The stunning upset came on the back of some of the feistiest and energetic play of the Eels from the whole season - with a few comical moments for both sides. Sixties and Forty20 celebrate a tremendous upset victory as the Eels set things right after a disappointing loss to South Sydney last week!

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 71: Rd 18/Rd 1 Previews by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 70: The Pure Andy Raymond Experience by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 69: NRLW Kicks Off, League Locks In New Broadcast Deal by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 68: A Nightmare on Eels Lane by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 67: Round 17 Supershow (News & Previews) by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 66: More Bye Week BSing, Origin II & Klein Drama by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 65: I Guess Close Enough Is Sometimes Good Enough by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 64: Rd 15 Preview vs Raiders by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 64: Rd 15 Preview vs Raiders by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 63: No Rest For The Wounded by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 62: One For The Sickos by The Cumberland Throw

The Eels and the Bulldogs meet across all three grades in Round 14 with the two clubs surprisingly evenly matched in the Flegg, Cup and NRL. Sixties and Forty20 preview an age-old rivalry against the back drop of the King's Birthday long weekend and the Monday games. With Kiraz and Crichton potentially in doubt, how do the two teams stack up? The boys discuss how the Eels can complete the sweep on their Western Sydney rivals and what challenges face them in that task.

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 60: Eels Missing Moses, Eagles Subscribe to Foztel by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 59: Knights Error-ant, Eels Show Courage But Lack Composure by The Cumberland Throw

Chris Ricketts joins Forty20 to preview all of the Round 13 action against the Newcastle Knights in the latest episode of The Tip Sheet. The boys make a quick pit stop to check in on the two Origin results as NSW stole Game 1 from QLD in controversial circumstances on Wednesday while the Blues completed a historic series sweep on Thursday night. It is a triple header at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday as the Eels and the Knights clash across the Jersey Flegg Cup, NSW Cup and NRL. Forty20 and Chris break down all three grades as the Eels look to surge out of the bye. With Mitchell Moses and Jonah Pezet ruled out this week, the burden falls on Ronald Volkman and Joash Papalii in the halves - can the rest of the team lift in order to make their jobs easier? Likewise there are concerns over the lightweight pack the Eels have named this week. How do they find a way to stack up against the in-form Newcastle middles?

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 57: More Eels Hurt As Abdo Resigns by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 56: Bye Week BSing by The Cumberland Throw

An embarrassing inability to complete a multitude of premium attacking opportunities has cost the Eels dearly in Magic Round. While the Melbourne Storm eventually ran out easy winners on the scoreboard, Parramatta squandered an infuriating amount of chances to seize both the initiative and the momentum on Saturday night. Sixties and Forty20 debrief on the incredibly frustrating loss as the Eels now move into a bye and look to reset with some key players hopefully back in the fold in Round 13.

Some big NRL news interrupts the preview podcast as Sixties and Forty20 discuss the most recent developments surrounding Luke Metcalf and Ivan and Nathan Cleary. The Dragons continue their spending spree as they look to remodel their roster after signing Metcalf for 3-years while Ivan Cleary's decision to step back from coaching at the end of 2027 has created intense speculation around Nathan's future. As for the Eels - because this is a Parramatta focused podcast after all - they are in action in the NSW Cup and the NRL as both grades play out of a singular venue this weekend. For the NRL it is Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium while the NSW Cup is hosting its Festival of Footy at North Sydney Oval. The boys preview both games as the Cup look to bounce back from a heavy loss to the Bears while the NRL are looking to build on a crazy win over the Cowboys and bury some Magic Round hoodoos against the Storm.

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 53: Magic Round Madness, Metcalf Mania by The Cumberland Throw

It is time to wrap up the 2026 Junior Representatives following campaigns that saw the Parramatta Eels progress at least to the second week of the finals in all four grades. Of course the headline act was the Tarsha Gale Cup and their dominant defence of their 2025 title but Sixties and Forty20 are joined by Steve Georgallis to defrief the Harold Matthews, Lisa Fiaola and SG Ball Cups as well.

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 51: Gilded Boot, Golden Point; Eels & Moses Find A Way by The Cumberland Throw

Round 10 sees the Eels traveling all the way North to Townsville as Parramatta face off with the gunslinging Cowboys. The Tip Sheet has the Spaghetti Western music blaring and the tumbleweeds rolling and Sixties and Forty20 get their hands over their holsters and ready to draw in the blink of an eye. All signs point to a massive shootout on Friday night as the boys break down the keys to victory. The lower grades have a mixed slate of opponents. The NSW Cup will host the high flying Bears while the Jersey Flegg welcome the Kaiviti Silktails to Kellyville in a bumper double header at Eels HQ.

