Cowboys 24 defeat Eels 16
Crowd: 41,287
Do you remember playing footy in the backyard with your mates when you were a kid and it’s getting on dark and your parents call you in? Then the call goes out ‘last try wins’. Don’t you wish that rule was applied last Saturday night!
I wasn’t sure how to open this review, as I’m still shattered by the loss. I guess its not that we lost, but the way we played was more disappointing. No doubt that’s what all 17 players, coaching staff and the Blue and Gold army are disappointed about as well.
Massive applause and congratulations must go to the Cowboys in their win. They did everything right and showed the Eels how to play semi finals football.
The Cowboys were more focussed. Their game management was superb. It wasn’t a great last 40 minutes from the Eels obviously, but looking at how Michael Morgan game managed the 2nd half, it was nothing short of sensational. The Cowboys strangled the life out of the Eels.
Score Flow
Parramatta Eels | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
H | Time | Name | Event | Score |
1 | 6 | S.Radradra | TRY | 4 – 0 |
1 | 7 | M.Moses | CONVERSION | 6 – 0 |
1 | 10 | K.Feldt | TRY | 6 – 4 |
1 | 11 | E.Lowe | CONVERSION | 6 – 6 |
1 | 30 | W.Smith | TRY | 10 – 6 |
1 | 31 | M.Moses | CONVERSION MISS | 10 – 6 |
2 | 44 | J.Asiata | TRY | 10 – 10 |
2 | 45 | E.Lowe | CONVERSION | 10 – 12 |
2 | 51 | C.Hess | TRY | 10 – 16 |
2 | 52 | E.Lowe | CONVERSION | 10 – 18 |
2 | 74 | M.Morgan | TRY | 10 – 22 |
2 | 75 | E.Lowe | CONVERSION | 10 – 24 |
2 | 80 | M.Jennings | TRY | 14 – 24 |
2 | 80 | M.Moses | CONVERSION | 16 – 24 |
Full Time Stats
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
45 | Possession (%) | 55 |
27/38 (71) | Complete/Total Sets (%) | 31/35 (89) |
38:46 | Time – Opposition Half | 42:18 |
15:08 | Time – Opposition 20 | 19:26 |
2079 | Metres Gained | 2291 |
8 | Scrum Win | 10 |
4 | Goal Line Dropout | 2 |
2 | Penalty Conceded | 4 |
0 | Forty Twenty | 0 |
We won a penalty count!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Cowboys again showed why they are ranked first with Possession and Completed sets. They are like a boa constrictor. They will literally squeeze the life out of you, giving you no quality ball to work with. That’s what they did to the Eels especially in the second half. How many times did we need to make our way out of our own 20? We became frustrated. Errors accrued. Game lost.
1st Half
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
45 | Possession (%) | 55 |
14/19 (74) | Complete/Total Sets (%) | 16/17 (94) |
17:05 | Time – Opposition Half | 23:02 |
8:43 | Time – Opposition 20 | 6:28 |
1235 | Metres Gained | 1110 |
3 | Scrum Win | 7 |
1 | Goal Line Dropout | 1 |
2 | Penalty Conceded | 2 |
0 | Forty Twenty | 0 |
I guess we were lucky to go into the sheds in front. Two long range tries against the run of play saw the Eels stay in the game and go into the sheds full of confidence knowing they weren’t playing their best but were still leading. Was this a false hope to come out to for the second stanza?
2nd Half
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
44 | Possession (%) | 56 |
13/19 (68) | Complete/Total Sets (%) | 15/18 (83) |
21:41 | Time – Opposition Half | 19:16 |
6:25 | Time – Opposition 20 | 12:58 |
844 | Metres Gained | 1181 |
5 | Scrum Win | 3 |
3 | Goal Line Dropout | 1 |
0 | Penalty Conceded | 2 |
0 | Forty Twenty | 0 |
The Eels just had no quality ball in the second half. We were always fighting to get out of our own half. Our own 20 really. Frustration led to poor ball control and again we had to make many more tackles than our opposition. It was just sublime game management from the Cowboys. Their kicking, line speed, defence line was on song and and nothing cracked. They stuck to their structures and game plan. Patience was key as well.
Attack
Top 5 Runs | ||
---|---|---|
Name | R | |
J.Taumalolo | 21 | |
N.Brown | 18 | |
S.Bolton | 15 | |
K.Feldt | 15 | |
W.Smith | 14 | |
Top 5 Run Metres | ||
Name | RM | |
J.Taumalolo | 234 | |
S.Radradra | 197 | |
W.Smith | 196 | |
N.Brown | 177 | |
S.Bolton | 157 |
It’s really no surprise who leads the attacking stats. Although I thought Taumalolo was well handled, his runs did get the Cowboys rolling and making metres. Again for the Eels Nathan Brown did his all to get his team moving. At times the Eels were making good metres, having a good roll on – then the ball goes to ground and kills off the momentum. And who can forget the contribution from the ‘Semi Trailer’! It was an awesome 100 metre effort with the opening try and he tried his all to get the Eels out of trouble deep in our own half. His last (but hopefully not final) game in the Blue and Gold was I believe one of his best.
