The Cumberland Throw

Stat Attack Preview – Round 3, 2018: Eels vs Sharks

STAT ATTACK PREVIEW: ROUND 3

EELS vs SHARKS

SATURDAY, 24 MARCH 2018

KICK OFF 7.30pm

ANZ STADIUM

A new week, a new round, a fresh start.

It seems as though the Eels have started the 2018 season still thinking it’s a trial game period. Well we did really only play one trial game.

So, it’s time to put the past 2 weeks out of the system. Here at TCT, we haven’t swept the result under the table, but like the footballers realise, a new week produces a new challenge.

Our challenge is to continue to look ahead. Our reviews are done and dusted, as harsh as they were.

The players must also be doing the same, You don’t navigate the road ahead by staring into the rear view mirror.

The Eels will be looking to restore the faith with their first win of the season at the first home game of the season. The fans are sure to be offering their support, but ultimately it’s the playing group who have it in their power to make that change.

Here’s hoping.

Quick Facts

  • Head to Head – the Sharks and the Eels have played each other 83 times
  • Cronulla lead 44 wins to Parramatta’s 39 in head to head outings
  • At ANZ Stadium, have only played each other once with the Sharks victorious
  • Last 10 games has the teams tied at 5 each
  • Last game between the Eels and Sharks was Round 4 2017. Sharks secured a 20 points to 6 win.

 

By Quarters (And Golden Point)

0 – 20 20 – 40 40 – 60 60 – 80 GP
Eels 1 1 0 0 0
Sharks 2 1 0 1 0

*games won in these time periods

The Eels are currently a shadow of their 2017 selves. The Sharks are also experiencing a poor start to the season. Both teams have led at half time and then lost an early season match.

 

Attack:

It is impossible to sugar coat things for our attack. We are sitting last or near-last in all major facets of this section of the game. Runs (14th), Run Metres (15th), Metres Gained (16th), Kicks in General Play (15th), Kick Metres (16th), Possession (15th) Completed sets (16th) are all at the bottom of the league at the moment.

Here’s one silver lining –  the team coming 16th in Run Metres is the Sharks. We are averaging 20 metres more than the Sharks.

 

Defence:

Just like our attack, our defensive stats also sit at the bottom of the league.

It’s pointless stating more than this as we all know that we have been attacking and defending pretty poorly.

The Suncorp Stadium upright has better defensive stats than the Eels.

Discipline and Errors:

Again guess were we are in these stats??

If you’ve spotted the trend then you’re probably spot on with your guess.

Final Thoughts

Taking all of the stats into account, the Sharks have a slight advantage in both historical results and current season stats.

That’s not really such a high standard to achieve, given the Eels appalling start to the season.

Indeed, the main conclusion that we can draw from the first fortnight of the 2018 competition is that the only way is up for the Eels.

Can we still be a premiership threat?

Of course we can, but in all honesty it must start Saturday night.

Even if we do lose, its important for the boys to put in an 80 min committed effort. That’s all any fan asks for. I can cop a loss with a game like that.

Get out to ANZ Stadium for the Sydney Double Header. The NRL and the clubs (including the Eels) have put on great pricing for tickets and for food. There’s no excuses for not getting out to a great night of footy and cheer the boys home and show we are still right behind them in both the good and bad times.

 

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.

  • Follow @championdatanrl

 

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13 thoughts on “Stat Attack Preview – Round 3, 2018: Eels vs Sharks

  1. Parra Pete, Thurgoona

    One PLUS for the team is it will WEAR the BLUE JUMPER with YELLOW BANDS and WHITE SHORTS….That jumper and shorts combination is 1-0 so far in 2018….(was that a straw clutching exercise?)

    Cool weather will suit the team. Can’t believe that after two games, the Club has been written off in some quarters. Ob la di, ob la dah….Form is temporary, class is permanent. Keep the faith

  2. Colin Hussey

    From my end, we need to win…….. A win allows a build of confidence, perhaps a not too easy and not much in the scoreline may be better than a landslide. If we don’t our season is going to be tougher.

    Eels to win for me.

  3. Chiefy

    We have the smallest pack in the comp and around 6 or 7 30 to 34 year old players who wouldn’t make any other club’s starting 13.

    Our pack has been continually dominated for at least 5 years and with zero improvement signings wise, and with the retirees i mentioned we’ve gone backwards.

    I can’t see us making the finals, and had the same opinion b4 the season’s start.

    We rely too much on signigs availability, and we all know it’s extremely difficult to get the right players because of competition, unless you pay big overs.
    You can’t rely on signigs alone.

      1. The rev aka Snedden

        Ronald we don’t call BA that on this site. Unless you are a certain person from the other site coming on here thinking we won’t catch you out.

        Personally I’ve had a gut full of that person giving this site a hammering. He needs to stick with that site. Over there he rains free …. Teflon don lets say.

        Over here on TCT we show respect to players n coach n his staff. After all they also do have names.

        #Eels4life#

          1. The rev aka Snedden

            Nws my son …if its a person from the other site (Teflon don) is there anyway we can ban him ?

    1. Rowdy

      Sorry I’m late with this Chiefy but only just read your dribble mate. You are kidding aren’t you, didn’t that little dominated pack of forwards just carry our great backline into the top 4 last season?

      This is a Parramatta footy club supporters site. Did you get lost on the way to your monitor? This is not the Parramatta team and coaching staff bagging site that you were obviously looking for.

      If you can’t say something positive, go away and find the site that will welcome your negative input. You won’t have to look far for support there.

      1. Anonymous

        Your only as good as your last game and unfortunately Chief’s words ring true. Terrible performance this year 3 games now. Players need to go

  4. Milo

    Yes couldn’t agree more; its all ok for opinions but the trash talking imo has its place elsewhere;
    Cronulla are our bogey team imo and while i hope we win but more importantly our effort will be the key.
    The fwds need to aim up and against this team our patience will be tested no doubt.

    1. Colin Hussey

      Milo, I think the whole team has to aim up, not just the forwards.

      I watched the pre game video with BA this evening after I got the sound fixed, I have no doubt that the players will turn up for this game and will perform, all of them.

      I have never seen BA as intense and focussed in his replies to the questions, in near 7 1/2 minutes his expression did not change, and one could feel his hurt in the whole of what he said. Of interest as well, was the look at the last gallery photo’s of the last training day, it was in heavy rain and not much joy on the players faces, only one actually had a bit of a smirk. BA was also intense at that time as well, in his facial expressions.

      I noticed also the latest team update with Pritchard and Gower dropping off the bench. Tells me that with the exception of Taka who is injured and Smith as 18th man the players that take the field against the Sharks are the same as against Manly, they have a job to do to redeem themselves.

      I was hoping for a couple of new faces though.

    2. sixties

      Correct Milo and Rowdy,
      We are proud of the standards of this site. Criticisms of performance are welcome. We certainly wrote review posts that were scathing of last week’s performance – and rightly so. However, personal insults directed towards players or staff are not welcome and will be removed.

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