The North Queensland Cowboys are square in Parramatta's iron sights this week as the Eels head to Townsville for a gunfight in the tropics. It just so happens that the Eels are also targeting a Cowboy off the field with reports emerging today that Harrison Edwards could be a midseason transfer to the Blue & Gold. Forty20 is the lone sheriff in town this week as The Tip Sheet shoots from the hip. The weekend in review features wins for every grade beyond the NRL including a historic double for the Tarsha Gale. The pain just piles on for first grade as Ryley Smith and Will Penisini are both consigned to the injury ward. That directly impact Team List Tuesday as coach Jason Ryles continues to try and make adjustments on the fly with whoever and whatever he has available. The Cowboys flavoured podcast leans into a shootout on Friday night but the NRL is in a perpetual state of shootouts presently with the points flowing to an absurd degree. The Round 9 wrap looks at some of the more telling score lines as the field starts to shake out. Jahream Bula has inked a long term deal with the Tigers, Daniel Saifiti has bowed out of the NRL due to a shoulder injury while Cody Ramsey had an emotional return to first grade in the best (and worst) bits of the round.

Plenty of courage, some silly errors and ill-timed defensive lapses along with a handful of baffling calls. Sound familiar? Welcome to Ground-Eel Day. The class of the Warriors prevailed in the end in a tough Round 9 slugfest with the Eels but it was a torrid battle until the final 17-minutes. Sixties and Forty20 unpack another tough loss for the Blue & Gold as they continue to show plenty of fight but remain guilty of getting in their own way. The spectre of injury also looms large once again with Ryley Smith succumbing to an incredibly painful sternum injury.

The Warriors are rolling into town in Round 9 as The Tip Sheet previews a trio of contests against the New Zealand franchise across the NRL, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg. Craig, John and Chris go into extra depth in the Flegg and Cup this week as the Eels make some bold calls surrounding the acceleration of some talented prospects including Cameron Bamblett, Ryda Talagi and Chris Petrus. Parramatta were let down by a sloppy third quarter against the red hot Sea Eagles last week - can they lock in for the 2nd placed Warriors on Saturday? The show discusses some crucial selection decisions while the boys speculate on some possible changes to the team to combat the outstanding forward pack of the Warriors.

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 46: Tarsha Gale Cup Grand Final Preview by The Cumberland Throw

The youth takeover in the NSW Cup is very much on the cards in Round 9 as Ryda Talagi and Chris Petrus win positions in reserve grade. They join the likes of Lorenzo Talataina, Zack Visconti, Trace Beattie and fellow Round 9 promotee Jack Hudson in an aggressive revamp of the team following a victory over the Sea Eagles on Sunday. Sixties and Forty20 break down all the team news out of Team List Tuesday with the Eels getting a pair of players back this week in Jordan Samrani and Jonah Pezet. Araz Nanva has earned an extension, albeit to the end of 2027, for his strong early form this year while the Tarsha Gale are through to the big dance as they look to defend their title. Four Eels will turn out for NSW and QLD on Thursday night in the Women's State of Origin match - who earned the call ups from the Blue & Gold? The Chiefs have struck some decisive recruitment blows with the signature of Alex Johnston and the rumoured acquisition of Jerome Luai. It is a massive start to the recruitment drive but are things doing as well in Perth? Their Head of Football has departed and rumours of an unsettled football department are gaining momentum.

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 44: Second Half Slumber Costs Eels Dearly by The Cumberland Throw

The Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale Cups are both still very much defending their reigning premierships as both teams enter their Grand Final Qualifiers in red hot form. After earning the week off, both the Fiaola and Gale Cup squads will be fully charged to take on the Bulldogs and Roosters respectively as they look to book a date in the big dance next week. Sixties and Forty20 analyse each team and how they match up against two of their more prevalent rivals in recent times with the Eels, Bulldogs and Roosters all carving out a dominant slice of the Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale Cups.

Chris Ricketts is back! The Tip Sheet, like the Eels, gets some reinforcements for ANZAC Round as the boys preview a trio of games against the Manly Sea Eagles. The boys break down Flegg, Cup and NRL match ups against the Eels' fraternal twin in the Sea Eagles. The returns of Sean Russell and Kelma Tuilagi cause a trickle down impact of playing talent for Parramatta. In the Flegg there is also a significant injection of SG Ball talent as Cameron Bamblett, Ryda Talagi, Chris Petrus and presumably Jackson Koina bolster the side. How big of an influence can they have for the Eels? Kieran Foran has the Sea Eagles flying on a 3-game winning streak while Jason Ryles snapped the Eels out of a funk with their stunning upset of the Bulldogs in Round 7. So who prevails on Sunday?

