Raiders hooker Josh Hodgson faces race against time to be fit, while Elliott Whitehead faces a one-match ban.

Isaac De Gois could be the latest player forced into premature retirement due to concussion as the game prepares to transition to a new SCAT5 protocol to better assess head knocks.

Eels boss Bernie Gurr has reluctantly conceded nomadic Parramatta won't be able to replicate the raucous atmosphere of Pirtek Stadium at their new home ground despite preparing to match regular ANZ Stadium tenants the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs for pulling power.

Clint Gutherson has the Eels' No.6 jersey, his junior State of Origin teammate Jack Bird is being courted for it - and Parramatta's pivot has spoken of his desire to make the spot alongside Corey Norman his own beyond this season.

Parramatta dummy half Kaysa Pritchard was on a drip in hospital on Friday night as the club attempted to overcome a hooking crisis before their clash with the premiers.

The rising playmaker says Parramatta can't always rely on Norman and would bounce back next week against the reigning premiers.

The Titans are on the board for 2017 with a 26-14 win over Parramatta, who peaked early and went backwards in a forgettable performance on the Gold Coast.

• Live

The winless Titans host the rampant Eels.

One side can't take a trick, the other can hardly be stopped as Parramatta try to continue their perfect start to the NRL season at the Gold Coast.

The injury ravaged Gold Coast are hopeful Dale Copley will make his Titans debut in Friday night's NRL clash with Parramatta, barely 48 hours after signing the out of favour Sydney Roosters centre.

Canterbury have moved to douse speculation that Josh Reynolds is on the way out at Belmore, insisting that talks continue with the off-contract five-eighth.

I know the competition is only two rounds old, however, I'm prepared to say that if Parramatta halfback Corey Norman stays fit for most of this season, he could well be a runaway winner in all of the player of the year awards.

The whispers about the Tigers' big four wanting to know who will be coaching the side next year before committing to the club are getting louder. However chief executive Justin Pascoe has gone on the record and stated the future of Jason Taylor hasn't been a topic of discussion throughout negotiations.

The NSW state government has put forward a development application that anticipates 30 NRL games per year will be played at the new Parramatta stadium though the Eels are the only club to have committed to the venue.

Wow! The Parramatta Eels' 34-16 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons was very impressive indeed.

They had the cynics eating humble pie after a round one but St George Illawarra came crashing back to earth via a 34-16 defeat at the hands of Parramatta in Wollongong on Sunday night

After a week in which Jarryd Hayne's commitment to the cause has again been questioned, it seems an appropriate time to reveal that his replacement slept in on his first day as a first grader.

Kirisome Auva'a has won a premiership ring but knows that, as it stands, he won't be remembered for what he's done on the field.

• COMMENT

Statistics suggest the Eels are exploiting the NRL's concussion interchange rules. But Brad Arthur slams the idea.