Parramatta Eels 4
Cronulla Sharks 14
The Starters
2- Josh HoffmanLeft Wing, Parramatta Eels I thought he was very solid at the back, and his 78 running metres were handy. Hey, I thought Josh went alright. |
6- Corey NormanFive-Eighth, Parramatta Eels I can’t defend tonight’s performance from either of our halves, other than when Corey took on the line (4 runs for 29 metres). |
7- Mitchell MosesHalfback, Parramatta Eels Tonight, the Prince of Egypt only enabled his doubters by missing 6 tackles, making 2 errors and leading an inept Eels attacking performance. |
Interchange
If that wasn’t an Eels game, I would have turned it off at halftime. I can’t remember the last time we were considered a boring team, but tonight we certainly were. Still, at least we showed some defensive resolve.
Next week we face the Tigers, a team known for making teams look average in attack – Oh boy.
Go you Eels,
Mitch.
After losing our first 3 games of the season, I feel really sorry for our Post Game Grades sponsor. Please, buy something from Sportfirst and help the Throw pad Sixties’ retirement fund.
Post Game Grades is proudly brought to you by for all your sporting apparel and NRL supporter gear needs. Readers of The Cumberland Throw get free shipping on orders over $100! Click the image above and use the code ‘TCT’ at checkout for 10% off all orders. |
We are not good enough i don’t what happens at training but i suspect the ball work consists of 1 out runs sweep play then kick cause that’s all we ever offer I’ve had enough. Have our halves forgot how to play straight? Do the backrow know how to run lines?
Why did we go with 1 prop on the bench?
Effort was there but this team isn’t good enough simple as that.
Wasn’t it particularly obvious why we only had one prop on the bench? Otherwise Jarryd’s injury would have been even more of a nightmare. I guess we could have carried one less edge forward, but as pointed out by Pou below Tepai becomes a middle forward once Kenny comes on.
I agree, our attack wasn’t up to scratch last night, BA said as much in the presser.
Yes but you can’t go onto a game short on middle forwards beau is a middle and thats part of the problem love the guy but not offering enough his spot could of been filled by peni.
I think that’s a valid point, and can see what you mean. I know several people have pointed to the mobility of the Sharks’ back three, and having an extra edge forward might have been the intention to combat this. With that said, two props obviously has its advantages too.
Mitch, I didn’t see the game, nor listened to it. I watched live scores on a couple of web pages. I actually feel nothing as a result of the game.
At least you commented on two players, more than I can.
Overall I guess a good summary of blanks for a team that seemed to only have blanks in their ammo.
Thanks for taking the time to at least report the Nambucca sponsorship as well.
Thanks for reading Col. I don’t know if I’d recommend rewatching the game tape, not unless you wanted to soak in the defensive improvement from the Eels. the game itself was a bit of a bludger.
I felt the effort in D was excellent and almost back to 2017 standard, with some good effort on effort and scramble thrown in. Browny was outstanding even with the mistakes and Tep was a force in the middle all night – that’s what’s blunting his running game. I think the commentators mentioned it too – all our edge forwards seem to get sucked into the middle in offense this there are few easy metres made with a 12 against an opposition half – I reckon its hurt Mau’s game too.
Both Moses and Norman look shadows of their 1st half if round 1selves – surely there’s somethin goin g on there?
Maybe matagi Gower Vave Terepo or Trex gets a rub next week – that will be exciting.
We also desperately misssemi radradras go forward from kick returns and ensuing hit ups. Hoff &AAA were good but no one is doing semis’ old job yet ….
0-4 next week if not careful but I was proud of the attitude tonight.
PS
Kenny is a legend harshly, treated by the refs and takes it well.
Moeroa ends up in the middle when Edwards comes on. After about the 20 minute mark he’s not an edge forward.
Yes, I’m aware of this. Check the first won against Brisbane last year – Morea makes a better edge forward than middle. He’s just a tackle sponge in the middle – could be a destructive force if used more heavily out wide especially close to the line. Just my view, we need punch out wide and strength up the middle. Tep is caught between.
