TIO Stadium will play host to Friday's Round 7 NRL game between Parramatta Eels and Dolphins. The game kicks off at 8:00 pm with Parramatta Eels heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Parramatta Eels vs. Dolphins game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday April 19, 2024 at 8:00 pm

Where: TIO Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Parramatta Eels vs Dolphins Odds

Parramatta Eels vs Dolphins Preview

After securing their first win since Mitchell Moses entered the casualty ward, Parramatta is aiming to stay in touch with the NRL’s front-runner with back-to-back victories. Meanwhile, the injury-hit Dolphins are striving to avoid consecutive losses for the first time in 2024 on trip to Darwin.

A makeshit halves combination of Dylan Brown and Daejarn Asi was crucial to the Eels’ 27-20 home win over the Cowboys in Round 6, arresting a two-game slide. Clint Gutherson and J’Maine Hopgood were also key contributors.

Rookie back Blaize Talagi gets a bench recall for Kelma Tuilagi in the Eels’ sole change.

Already reeling from Herbie Farnworth’s injury, the Dolphins lost Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 20 minutes into last Friday’s derby against the Broncos as a narrow 6-4 deficit unravelled into a 28-4 scoreline before they grabbed a couple of garbage-time tries in a 28-14 loss – their first since Round 1.

Isaiya Katoa’s ongoing development in the No.7 was once again the biggest positive takeaway, while Mark Nicholls and Jarrod Wallace were good off the bench.

Queensland Cup star Trai Fuller replaces the ‘Hammer’ at fullback, while Max Plath is back from suspension at lock and Sean O’Sullivan replaces the suspended Anthony Milford on the bench.

The teams’ only clash during the Dolphins’ debut season saw Parramatta romp to a 48-20 win on the Sunshine Coast, with Clint Gutherson and Will Penisini grabbing doubles.

This is the 10th time the Eels have taken a game to Darwin, where they won six of the first seven but crashed to losses to Queensland teams in the last two – 35-4 to the Cowboys in 2022 and 26-16 to the Broncos in 2023.

The Dolphins made hay through a cruisy (by the NRL’s standards, at least) opening-month schedule but with some key outs, this is their acid test – and they’ve been installed as 7.5-point underdogs here.

The Eels should find a way on Friday night, but with only one of nine games in Darwin producing more than 42 points (and each of the Dolphins’ last seven night games going under) that’s the direction for punters to head in this one.

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Parramatta Eels vs Dolphins Tip

Parramatta Eels vs Dolphins Teams

Eels team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Morgan Harper 5. Sean Russell 6. Daejarn Asi 7. Dylan Brown 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Luca Moretti 15. Ryan Matterson 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Blaize Talagi 18. Brendan Hands 19. Kelma Tuilagi 20. Wiremu Greig 21. Makahesi Makatoa 22. Maika Sivo

Dolphins team: 1. Trai Fuller 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Tesi Niu 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Kenny Bromwich 12. Euan Aitken 13. Max Plath 14. Josh Kerr 15. Sean O’Sullivan 16. Ray Stone 17. Jarrod Wallace 18. Oryn Keeley 19. Edrick Lee 20. Mason Teague 21. Valynce Te Whare 22. Jeremiah Simbiken