Live: Pezet returns against Manly before electric Knights-Dolphins showdown

The Tigers have weathered a second-half comeback attempt by the Eels to open their NRLW season with a 28-16 victory over Parramatta.

Raecene McGregor was the conductor this afternoon, finishing with three try assists in a dominant display.

It could have been four, but debutant Namoe Gesa had a try taken off her in the final seconds after a knock-on in the aerial contest.

The frustration was clear from the Eels late in the match, with Boss Kapua sin-binned for a nasty high shot on Emily Bass, and a dust-up started between Shenai Lendill and Rosemarie Beckett.

After a high-profile, one-season recruitment in the off-season, Jonah Pezet’s time with Parramatta has been limited and frankly pretty ordinary.

He injured his hamstring in round five and since recovering has played three games in NSW Cup, with Ronald Volkman preferred alongside Mitchell Moses.

But, with Moses off in Blues camp, Pezet returns with a chance to stake his claim for a long-term revival ahead of his departure for Brisbane.

Manly is missing Tolu Koula, replaced at centre by Clayton Faulalo, and Haumole Olakau’atu, replaced in the back row by Corey Waddell. While young Joey Walsh joins Jamal Fogarty in the halves after Luke Brooks’s devastating knee injury.

Hello. It’s the last day of rugby league before State of Origin III.

Let’s get straight into it, with a pair of NRL — Eels vs Manly, and Knights vs Dolphins — and a pair of NRLW — Eels vs Tigers and Warriors vs Bulldogs — games today.