The Cumberland Throw

From The Stands – Victory Song

A couple of years ago, the Eels players changed the team’s victory song. The words were written to represent their identity. The victory song has special meaning as they own it.

In this new age of fan connectivity, vision is provided of the players celebrating in the dressing room. Supporters know the words to the song and are allowed to feel a part of all victories.

Therefore, as a fan who’s shared in the victory celebrations, I thought it apt to refer to the words from our team’s victory song to describe what I am seeing and feeling from the stands this season.

I hope this resonates with other fans or even some players.

 

“Punch the sky with bloody fists
And bash against the wall”

Like many supporters last Saturday, my family and I left the ground groggy. Our emotions felt bashed and bloody. No doubt there are players in the group feeling the same way. Maybe there are some that aren’t?

We’ve seen images of the players looking shattered after losses this year. Heard stories of how upset they are. For the most part, they’ve been entitled to feel this way. Although most games have been poor in execution, they’ve been high in effort.

But Saturday was not one of those, and it was the supporters who felt bashed. Time to bash the Cowboys this week.

“When we hear the whistle blow it’s time to go to war”

It’s feeling like a war this season. At times it feels like the fans against other fans, or the fans against the players and the coach. The media speculates about players at odds with other players or players at war with the coaches?
We know that the speculation is just that – speculation.

Unfortunately there was no war waged against the opposition in Rd13 and this is not acceptable.

I’m looking for war in Darwin.

“We bleed for one another and the story must be told”

When you bleed for something it means it’s vital in your life and you are willing to protect and defend it with every part of your being. Parra is part of my family. It is part of who we are. We stick solid, we are resilient, we are forgiving, but we are also honest, straight forward  people.

When my team, this team bleeds (not necessarily wins but bleeds) for each other like they have many times in the past few seasons, they will have no greater supporter or defender than my family and I. And just like I have many times in the past, I will stand up and defend them against unwarranted criticism. I tell the story of their efforts.

But when they don’t, that also must be told and told honestly otherwise it stops being a story and becomes the norm.

I want to be able to tell the story of the team rising bloody from the deck to battle against Taumololo, JT Hess on Saturday.

“That if you cut us open we’ll be bleeding blue and gold
Parra! Parra!”

Better times

I miss the chant at the ground. Not the recorded chant played to simulate crowd excitement, but the spontaneous chant of fans.

What comes first – the horse or cart?

What comes first the chant or success?

As fans, there’s been nothing but waiting this season for something to cheer about. Maybe, just maybe we need to give the players something to aspire to. Maybe our chant needs to inspire them, to force them into the game.

In truth, it’s the supporters in any club who bleed for their team. Maybe if we show our heart, our passion and our support of this team this might help them to right this ship. We’ll be needed in that next home match.

“You know we came to fight
Parra! Parra!”

This has been the hallmark of Parramatta teams under Brad Arthur. In 2017, even when the team was dealing with injuries and unspectacular form, they would find a way to win matches, no matter the opposition. In 2018, there’s been fight in at least five matches.
However, against Manly and Newcastle there was no evidence of any fight.
We need the passion, pride and FIGHT of 2016/2017 to be produced every week, whether the team can qualify for the finals or not.

“Our brotherhood is tight”

There’s no questioning that this is a tight group of players. The rumours of rifts and lost dressing rooms are rubbish. But for the fans like myself and my family, it needs to be shown on the field. This is the only time that it matters.

The team are playing like strangers, not trusting the bloke next to them.
You believe in your brotherhood, but we need to see it in action.

“When you wake up wounded just remember how it feels
To try to go toe to toe with the Parramatta Eels.”

Right now we are all wounded. Supporters, our team, our coaches, our club – we’re all wounded. Deeply wounded.

But the sun will rise tomorrow, and we have an opportunity to lock arms, line up our toes and march forward together. Those willing and still able to do this please get in line and lock arms.

Anyone – be you a player, staff member or fan – not willing or able to do so, thank you but your service is no longer required.

Ultimately, my tough, resilient, passionate club will be fine because thousands of supporters, dedicated players, the coaches and management won’t let it be any other way.

For now, It’s time for the players to familiarise themselves with those words in their own victory song. Maybe, by finding themselves in those words, they’ll find the path to singing it again.

Shelley

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10 thoughts on “From The Stands – Victory Song

  1. Colin Hussey

    Let the players learn it, sing it and most of all play it.

    Rather than wait for the games end, they should sing it at the beginning and on the way out to the field. That was part of the QLD SOO teams gee up from Billy Moore IIRC and really held that mob together.

    If they know the words then they simply have to apply it.

    1. sixties

      Colin, it does feel like there needs to be more buy in on the field. Or are we that shattered with confidence? I sometimes feel that an intangible is behind getting the basics so wrong.

      1. Colin Hussey

        I agree mate, but the question is why? I am still miffed at the change this year from last. The game at Maitland was a full continuation of last year, meaning the passion was there, even in the last 10 or so minutes when a stack of young players came on the flow was the same.

        Head to the Penrith game and it flowed until the first Penrith try, no matter how many times I could look at that try it was one that should never have been scored, the inept play had crept it. I read elsewhere that BA gave the team a real serve at half time and if true the team seemingly as a whole had dropped their bundle and decided they going to revolt against the coach as they were upset. Looking outside in from a bit of distance I cannot understand the change.

        Even though we have lost most matches since the Manly debacle we are losing games that we should not be losing a simple mistake here or there. MJ dropping the ball over the try line twice, how many times in the past was that done?
        BA was interviewed on the news tonight and was quite forthright in the fact that everyone at the club is on the line, himself and the players, support staff and all, I would suggest an internal memorandum has come out from the meeting yesterday.

        So if the whole group are not buying in, then they can look to be sold one would think. They start on Saturday night in placing value on themselves and that is not just in the monetary sense either, methinks.

  2. Milo

    Superb comments Shelley; and there is not much to really add to this one. Just read how BA stepped back from some involvement in video this week to allow team to take on. They have not been in winning the 1% ers for most of the year and those small things add up.

    1. Shelley

      As a supporter they need to give me a reason to stand up for them and cheer because I really want to. I remember how they helped our club in 2016 but many more games like last week will make it impossible for me to stand up for them. I trust and hope they really want to.

  3. Big Derek

    Thanks Shelley
    It pretty much sums up how most supporters feel.
    This year was anticipated with so much enthusiasm that it was infectious, that the team has failed to fight as they have have the 2 previous years (plus the loss of Semi) has definitely left us feeling drained of emotion.
    They can’t go into next season in a new stadium without an injection of young players and decent signings.
    Despite the interview with Bernie being thoughtful, it lacked passion in a sense that is needed to turn the tide.
    As always, l will be sitting in front of the tv with much hope and enthusiasm, but I am ware of some supporters who have told me they are going to record every game and only watch if the team wins. Such is the fall of the club in some eyes.

    #Eels to win

    1. Shelley

      I would personally dislike him coming out and saying in too much detail what they are doing re review and recruitment. Changes either from the players themselves needs to happen immediately otherwise significant change in the squad will be inevitable and needed. It up to the players they will force the managements hand one way or the other. It was pleasing to listen to the words about Hayne from Bernie as I must admit I was not really supportive of him returning.

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