Live: Gutherson scores for Dragons in Parramatta grudge match

Jaydn Su’A is tackled out on the right flank, and the Dragons just spin it all the way across the park.

Lachlan Ilias and Kyle Flanagan straighten up to slow the defence, but it’s a pretty simple move that ends with Gutherson putting Christian Tuipulotu outside Zac Lomax and over on the left wing.

Every time a team looks to be putting something on, it fizzles out.

The Dragons have down it this time, with Tyrell Sloan dropping the ball for the second time after making a half break. And the Eels did it up the other end, with Dylan Brown almost breaking through and then having the ball knocked out.

Isaiah Iongi takes the ball with Mosese Suli bearing down on him, but he just stops, props and hops past him, then fires a beautiful pass out to Josh Addo-Carr to dive over on the left.

Zac Lomax sneaks it inside the left post and the game is tied at 8-8.

David Klemmer charges into the defence but he gets blindsided by Junior Paulo and drops it on the first hit-up after points.

Shaun Lane steps into the path of Kyle Flanagan as he chases his own kick, and Gerard Sutton calls him out.

The Dragons decide to take the shot at two points for an 8-2 lead.

And Valentine Holmes slots it from a slight angle.

Some lovely second- and third-phase play by the Dragons.

Jack de Belin’s late offload leaves the Eels defence scrambled, and Valentine Holmes gets another one back in-field to Clint Gutherson, who accelerates through a hole and beats a few tacklers to slam the ball down under the posts.

It’s a pretty muted celebration, and I think even the Eels fans enjoyed that a little bit.

Dylan Brown backs into the defence and the ball comes spewing out.

Again the Dragons are called for the strip in a very similar spot to the previous penalty goal, but this time the Eels tap and try for a major score.

An attempted left-side shift ends with Christian Tuipulotu corralled into a corner on the sideline.

He loses the ball in a tackle while on the ground and is called for a knock-on. The Dragons think there was an illegal second effort by Zac Lomax, so they challenge, but Tuipulotu knocked on as he caught the ball, so it doesn’t matter at all in the end.

Wasted challenge.

A couple of set restarts ends with a penalty goal from right in front of the posts.

I think that was a lucky call. Kyle Flanagan looks to be just trying to wrap up the ball in a gang tackle on Junior Paulo, not rip it out.

Regardless, Parramatta hits the front for the first time in 2025.

2-0! PARRAdise is back, baby.

With a little help from an early penalty, the Dragons’ first set takes them within a metre of the tryline, where Christian Tuipulotu is caught on the last.

And Toby Couchman takes the first charge of the day.

Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook lead the Dragons out and I heard mostly cheers with a few jeers mixed in.

Here come the Eels, still hunting their first win of the year.

Former Eels skipper Clint Gutherson is back in Parramatta sporting the Red V, while ex-Dragon Zac Lomax is in blue and gold at Western Sydney Stadium. Both images are still taking some getting used to.

They’ve had very different weeks in their new colours, with Lomax and the Eels still chasing their first win, while the Dragons are coming off a shock win over the premiership favourites.

Meanwhile, Parramatta is bolstered by the arrival of Warriors utility Dylan Walker. He’s on the bench with hooker Ryley Smith, as Charlie Guymer takes over the starting dummy-half role from the young star.

Hello folks and welcome to Saturday NRL action.

We’ve got three very interesting contests today, with Clint Gutherson and the Dragons up against former member of the Red V Zac Lomax and the Eels.

Later we’ve got a Queensland derby between the Titans and Dolphins, before the Broncos take on the Tigers.