Parramatta Eels 18 – Penrith Panthers 20
The Good: |
The Isaac De Gois try was magic. Thought it deserved to be a game winning sort of try. |
The Bad: |
2013 called, they want their Parramatta Eels back. Regardless of the myriad of questionable referring decisions, we needed to close out that game. Our inability to secure a win in the back end of a game is getting a little alarming, even in 2016. |
The X-Factor: |
The NRL Bunker deciding to impose itself in the game unnecessarily. |
The MVP: |
Me if I can get through this post without swearing. This will be brief. |
The Starters
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1- Michael GordonFullback, Parramatta Eels Never let the ball bounce Michael – we almost paid dearly for it. I was also pretty surprised he failed to convert his own try to tie the game at 12 all. Nonetheless a solid game, despite the loss. |
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2- Semi RadradraLeft Wing, Parramatta Eels Did little wrong, but the Panthers had Semi very well contained. Shame the ball stayed so unreasonably low on that Corey Norman grubber or he might have got himself another meat pie. It’s also a shame we lost a game we had won on the buzzer, but I digress. 13 runs for 123 metres. |
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3- Michael JenningsLeft Centre, Parramatta Eels Actually thought it was his best game in the Blue and Gold. His Round 1-4 hit up numbers are 9,9,13,9. This week? A team leading 18 hit ups for a monster 148 metres. |
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4- Brad TakairangiRight Centre, Parramatta Eels Actually played a monster game, despite what looked like a very serious first half knee injury. Cracking the 100m mark (10 hit ups for 102m) yet again is very encouraging. |
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6- Corey NormanFive Eighth, Parramatta Eels Not Corey’s best game. It just didn’t happen for him today. |
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7- Kieran Foran (c)Halfback, Parramatta Eels Actually a pretty poor showing from the Captain. I don’t suspect I’ll be writing that sentence again any time soon. We need more than what he delivered today. |
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8- Junior PauloProp, Parramatta Eels The dark horse to be the Eels’ leading try scorer. Also managed 11 hit ups for 114 metres today. |
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9- Isaac De GoisHooker, Parramatta Eels Outside of a couple of very wayward passes early in the game I thought he was pretty good. I figure the reason we need 4 first grade quality hookers is because they all have a death wish, launching themselves in defence at the opposition. |
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18- David GowerProp, Parramatta Eels Solid without being spectacular. With that said, I think he’s much better utilised a little wider, using his ball skills to almost add another half. |
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11- Manu MauBack Row, Parramatta Eels I hear he’s covered himself in warpaint and is currently prowling the streets looking for the ref who was manning the NRL Bunker. I suspect he’ll be charged with murder before Round 5 is over. 13 runs for 124 metres is a terrific attacking game. |
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12- Beau ScottBack Row, Parramatta Eels I love it when he’s out there, but missed a few tackles late in the game. 9 for 87 are good stats from a man known for his defence though. |
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13- Tepai MoreoaLock, Parramatta Eels Several of the other Throwers would have put this grade higher up, but I wasn’t all that impressed by him today, and the stats (11 runs for 81 metres) aren’t all that flattering either. The 2 offloads were nice, however. |
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Interchange
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14- Kaysa PritchardInterchange, Parramatta Eels Got a lot more game time this week, but I wasn’t as impressed by Kamikaze as I was in Rounds 1-4. Didn’t fulfil his Blitzkrieg role this week for mine (I’ll resist a third WWII reference). |
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15- Peni TerepoInterchange, Parramatta Eels 5 runs for 47 metres is a pretty average contribution, conceding 2 penalties is probably even worse. |
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16- Danny WicksInterchange, Parramatta Eels Thought he was close to, if not our best. A monster haul of 142 metres only bested by the ridiculous talent of Bryce Cartwright in either forward pack. Ps – You still owe me 50 bucks, Wicksy. |
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17- Kenny EdwardsInterchange, Parramatta Eels Not even vision of Kenny hugging Matt Moylan can cheer me up after a loss like that. |
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All photos courtesy of the Parramatta Eels.
NRL team logos courtesy of the NRL.
Very disappointed with the halves today. They should be the strength of this team but for a fortnight they have been its achilles heel. That last kick of Foran’s with a couple of minutes to go was straight down Moylan’s throat and was nothing short of diabolical. The things I didn’t want to see this season were tries around half and full time and they let four in. Apart from that I really hoped that at 18-12 they were going to roll down field and do for a field goal to close it down and yet they panicked. I’m a ate repo fan but those two exaggerated hold downs for penalties were amateurish. Not happy Jan!
I hope the players are livid too mate.
I still haven’t calmed down. I don’t know what is more disturbing for me. Our inability to close the game down or the officiating in general. It left me fuming so much after the game – I’m kind of angry with the world. Lucky it’s only footy!
We are now about to hit hump day and I still have angry thoughts lingering. I am not sure if I should let them go or keep them festering for this week and take them out on Ricky
They played poorly today, almost like they thought they were deserving of an off game because of past efforts in recent games. It seems to be in the eels DNA to come up with these snatch defeat from the jaws of victory games but I still can’t believe with the experience in that team that they choked yet again. BA sounded dumbfounded in his presser. He should be filthy like the majority of the 15,600 there today.
What a schemozle day of RL. Lose both games at home, only able to watch the NRL game on 9, but gee how can one rate it? All those players we expected to come good, seemed to be living in a wonderland or something, sure as some commentators were saying it was an entertaining game, but after the constant stuff ups, dropped balls in the 1st 20 minutes, I started to think it was going to be a repeat of last weeks game of dropsy & nothingness.