I also prefer Tep on the edge, his stats are so much better there. We have four excellent defending ‘middle’ forwards in our side – Alvaro, Mannah, Tep and Brown; and then we have Evans and Matagi.
I’m hoping the return of Terepo can allow Tep to stay on the edge a little longer.
A positive from tonight’s game is Moses didn’t get sent off. That’s gotta count for something.
MVP should go to all the Parra fans at the game tonight. There were more Parra jerseys than any other. Glad to see so many supporters that stick.
I had a couple of “let’s look at the positives” tweet replied to me on Twitter.
“Another positive. At least we can’t get overtaken on the ladder….”
“Another positive – we remain unbeaten at Parramatta Stadium in 2018”
I will stick to my word before the game and say all I wanted to see was resolve and effort. I saw that, there were a few oh no mements that I thought we might fold but they dug in. Played bad but dug in. Tonight I left frustrated but at least not embarrassed.
We crabbed sideways all night. It is easy to blame the backs and halves in particular and yes they needed to straighten our attack, but seriously we have no go forward and no offloading ability early in the set. We get no momentum. The old saying, which I agree with, about you need to earn the right to shift the ball is correct but if we waited for our middle forwards ( props) to gain momentum before shifting tonight, no outside backs in our team would have touched the ball in the attacking zone.
I watched two games tonight at ANZ and both teams that lost did so for the same reason- a terribly ill balanced forward pack. Manly had a team full of attacking forwards, who can’t defend a team who has equal ball and we had a team full of forwards who are good defenders but they can’t bend the line back early in the set. We have no forward that requires the opposition to put 3-4 players into the tackle to stop him or an offload. Therefore we continually attack against a set defensive line. Our backs have to then stand deep to try and get some room and then our moves are so predictable. Ma’u Edwards and Brown ran good lines tonight on the 3rd tackle but it was against a set defensive line, they had no chance.
Compare our forward pack with the best two Melb and Cowboys. Lock and Second Rowers who run hard, run good lines and are good defenders on the edge. (Yep ours do that) two props who rotate , one starts one on the bench, gets quick play the balls and secures the middle ( Yep Mannah and Alvaro) a prop who can offload or attracts 3-4 defenders, hard to put down, or dent the line and get quick play the ball- creates a retreating defensive line allowing a shift ( Melb Bromwich/ Kasiano Cowboys Scott/ Asiata/ Taumalolo- Parra ??? Evans)
This is the problem we expect Brown, Edwards- Moreora and Mau to do for Parra what Finuicane, Ethan Lowe, Hoffman etc do for there teams, make the tackles, run the block plays plus we expect them also to do the hard yards in the middle and get momentum.
I will support my team and BA next week and every week after that, but a sign of madness is to keep doing the same thing and expect something different. Our backs got hurt tonight, Hayne, Bevan (shoulder looks busted, great guts to play on) and Kirisome with ribs will be missing I would guess for next week and possibly an extended period so we have to forget about relying on the backs and fancy plays to win it.
Yes we miss Semi and his runs to start the set, but until Gutho comes back that won’t change. All I want next week is to have a balanced forward pack who give Norman and Moses a chance to win it. If they then crab sideways then the fans can blast away and blame them. Not even Thurston could have won behind our go forward tonight.
BA will have to make forced changes through injury but that can not stop the other changes. We need to give Vave and Terepo a game. I will stay nice and not personally attack players but Kane Evans has shown nothing this year, for whatever reason he has forgotten how to play as a prop. I try to give people benefit of the doubt but seriously enough is enough. I was shocked to see him in the team tonight but next week I will be angry if he is.
We also need Kaysa- Controversial yes I know as King was not bad at all tonight but what does this team need more at the moment a reliable dummy half who throws good passes but never runs or a dummy half who engages the markers, possess an attacking threat and therefore gives our playmakers time and space?
