Parramatta Eels 30 – South Sydney 12 
The Good: |
You can’t help but respect how this team, a team without Foran, Mannah, Jennings, Taka, Watmough, Peats and Paulo, keeps turning up week after week and getting the W. Whatever happens, the boys continue to turn up for BA and the fans. |
The Bad: |
Sure our attack was a little scratchy, but there wasn’t really too much to dislike about the game, considering the troops we had out. I’m cautiously optimistic Kaysa’s shoulder isn’t as bad as it looked. |
The X-Factor: |
Tie between Michael Gordon’s 7 from 7 goal kicking and Kenny Edwards playing a more direct five eighth role. Kudos to both players. Honourable mention to Souths’ dreadful handling at key moments. |
The MVP: |
Brad Arthur. How on earth BA continues to get this team up each week is beyond my understanding. As soon as someone switches the lights back on in the Eels front office they need to re-sign this man for life. He’s a magician. |
The Starters
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1- Michael GordonFullback, Parramatta Eels Can anyone remember a better game from Flash in the Blue and Gold? Outside of a questionable first half last tackle option Gordon was outstanding in almost every facet of the game. Also a Magic 10 game for Flash (12 runs for 129m). |
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3- Clinton GuthersonCentre, Parramatta Eels Each week he looks more comfortable, more reliable and more polished. The try was good, but his general hit up play continues to improve as well. 14 runs for 129m from the Centre position is a very good return on investment. Get on the Guthbus. |
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4- Vai ToutaiCentre, Parramatta Eels Took an early knock, but continued to played his role. Still honing his skills but is still proving a very useful back up centre. |
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5 – Bevan FrenchRight Wing, Parramatta Eels These continue to be almost perfect conditions to blood the youngster, albeit on the wing instead of at fullback. There’s rumours he’s only a few kilos short of his ideal weight, but we’ll see what a preseason can do for him and season 2017. Another Magic 10 game vs the Bunnies, too (5 runs for 55m). Little bloke with a big future. |
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6 – Kenny EdwardsFive Eighth, Parramatta Eels Thought he was much more controlled this week and didn’t overplay his hand. Played the role we needed him to – imagine how terrific it would be if this little cameo proved to Kenny and BA he could be an 80 minute player. 8 runs for 90m is outrageous metres for a bloke wearing a 6, but I guess he isn’t really your average five eighth. |
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7 – Corey NormanHalfback, Parramatta Eels Continues to perform under difficult professional and personal circumstances. Also continues to smile. Lead the team around the park and is starting to develop into a legitimate leader amongst the players. Corey fans should also be on the look out for some good news soon. |
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8- Daniel AlvaroProp, Parramatta Eels I notice he has really showed a lot of improvement in his leg drive after contact. His body continues to mature, and he continues to chip away each week. Had 8 runs for 64 metres but did a lot of good things in defence. |
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9- Isaac De GoisHooker, Parramatta Eels Excellent line speed and aggression but a rough pass to Rory on the attack, a cold error from dummy half and 3 missed tackles stained an otherwise good game. |
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10- Danny WicksProp, Parramatta Eels When you lead the forwards in hit ups (18), metres (152) and only one behind the team’s leading tackler (32 to Tepai’s 33), you know you’ve had a good game. Well played, son. Ps – You still owe me 50 bucks, Wicksy. |
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11- Manu MauBack Row, Parramatta Eels Manu is so mean the tide wouldn’t bring him in. I’m pretty sure Channel 9 gave him the Man of the Match award out of fear for their lives. Not that he didn’t deserve it with his ferocious runs, 96 metres and 29 tackles. Another week, another life preserving A for Manu. |
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12- Beau Scott (c)Back Row, Parramatta Eels Sixties and I remarked how we hoped Beau would have been a 7 out of 10 acquisition for the club. He’s been closer to a 9. In limited time Scott racked up 20 tackles, and an impressive 67 metres from 6 hit ups. |
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13- Tepai MoreoaLock, Parramatta Eels Really coming of age. A huge 33 tackles, 76 metres and went very close to scoring an early try. The “what to do with Tepai” question is one of the most intriguing facing BA in the lead up to 2017. |
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Interchange
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14- Kaysa PritchardInterchange, Parramatta Eels Brilliant second half scoot from dummy half showed what he is capable of, whilst his shoulder injury minutes later shows the fans’ collective concerns over his durability. Hoping we get to see a lot of him on the field both this year and next. |
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15- Peni TerepoInterchange, Parramatta Eels Made some impressive charges into the defence and came away with 79 metres to show for it. Another week without an error means another gold star for The Butcher. |
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16- David GowerInterchange, Parramatta Eels A mixed bag – he pushed a pass early in the second half, and I thought his ruck defence was most responsible for the Souths second try. Nonetheless, his 65 metres and 22 tackles were important and predictable contributions to the win. Love him as our 18th man going forward, despite him being needed in the number 16 due to the injury toll at the moment. |
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17- Rory O’BrienInterchange, Parramatta Eels This big boy needs more minutes. Thought he performed very well (6 runs for 66 metres) in limited game time and doesn’t strike me as out of place in the top grade. |
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Photos courtesy of the Parramatta Eels.