Three Eels made 100 metres or more for the game but another 6 were in the 90’s. The Cowboys had 8 players run 100 metres plus.
Semi Radradra | 197m |
Will Smith | 196m |
Nathan Brown | 177m |
- Peni Terepo 99m
- Tim Mannah 98m
- Kenny Edwards 93m
- Kirisome Auva’a 91m
- Brad Takairangi 91m
- Manu Ma’u 90m
Line Breaks
Eels – 0
Cowboys – 5
Run Metres
Eels – 148 runs for 1490m
Cowboys – 170 runs for 1579m
Kicking Metres
Eels – 20 kicks for 589 metres
Cowboys – 28 kicks for 712 metres
Corey Norman
9 kicks for 286 metres
Mitchell Moses
11 kicks for 303 metres
Defence
Top 5 Tackles | ||
---|---|---|
Name | TAK | |
C.King | 55 | |
N.Brown | 51 | |
K.Edwards | 42 | |
M.Ma’u | 40 | |
T.Mannah | 37 | |
Top 5 Missed Tackles | ||
Name | MT | |
E.Lowe | 4 | |
M.Moses | 4 | |
M.Jennings | 4 | |
J.Granville | 3 | |
S.Matagi | 3 |
This just shows how much defending we did with all Eels players making up the Top 5 tacklers list. It’s not a real good stat but it does show a great defensive effort from those players. With the strangle hold the Cowboys had on this game and the mounting errors from the Eels, Parramatta had to defend effectively 10 more sets then the Cowboys. Again as seen throughout the year this extra defending kills our attack as it drains our energy. The Eels had to make over 400 tackles last night. So let that sink in for a moment.
Tackles | Missed Tackles | Incomplete Tackles | |
Eels | 402 | 27 | 12 |
Cowboys | 324 | 20 | 14 |
Discipline
Penalties Conceded
Eels – 2
Cowboys – 4
Errors
Eels – 12
Cowboys – 8
(My apologise for no heat maps this week. I think our systems have gone out in sympathy)
So that brings the 2017 season to an end for the Eels. Our 70th birthday celebrations have come to an end.
What a great year it has been and I am proud as anything of the boys and how they have played this year.
Yes, this game was disappointing as we all know the Eels can play much better than that, but in saying that well done to the boys and coaching staff for a wonderful 2017 season and finally playing September football after all these years.
Massive credit first up to Brad Arthur and his support staff in getting the boys up and ready for each game every week. Secondly the players for producing such a wonderful week in week out effort and restoring much pride into the Blue and Gold jersey once again.
To the crew at The Cumberland Throw. Thank you very much for letting me contribute to such a wonderful and respected site. I look forward to coming back in 2018 and getting my little statistical analysis of the Eels column out each and every week once again. If you will have me back ;o)
Lastly to all the readers, I truly appreciate the feedback that you have given throughout the year. I would like to provide as much information as I can so anything more you would like to see next season please let me know.
Watch out for my Season 2017 review. I’ll have that out over the next couple weeks.
Stat Attack Player of the Week
Semi Radradra
Like many times this season, I was torn between who to give this weeks award too. Both Semi and Nathan Brown had outstanding games.
I have gone with Semi out of recognition at his time with the Eels. Although in saying that, he did have a great game last night.
He stepped up last night and tried his all to get the Eels rolling forward when we were anchored in our own 20 for much of the second half.
Semi puts bums on seats for both sides. Every time he touches the ball you get to rise to your feet. Not many players in today’s game can do that. On Saturday night he carried the ball harder and stronger than in recent weeks.
His runs were stinging and made the Cowboys defenders work hard to bring him down. At times he poked his head through but was unable to get a ball away.
He owned his role last night.
Let’s re-sign him now before he goes.
Semi, you will be sorely missed. Really hope to see you back in the Eels colours sooner rather than later.
Good Luck to the NRL’s Number 1 Bula Man.
Possessions | 17 |
Tries | 1 |
Runs | 11 |
Run Metres | 197m |
Tackle Breaks | 3 |
Minutes Played | 80 |
Yours in Blue and Gold,
Colmac
Stats courtesy of Champion Data. All these stats and more can be viewed on our match centre at http://mc.championdata.com/nrl/ including live game stats.
Champion Data
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Thank you for your analysis this Colmac – really enjoyed your weekly dose of hard facts/numbers. Strangled we were – next year we’ll have to have a plan B to cope with the Cowboys type of game.
Painful reading. Though the bomb for the Asiata try early in the second half changed the match. Game management is a lot easier when you’re in front, and when the Cowboys were chasing points in the first half they conceded two long range tries. Their game management obviously wasn’t that good in the first half.