Last year BA said before a few games we just need to win. Tonight we needed to play, actually turn up and we did, next week we must win. Next week we need Vave’s size, Terepo’s leg drive and Kaysa’s speed out of dummy half, without this we will not win. We need to give Norman and Moses a chance to win it and they then need to step up, especially with the injuries in the backs we got tonight.
Kaysa, Terepo and Vave may not be the players we need in Semi Finals but if we don’t win next week we are not playing finals.
Shelley I agree with giving Kaysa a shot. He has energy and speed. Peni should be ready this week and he will come straight in for Evans who couldn’t get back on last night.
I agree 100% with everything you have said. We need 4 forwards on the bench for the same reason. The biggest difference between this year and last is our pack.
I want to start by saying I understand the appeal of four forwards on the bench, I actually think if I were coach I’d prefer it.
However, if we had four forwards last night, Manu Mau would have had to play centre when Jarryd went down, and if King stayed down we would have been similarly bottled.
Hindsight is 20/20, and if King stayed down last night people would be calling BA ridiculous for not learning from his HIA in the Manly game. I can see why he had Smith on the bench, although I would have erred on the side of two middle forwards at the expense of Beau Scott (but that’s me).
Still, winning cures all these issues, and I understand the natural desire to find the cause. I just know I don’t have all (any of) the answers.
Yeah Mitch I agree, you, me and anyone else who has an opinion probably doesn’t have all or maybe any of the answers. But, and here’s the crux of the matter. It is also such a delight. I really love the character of the team at TCT, it inspires hope, expresses gratitude, speaks positively of the solid foundation of our club and team and allays any thought of enduring hopelessness.
We have a forum for expressing our disappointment, anger, frustration and even our speculation on how things may be improved without denigrating someone else for not aiming up in there particular area of responsibility whether that be senior management, coach, captain, trainer or player.
It’s easy to build a straw house. It’s another altogether to build a house of stone built on the rock. Just ask the 3 little pigs, or two of them anyway!
Mitch ive seen players break the growth plate in thier hip in goal practice at training ,only someone whos never played would ask a silly question like that .
It was more of a joke than a serious question, anon. I thought that was obvious.
Wasnt obvious to me mate but no harm done ,but ive seen about 5 at training 3 of them nrl mitch .
All good mate. Just gutted for him.
Our luck is bound to change soon mate. We’re just lucky BA had Will Smith at his disposal.
Wow. Mitch, you shouldn’t be expected to answer to anonymous, critical, posts. Your reviews are one of the few positive things that happen to me after a loss.
After reading Sixties posts in the off season, Parra are like: https://giphy.com/gifs/nba-fail-basketball-3otPoHtlHgovmNJSDe
It’s all good mate, appreciate your words. Every week I always get a stack of “you were way too generous” mixed with “gees I thought you were a bit harsh”
Happens however I grade, just the nature of the post. Appreciate you reading mate.
Brad Arthur’s Grade 2014-18
Team culture – B
Development / – F
Jnrs
Defense – C
Attack – B-
Pack recruitment – D
Development
Overall
Strength
Backs – B-
Spine
Strength
Depth
Roster’s age F
Vs next gen
Depth
Debutants
The bagman commeth !!
You write stuff here n yet you go on the other site n bag the living day lights out of this site chiefy. As they say you can’t have your cake n eat it to.
If this is such a bad site why come on here for ?
Great call out Rev. He brags about supposed run-ins with 60’s all the time. It is very boring.
Brother chris it’s becoming a joke.
Saying one thing on this awesome site then going over to other n bagging out this site.
Sounds hypocritical coming from chiefy.
Chief, you have had the junior development issue explained to you several times by people like Derek and Forty. That is, people who actually know what they are talking about and who go to junior games for many years.
Even if you put to one side the disgraceful junior football setup over many years that BA and his team have restructured, you have to consider the dreadful tier 2 salary cap position the club was in. These things needed fixing and it can’t happen overnight mate.