Stats courtesy of Champion Data via the Sportsfan site.
Good Summary Miatch.
Thought Pritchard went well & good to see him come on earlier than usual. Hope his shoulder is not too bad, & we see his minutes on the field increase. Think the only real thing holding him back at the moment is the others getting to know & read his play, the dart he made down the right side was excellent & he made a couple of other snappy runs as well.
Have been waiting to see how Irish went, seemed to come on in the first half & only a short stint, but his 2nd half appearance did show he has potential. He looks a bit podgy & if it was transformed into muscle he would be a good back up. If Mannah comes back against the Sharks he’s likely go back to Wenty, but I would like to see him stay at the expense of Terepo or even IDG if Pritchards ok.
I thought O’Brien looked like looked a good prospect. He’s certainly big enough and well coached there’s no reason he couldn’t be a really valuable role. I’d start to rotate him and Gower for the last bench spot to give him some experience.
I would have found it difficult to allocate individual grades from this match – I really feel like the blokes did such a good job as a unit that anything under a B would be difficult to hand out. Glad it’s your task mate and really happy to see its return.
Colin following on from our discussion from last week and at the risk of getting boring, I thought Gordon showed again that he can pass left to right but not right to left.
After good lead up work from Tepai, he gave a beautiful left to right pass in traffic to send French over for his first try however in the second half he died with the ball when Semi and Toutai were outside him on his left.
Also thought Obrien was a lot better this week. Not a lot of time on the field but all of his runs were strong.
John, I thought this game was the best yet from Gordon both in play & kicking, in some ways wonder whether a good option to keep him but who knows what the coach is thinking.
Same with Tepai best game of the season, so heading in the right direction there as well.
O’Brien looks much like a kid in early 20’s like Alvaro rather than mid 20’s, why I think he looks a bit podgy, he will only get better, or should do if he can smell a NRL spot, & keep it.
Hope you are “on the money” with the resigning of Corey Norman. He’s a MUST…a rare talent, one of the best in the business. The Apple (Corey) is really having a go for the team.
Can’t believe he was distracted with his ‘off field’ indiscretion. Hope nothing comes of it…
MVP as our coach BA …… you couldn’t be any more spot on!
That bloke has been selling a new culture, a new way of thinking and believing in themselves for a while now, and like any good multi-level marketing plan, I’m glad the team is finally buying into it. Nup not Amyway but BA-way. I’ll buy into that any day!
Top article mate
Without a doubt BA is the coach we need long term. I think the fact that he has had Blue & Gold running through his veins his whole life he understands what this club is about, He understands what it is to be an Eels fan. We keep loosing player’s, we keep getting trashed in the media, the NRL are throwing everything they can at us, but no matter who takes the field, in or out of position the team is up for the challenge. This season has seen so many obstacles thrown our way but BA keeps the team fighting on like nothing outside of playing footy is an issue. I’m proud to be an Eels supporter & with the effort I have seen form the team this season I truly believe we are back to being one of the comps power house teams. A couple of my mates were sticking it to me on the weekend when the load of crap about Semi was in the news. They were smiling as they told me all about Semi leaving the Eels so I told them, I really don’t pay any attention to all this crap going on as it will eventually disappear, but what we will be left with is an Eels coaching staff & team that can handle anything thrown it’s way. ( No I didn’t use those words but it meant the same ) As fans let’s all take a page out of BA’s book, Stay Strong & Stay Proud. We are one of the top performing teams this season & lets face it, We watch the footy to see our team play not to worry about what the board is up to.