I am still no fan of Jennings, again he hogged the ball, while looking busy, but he made one goof break & looked for support on the inside & died with the ball. At this rate & the amount of ball fed to the left side, its just not working like it did last year with Taka in the 3 shirt, yet I thought he played the better of the backs, & would have loved to see someone else on the wing next to him, Gutherson seemed a bit better but gee we need some one better on the wing, the 2nd last Penrith try was a killer & on his side of the field again.
Pritchard needs more time, but the sooner Peats is back the better & De Gois can rotate off the bench, I also think we missed Mannah more than many are prepared to admit.
I can only agree with you on where Taka should be.
We scored so many tries last year with a Taka/Semi combination.
Jennings is a great centre, but his service to Semi is horrid.
As this is a family friendly site , I won’t type out my feelings on the officiating today
Agree with you 100%, Colin
Agree mostly, except with gower, I thought he was just as effective in the middle as out wide, he has a natural good unders line which lead to a line break, however he didn’t play enough minutes IMO.
I hear what you’re saying – but only 5 hit ups from effectively a starting prop? Only outplayed Peni Terepo (who admittedly had less metres, and a subsequently worse grade). Don’t get me wrong I love Gower’s game, I just don’t think the team is best served with him playing so close to the middle.
Thought you are very generous with Gutherson’s mark, by far our worse player, dropped 2 balls with possible trys begging. Not the best passes but when your a professional you’re expected to catch those (shades of Neil Hunt!). Plus his knock on when tackling Penruff player late in game on 5th tackle really cruelled it for me (I know not his fault but…). My heart sunk as I just knew Penruff would score at the death. If Gordon had converted our second try (not a hard shot) maybe result would have been different.
On a side note, how many times has a ruling been overturned FAVOURING Parra? None that I can remember even when big screen at ground was showing a different result.
I completely agree mate.
Re the Bunker – in my head I’ve just rationalised it by imagining the ref got the call right the first time. Kenny definitely touched it and it definitely went forwards (despite him facing and running towards our tryline). At least it was the right decision. But nonetheless, Bunker needs to stick to foul play, who touched it last in goal (drop out situations) and obviously try adjudication. Did you think it was a knock on? Live I didn’t think so, but changed opinion after watching the replay.
I hope we are working overtime on a junior paulo replacement because without him we aren’t much chop in the middle.
agreed. that 750k seems a little less ridiculous every week.
Really?
Juniors defence has been 3rd rate. He is the weak link in our line, and others are covering, thankfully well, for him.
He’s worth what we offered him $4-$500,000
fair enough – i think he’s first class in the middle. didn’t have his best defensive game yesterday, admittedly.
Take your point and we offered him what we thought he was worth and I agree with the thinking. He was our only go forward option with a bit of help from wicks. To be fair though the comments from the TCT crew on ratings are after we have watched the game live without the benefit of replays. I must of missed juniors poor defence except for the last 15 or so. I think he got dragged with about 8 to go.
My desire to watch the replay decreases after such a result.
M8, Taka had a great game. A in my book, by far his best game this year.
agreed, he did the get the highest non Mau (who gets an A every week because he’s terrifying) grade. I couldn’t bear giving anyone an A in such a loss though.
I thought we were solid, but we’re better than solid. we need to aim to be the team that beats the Cows and the Dogs each week. the team yesterday would have been lapped by both those sides.
but yes, Taka was comparatively sublime.
I think we are all feeling it harder this week because we have been pretty good for the last 3 weeks. I’m thinking of it this way – in the past we would’ve copped it a bit better because we were well used to the regular disappointment. This year we all know its not good enough. I think BA and the players will be feeling the same. Looking forward to next Sat.
You’re way to harsh on Norman, his kicking game was superb and rightly drew accolades from A Johns on the coverage.
Gutho did drop a sitter of a try, but he was no worse than Semi yesterday. Semi’s indecision on that final kick cost us the game. All he needed to do was attack the ball – he didn’t even need to catch it – punch it out of play, even just knock it on would have ended the game, but he just stood still..
Foran had an Inglis moment on our last attacking set, kicking on the 4th when we are trying to wind down the clock. A 5th tackle kick over the sideline would have seen the game won..
then I disagree with Andrew Johns. Johns’ Origin team was also woeful IMO, so a great player does not a commentator make. see Lewis, Wally.
I think Norman bears a much bigger burden than the rest of team when the attack isnt clicking. 18 points is good, but the backline plays are still off.
his 3 missed tackles and 2 errors told the story for me though, hence the grade.
Johns’ Origin team was a bit ordinary, but I’m pretty sure he had Cartwright in there on the bench. So would I.
I probably would have given Cartwright an A+ if I were grading him yesterday. He was ridiculous.
Scored 2 tries (almost 3), ran for over 200 metres, that ridiculous flick pass – phenomenal game.
Looked to me like they were looking for the magic pass or play to break through the Panthers defence & seemed to be going sideways a lot. The Eels have looked their best when going hard up the middle then quickly sending the ball wide later in the set, but they just didn’t get there against the Panthers. They were sending the ball out to the edges early which resulted in a game of sideways footy but I’m still a lot happier with what I have seen from the team so far this season. There’s a long way to go this year so I hope they get back to hitting hard in defence & attack & I’m sure we will have a good season.
Go You Mighty Eels