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 41: ANZAC Round Reinforcements by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 40: Parra Proud by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 39: Round 7 Preview vs Bulldogs by The Cumberland Throw

The Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale Cup squads have earned the week off due to their combination of Top 4 finishes and first week victories in the finals. They now enjoy a bye and a ticket directly to the grand final qualifier. That leaves the Harold Matthews and SG Ball Cup to fly the Blue & Gold flag this week as curiously, both teams will meet the minor premiers after a pair of upset results in the upper brackets last week. Sixties and Forty20 preview the two matches on Saturday at Eric Tweedale Stadium as the Matts look to unseat the Knights while the Ball get a shot at redemption against the Rabbitohs. Join the boys as they look at all they key ins and outs, what we know about the opposition and who needs to stand tall on the weekend for the Eels.

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 37: Eels Land Key Target But Injury Crisis Hits DEFCON1 by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 36: Contemptible Eels Thrashed As Effort Flat Lines by The Cumberland Throw

All four Parramatta squads in the junior pathways have qualified for the finals and the first week of games brings some doozies. We have derby rematches in the Tarsha Gale and SG Ball Cups as the Eels play back-to-back games against the Canterbury Bulldogs. The Lisa Fiola will face the Central Coast Roosters while the Harold Matthews will host the Canberra Raiders. Sixties and Forty20 preview all four games and how the Eels stack up with some familiar opponents. The girls both will have a second chance by virtue of their Top 4 finishes while it is sudden death for the boys in a massive Saturday at Ringrose Park.

Outwit. Outplay. Outlast. The Survivor creed is being put to the test by the Parramatta Eels - particularly the whole outlast part. A heart-breaking loss to the Tigers has seen them lose Bailey Simonsson, Apa Twidle, Jonah Pezet and Sean Russell for varying lengths of time ranging from the season to a game or two. Just another four more bodies to pile into the burgeoning injury ward for the Eels. Who does Jason Ryles turn to? Does he even have 22 healthy players to name this week? Sixties and Forty20 put on their finest PPE as they attempt to avoid injuries covering the week that was and the week that will be for the Blue & Gold. The boys break down a very broken down Team List Tuesday with Araz Nanva set to make his NRL debut...but could there be more rookies in the mix this week? The Weekend Wrap at least has some joy to be found in the lower grades as all four pathways squads qualified for the finals. Stuff happened in the NRL, of that I am certain but it all feels a bit distant given the disastrous sequence of events plaguing the Eels. Still, the boys review Round 5 as the inconsistent results continue to fly in from all angles while the injury bug reaches some of Parramatta's competitors.

They may have fallen agonisingly short of a spectacular Easter Monday triumph amidst a barrage of injuries and awful calls but there was plenty of pride in the jersey from the Eels in Round 5. Sixties and Forty20 try to make sense of the chaos after Parramatta were defeated in golden point by the Tigers as the playing field became a triage unit for the battered Blue & Gold. Who was left standing for the club as we now face a short turnaround against the Gold Coast Titans?

The traditional Easter Monday classic is upon us as the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers clash on the long weekend staple in Round 5. The Tip Sheet previews a fascinating match-up with the resurgent Tigers meeting the wounded Eels. Can the Blue & Gold prevail amidst questions surrounding their depth and defensive approach? Sixties and Forty20 cover the three senior games across the Jersey Flegg, NSW Cup and the main event in the NRL. All three grades are feeling the ripple effects on the injuries in first grade, how prepared is each team to cover for them?

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 31 : Junior Reps Rd 9 Previews vs Bulldogs by The Cumberland Throw

The Tip Sheet – 2026 Ep 30: Eels Face Critical Roster Crunch by The Cumberland Throw

Anything that could go wrong did for the Parramatta Eels in Round 4. Up against the formidable Penrith Panthers, the Eels stalled out early on with weak defence and simple errors compounding their situation. Penrith were too good in every phase and despite something of a fightback in which the Eels showed the ability to trouble the Panthers' vaunted defence...a litany of injuries have officially placed the Blue & Gold in crisis mode. Matt Doorey has a suspected ACL rupture while Isaiah Iongi, victim of a hip-drop tackle, could be facing a hefty stint on the sidelines if syndesmosis is in play. On top of that, Ryley Smith departed the game in the 33rd minute and failed to feature in his usual second stint. Sixties and Forty20 attempt to sift through the carnage and try to separate the home truths for the team from some genuinely miserable bad luck as the Eels try to recoup their losses for the upcoming Easter Monday clash with the Tigers.