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Important update on 1476AMParramatta eager to fight on despite huge injury toll
Annabelle Banfield, AAP •  April 11th, 2026 3:02 pm
Will Penisini will be back for Parramatta against Gold Coast in some good news for Eels fans | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
Parramatta's crippling injury toll continues to rise but the Eels are not in the mood to feel sorry for themselves in their bid to return to winning ways against Gold Coast.
Eight players with a combined 361 games of experience will be missing for the Eels after Bailey Simonsson, Sean Russell, Jonah Pezet and debutant Apa Twidle were all injured in last week's heartbreaking 22-20 overtime loss to Wests Tigers.
They join J'Maine Hopgood, Isaiah Iongi, Matt Doorey and Jordan Samrani on the sidelines for Sunday's clash at Comm Bank Stadium.
But Parramatta will be boosted by the return of Will Penisini at centre after he recovered from a groin injury sustained in the round-two loss to Melbourne.
The 23-year-old, who already has 101 games under his belt, admitted it was 'frustrating' to watch the team struggle in recent weeks.
"No player wants to sit on the sideline and watch their team play," Penisini said.
Apa Twidle, who scored two tries last week, is injured and will sit out the Titans clash | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
"Especially if you think you can get out there and make a difference, but it was a lesson of patience for me individually."
The Eels are proud of the depth they've developed in pre-season but didn't expect to call on their squad players so early in the campaign.
"We're building on a culture that we're very connected on and off the field," Penisini said.
"For the boys that are getting the opportunities, they've trained hard, they've earned it, and it gives us a bit of motivation to go out and play harder for them.
"A lot of them are local juniors. It's also exciting for us to see those boys come up and do a job, that's what we want to build as a club.
"So we're not pulling the victim card with these injuries, but obviously it's unfortunate and we're sad for those boys that have got injured."
Currently adjacent on the ladder, the 14th-placed Eels are wary of the 15th-placed Titans.
"They've obviously got strike all over the ground and some special players that can make something out of nothing," Penisini said.
"But we're looking at our own preparation and us as a team and what we need to do. We're excited."
Coming into the side is winger on debut Araz Nanva, while Ronald Volkman returns to the interchange bench alongside potential debutant Teancum Brown.
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