We have a good half dozen players between 18-21 who look like potential first graders and just about half the NSW under 18s team so have some patience.
I am happy for you to contribute constructively but it would be great to hear a different tune from you.
It’s hard to add much to the above comments except the coach one; which isn’t surprising.
As a team they’ve done better previously. Cronulla imo dominated the kicking on the back of their forward play; our kicks were ok but at times some made the grass / some didn’t; and we didn’t always chase well. The first half hurt us; and yes no penalty’s too.
Agreed Milo. I can understand the “sky is falling” mentality that has taken over plenty of the fanbase after a very unexpected 0-3 start to the season, but in two of the three games we were very competitive. We are a good team, we’re just not performing.
Admittedly, being 0-3 is the end result and that is simply not good enough for the Eels. Close enough is not good enough.
Mitch your first paragraph is spot on; good team; but nor performing. That is it. I was concerned in the wet greasy conditions our fwds getting manhandled which is due to size; not getting a good start to sets (kick / chase being strong; and kicking on the front foot). Our defence was good.
I also think the first half was telling; not one penalty received. That is not the reason we lost but it does not help. Our halves didn’t perform well.
My apologies from the outset, I’ve been away for some time and have only had access to the highlights of senior and junior matches alike. Those centre mostly on the scoring of try’s and nothing much else. I just have a couple of questions to ask, and probably some comments that might arise out of those questions.
1) What did Parra do so well in its opening thirty minutes of the season to dominate both possession and field position that it hasn’t been able to do since? Did the wheels just fall off at the thirty minute mark of the Penrith match? In the second question may lie the answer. I don’t know myself; I haven’t had the chance to watch a match in its entirety yet.
2) Has the new interpretation of the ruck that – I believe – prevents the defence from rushing up – as it once did – the moment the ball hits the ground at the play-the-ball area been more of a bogey – or bugbear – for Parra than it has for other clubs? I mean, there have been a lot of penalties blown in the first three rounds of the season. The Sharks, for instance, scored fourteen points in last night’s match, yet ten of those were from goals kicked. I believe the Storm scored thirty points in its match this week: a figure made up of four tries and seven goals kicked.
Perhaps the Eels are a little off in their timing, defensively. These are finely-tuned athletes. A split second off can throw a whole performance into disarray. It’s the same for musicians, too!
Anyway, playing consistently with only forty percent of the ball and on the back of a six-nil penalty count against you in a half of footy is tantamount to shooting oneself on the foot!
What did parra do well in the penrith 30 min, watch the match – Penrith dropped the ball on almost every set in opening stanza. We gaind position off the back of that, when things evened out we were dominated through the middle
We put pressure on them to get them forced errors so there for this comment is invalid …
That will do me – blaming kicking and the refs.
When are people going to realize that a team like thr tigers can recognize their deficiencies – bought two great props – packer matalino , got Twal and Aloai and in one year fixed the problem somewhat.
We are still being dominated because we failed in that department, and thought by buying cheaper non dominant forwards we could match the biggest packs.
We also failed in giving hopefulls a chance and as a result must rely on aging back up players as backups.
Gower willams and Vave are our only options now, and they are not going to change anything
And yes out forward problems were evident since 2014 and in 17
God has spoken
I wouldn’t call packer n matalino very good props.
There also rejects from NZ & dragons.
I call Matt Scott , Jessie Bromwich , martin tupuo , Shannon boyde. JWH there out n out excellent props. But to call packer n matalino that is a joke.
I will agree with 1 thing our recruitment has been way down n needs improvement. Vava n Williams do need to come in the side. IMO I think Kane n Scott need to lift or spend time in Wenty.
Chiefy if you n (Teflon don) know so much about what’s going on at parra why don’t you both consult the coach n bernie gurr I’m sure they will listen to both of you.
Ring them tell them how much you really like them n tell them how bad we are going.
