One of the 2025 NRL season’s magnificent performances came from the Canberra Raiders’ production on Saturday night. In an animated Round 19 encounter, the Raiders sent a chilling message to the Parramatta Eels at Darwin’s TIO stadium by a colossal 50-12 scoreline.
Canberra dominated both halves, bagging nine tries with precision attacking moves. On the other hand, Parramatta seemed lost on defence and could hardly mount a counterattack in times of pressure. This result lifts Canberra into a better spot toward an eighth-place finish, while the slip continues for the Eels.
Canberra Raiders dominated in Darwin, thrashing the Eels 50–12 in a fiery Round 19 showdown.
What Went Wrong for the Parramatta Eels?
The Eels never gave their opposition any real fight. Parramatta found themselves going under in the middle, run over by a hard-packed Raiders forward pack. Parramatta’s handling of the ball was not good enough, with poor handling errors gifting the Raiders additional sets.
Parramatta’s defence never really stood a chance. The line speed was slow, and edge combinations failed to shut out wide plays. The Raiders made a mockery of these lapses time and time again.
The Eels have already given away more than 40 points in two straight games. This raises grave questions about the morale and fitness levels of the team moving down the stretch of the season.
How Did the Raiders Deliver Such a Statement?
It was a solid performance onslaught of discipline and direct play. Jamal Fogarty orchestrated the tempo through timely kicks and crisp passing.
As far as the kids were concerned, Hudson Young was in the thick of it, scoring two tries and running for over 150 metres. The rest of the Raiders’ backs fired away on in their effort, with Jordan Rapana going off himself to the tune of two tries and three try assists.
The team completed 86% of their sets and conceded fewer than five penalties massive upgrade from the earlier rounds.
Can the Eels Still Make the Top Eight?
Mathematically, yes — but the path to finals is going to be steep. With only six rounds to go, the Eels lie 12th on the ladder. Their points difference has now blown out to -76, which is another nail in the coffin for their finals attraction.
Their fixtures looking ahead include the Panthers, Cowboys and the winner of Bulldogs vs Dragons. They could very well decide whether they pick up the season.
“We just didn’t have commitment and defensive pride”, said Brad Arthur after the match. Changes to be made before the next game!
Brad Arthur admits Eels lacked “commitment and defensive pride” — squad changes expected before next game.
Raiders Send a Clear Message to NRL Rivals
With this win, the Raiders moved to seventh position in the points table. Of more importance, though, is that they gain crucial momentum.
Canberra have now won four out of five, including defeating the Rabbitohs and Sharks. Confidence is now being built at the right time.
The victory also helps them increase their points differential to +42, possibly a vital number come the final ladder shake-up. Jamal Fogarty looks the player with form, and Jack Wighton will make a return next week; Canberra is emerging as a serious contender.
Defensive Collapse Highlights Coaching Issues
Now it is high time for the Parramatta coaching staff to be under exacting pressure. Defences have hindered the side all season. They have conceded the third place for the highest points in the league.
Line speed and communication have declined over time, just like the commitment in one-on-one tackles. Of late, even senior players like Clint Gutherson and Junior Paulo have been downright below average.
In the attack, the Eels seemed disorganised. Their only two tries came from broken plays, not set moves.
Arthur is under pressure. With a contract with just months left on it, he needs to start getting results, and fast!
Raiders vs Eels: What This Rivalry Reveals
Historically, the Raiders vs Eels fixture has been a fairly balanced contest. Canberra had won five of the last ten clashes before Saturday’s game. This recent outing was anything but close.
The complete physical dominance displayed throughout the park marked a gulf in the current form, with the Eels looking tired both mentally and physically. The Raiders were hungry, energetic, and cohesive.
Supporters from both clubs will be hopeful of another meeting between the two, but the Eels are staring at a similar result unless improvement comes into their ranks.
What Can Parramatta Do Now?
Fixing their defence must top the agenda: better communication on the edges, tackling ability, and discipline.
Brad Arthur may have to consider some reshuffling of the starting 13. The injection of energy that will come from bringing in some young players like Blaise Talagi and Brendan Hands will be much needed.
They will also have to find their identity yet again in attack. The team that once used to put on great backline attacking displays has lost it now. Re-learning is going to be crucial if they want to go up against the Bulldogs vs Dragons or try to hold off the Roosters in the weeks to come.
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Final Thoughts
Two matters emerged from the match: Canberra rising, and Parramatta in crisis. The Raiders put up a near-perfect show, executing a power game with crisp attacking structure. The Parramatta Eels lacked answers and now must answer questions on direction and leadership.
In a season full of bizarre results, this clash flashed out one clear message: Sides that want to take part in the final must be clinical and consistent. Canberra are becoming one; Parramatta is not.
