- 1 St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels : 88 points conceded in two games, the red and white defence has fallen apart
- 2 The Dragons finish a season with 19 defeats
- 3 Parramatta finish with their attack back in gear
- 4 NRL prediction St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels
- 5 Before we start, a word on our free tips
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information that changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the graphics…
St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels : 88 points conceded in two games, the red and white defence has fallen apart 
The Dragons have shipped 88 points across their last two matches, both defeats. That about sums up a season that has left them bottom of the Telstra Premiership.
It all wraps up for both sides on Sunday, 6 September, at 14:00 local time at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.
St. George Illawarra are 4-19 through 23 rounds, with a -327 points differential, the worst in the competition.
Parramatta sit 13th on 24 points and are hardly flying, but they do arrive with the better momentum.
The Eels stunned Cronulla Sharks 38-18 last week, just as Cronulla were charging towards the finals.
The Dragons, by contrast, were brushed aside 44-10 by a Sea Eagles side still clinging to hopes of qualifying.
Recent head-to-head form clearly favours Parramatta, who have won five of the last six meetings with St. George Illawarra.
There is, though, one awkward wrinkle: the Eels have not won in Wollongong since 2017.
Neither side has anything left to play for in the standings, which puts the focus squarely on current form.
The contrast in their last two outings says plenty.
Parramatta have won three of their last five, while St. George Illawarra Dragons have managed only two over the same stretch.
The final ladder will separate the clubs by 10 points, with St. George Illawarra on 14 and Parramatta on 24.
That gap has been built almost entirely in the second half of the season.
The Dragons finish a season with 19 defeats 
Three hundred and sixty-eight points scored, 695 conceded: no other NRL side carries such a lopsided record.
The issue is as much about attack as defence, with St. George Illawarra Dragons the only team not to reach 400 points scored.
Away from home, the damage has been even worse, with two wins and 10 losses for the season.
WIN Stadium is no safe house either. The Dragons come in on a five-match losing run there.
The staff has made just one tweak for this final home outing.
Blake Lawrie comes back into the front row, Loko Pasifiki Tonga shifts to lock, and Ryan Couchman drops to the bench.
There is still one bright spot out wide in Tyrell Sloan, who has scored nine tries in his last 10 appearances.
Valentine Holmes and Moses Suli make up a centre pairing that remains the most reliable attacking threat in the squad.
Damien Cook will handle hooker duties and Kyle Flanagan will steer the side in this final appearance in front of the Wollongong crowd.
Daniel Atkinson keeps the fullback spot in a side that has seen only minor changes.
Toby Couchman starts in the front row alongside Lawrie, with Josh Kerr providing bench cover.
Four wins from 23 rounds is the lowest total in the competition.
With 368 points scored, the Dragons are also the only team not to pass 400 points.
Parramatta finish with their attack back in gear 
Nine wins and 14 defeats: Parramatta’s season has still fallen short, but August brought a few encouraging signs.
The 38-18 win over the Sharks showed an attack capable of piling on points against a top-eight side.
Those 38 points are one of the club’s better attacking returns this season.
The overall ledger is still ugly, though, with 475 points scored and 654 conceded.
Jason Ryles brings Jordan Samrani back in at centre after an adductor injury, which sends Sean Russell to the bench.
Jack de Belin returns to the group after three matches in NSW Cup, a useful spell for a reshaped squad.
Tyrese Lokeni could make his NRL debut after 35 Cup appearances over the last two seasons.
The Mitchell Moses-Ronald Volkman halves pairing remains the main attacking engine against a defence that has leaked 695 points this year.
Josh Addo-Carr and Brian Kelly form the wing pairing tasked with finishing off the chances created in the middle.
Junior Paulo and Luca Moretti start in the front row, with Tallyn Da Silva at hooker.
The away record is still poor, at three wins and eight losses, but that needs to be judged against the standard of the opposition here.
Will Penisini completes a backline that put 38 points on the board last week.
Parramatta have scored 475 points this season, around 100 more than their opponents.
The Eels’ -179 points differential is still hefty, but it looks far healthier than the Dragons’ -327.
Mitchell Moses remains the chief playmaker for a side that has found its best rhythm right at the end of the campaign.
Probable St. George Illawarra Dragons team: Atkinson ; Feagai, Suli, Holmes, Sloan ; King-Togia, Flanagan ; T. Couchman, Cook, Lawrie, Egan, Stewart, Pasifiki Tonga. Bench: Muhleisen, R. Couchman, Kerr, Halangahu.
Probable Parramatta Eels team: Twidle ; Kelly, Penisini, Samrani, Addo-Carr ; Volkman, Moses ; Moretti, Da Silva, Paulo, Williams, Kautoga, Pryke. Bench: Edwards, De Belin, Brown, Walker.
NRL prediction St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels
Our tip: Parramatta Eels to win
Parramatta have beaten the Dragons five times in the last six meetings and come in off a 38-18 win over a finals-bound side.
St. George Illawarra Dragons have conceded 88 points across their last two games and are on a five-match losing run at WIN Stadium.
The Eels’ winless streak in Wollongong since 2017 does not carry enough weight to outweigh the current gap in quality. Parramatta should get it done.
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