I’m sure you Bon can tell the players how bad they are….good luck with that fella.
#Eels4life#
Why do you give away all our training secrets by posting private information about our pre season no wonder every club knows how to beat us.
Sorry I missed this originally, I responded to this question below.
Seriously B.Scott B- Did we watch the same game ? He needs to retire asap!
There was a big improvement in the defensive effort of the team but there is no fluidity or organisation in the halves. Somehow they need to go back to what worked during the trial match against Newcastle. Newcastle came out believing they had a good team and Parra blew them away. Nathan Brown stated after this game how good Parramatta were.
The difference was four penalty goals, and while I don’t want to do a Ricky and blame the ref, it was 50 minutes before we got a penalty!
Agreed Lady, there was some belief and effort and aggression that’s been missed since the 30th minute in the Penrith game.
It’s the second game of the season we’ve scored the same amount of tries as the opposition but come away with a loss. Funny how we could easily be 2-1, but instead at 0-3 that rightfully feels a mile away.
You’re right though, we’re capable, we just need to get back to that belief.
We lack any decent forwards. There is no go forward in the engine room. Evans was, is and always will be a complete nuffie and whoever signed him should hang there head in shame.
Hayne is a has been and should never have been signed. We went great without him and are now going crap with him back in the team. Could be a coincidence but could be some thing in it. Last year Norman and Moses combined beautifully and were running off each other on both sides of the field but have yet to see any of that this season. Also last year they had one of the best kicking games in the NRL but this year would be ranked the worst.
I am going to go out on a limb here and say not only will we not make the top 8 but we will get the spoon.
Also just wanted to ask the guys who run this site if they honestly think putting up training info for everyone to see is a good idea.
If you read the Training Reports you’ll see just how little Sixties gives away. There’s no strategy, no game plans, no player positions (other than ones well known such as Hoff was on the wing, Moses in the halves, Jennings in the centres etc). He often checks with the coaching staff what is and what isn’t ok to post. For example, did not post that Hayne trained at fullback all week, Auvaa played in the centres with Hoff outside him, Jennings and Bevan on the right before last night’s game.
I can understand the query, but Sixties is well aware of this and deliberately only posts very standardised information about the team’s training. You’d be surprised just how much he withholds.
Well said Mitch. It’s obviously a difficult time for the club, don’t let the passion of the blue and gold army make you think that this website and all of your hard work isn’t appreciated. I live out of the area, none of my family or friends support the eels and to me, this website provides me a space where i can read and interact with like-minded supporters, something i can’t receive anywhere else. I often check this website multiple times a day to see if there is a new blog post. I thoroughly appreciate all the work TCT team does!
Great to have your support. Thanks mate.
I’ll second that, this site is too good to have to be apologising.
It seems a couple of losses have flushed out the keyboard warriors who were very quiet when BA had us overachieving to make the top 4 in 2017.
It’s not good at the moment, however this game was a massive move in the right direction… Vave & Terepo in the middle & some straight runners on the edge & we’ll be back.
Every word you said is true , sixtys always gets the ok and its all pretty general ,personally i think is is the best run supporters website in nrl and were very lucky to have it .
I agree.
Fair enough Mitch. I think if we continue to lose and play poorly pressure builds on the club and they may pressure you guys to not say as much. My biggest issue is hiring a AFL trainer our players look like they are ready for AFL not NRL I have a bad feeling about this.
Im looking forward to 40s and 60s review of the game. I really hope the negativity of the minority arent having an effect. As a mad Eels supporter I read pretty much everything written. We all have opinions and Im sure said opinions are offered in good faith initially. Others challenge these opinions and the merry go round begins.
Its obvious some want change and no doubt if things dont improve that will be the consequence. I guarantee not one reader will look to pat the nay sayers on the back at seasons end should they be correct.
Share your opinion and be happy with the fact that you have been given that opportunity. We read it the first time and we get it.
Go you Mighty Eels.
Thanks for your support Gazza.