The NSWRL holds its first Regional Magic Round at Tamworth’s Scully Park this weekend with five Round 10 games from The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, and six matches from across the local Group 4 men’s and women’s competitions. Here’s a preview from the fifth and final NSW Cup match at Scully Park.
Parramatta Eels v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs – 3pm Sunday 11 May
The second-placed Eels are swimming along nicely after nine rounds with six wins and a draw, while the Bulldogs are on the cusp of the top five to make finals with a 4-4 win-loss record so far.
The Belmore club had been a little stop-start in their opening matches but since the Round Six bye the Bulldogs have piled on 17 tries and conceded just six.
Winger Jethro Rinakama is his side’s top try-scorer with eight, which puts him third in the NSW Cup. Five-eighth Cassius Tia (pictured above: NRL Photos) has seven try assists making him a powerful points ally in the Bulldogs’ line-up.
Parramatta speedster Haze Dunster is in the top four for line-breaks (eight) and has 29 tackle-busts, with the Eels also benefitting from the presence and solid kicking of 2023 NSW Cup Player of the Year and Premiership-winning halfback Dean Hawkins.
He came out west this year after five seasons with South Sydney Rabbitohs and has already played four NRL games for the Eels.
Parramatta’s back row also has some familiar NRL names in Bryce Cartwright and Ryan Matterson, who together have made 13 offloads in five games together.
Kiwis international and Eels legend Nathan Cayless is in his third year of coaching the NSW Cup side and might be thinking he has the side to add to Parramatta’s eight premierships – the most recent being the hat-trick of trophies from 2005-2007.
The Bulldogs have tasted NSW Cup success more recently being Premiers in 2018 and runners-up in 2022.
Click here to purchase tickets for the NSWRL Regional Magic Round.
