EELS – 14 (Tries: K. Pritchard, M. Moses. Goals: M. Moses 2 from 2, Gutherson 1 from 1)
Defeat
BULLDOGS – 8 (Tries: K. Holland. Goals: R. Martin 2 from 2)
@ ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Crowd: 8,437
Well it wasn’t pretty but the long-suffering Eels Army will take the win.
This was a game that didn’t each any heights, and well it wasn’t really expected to anyway, but the closeness of the score kept everyone interested.
We didn’t have many stand outs for the Eels this week bar Nathan Brown and Tepai Moeroa. Both played exceptionally well. Our halves were fairly quiet and Hayne didn’t repeat last week’s brilliant performance.
I thought our service out of dummy half was a lot better this week with Kaysa and Reed there but too much one out stuff from the Eels was making them quite predictable and quite boring. Perhaps this was to be expected after the completion rate we witnessed against the Knights.
But in saying all that it was a great feeling to get a win on the board.
Full Time Stats
| EELS | Team Stats | BULLDOGS |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Possession (%) | 54 |
| 30/37 (81) | Complete/Total Sets (%) | 31/37 (84) |
| 40:39 | Time – Opposition Half | 39:50 |
| 17:24 | Time – Opposition 20 | 16:49 |
| 2421 | Metres Gained | 2197 |
| 5 | Scrum Win | 7 |
| 1 | Goal Line Dropout | 2 |
| 7 | Penalty Conceded | 7 |
| 0 | Forty Twenty | 0 |
A lot better completion rate this week from the Eels compared to last weeks 62%. Something no doubt was worked on in training over the week.
1st Half Stats
| EELS | Team Stats | BULLDOGS |
|---|---|---|
| 49 | Possession (%) | 51 |
| 15/20 (75) | Complete/Total Sets (%) | 16/17 (94) |
| 25:01 | Time – Opposition Half | 15:04 |
| 10:21 | Time – Opposition 20 | 8:50 |
| 1194 | Metres Gained | 1092 |
| 1 | Scrum Win | 2 |
| 1 | Goal Line Dropout | 1 |
| 4 | Penalty Conceded | 6 |
| 0 | Forty Twenty | 0 |
We just can’t score points. We had an extra 10 minutes in the Dogs half and didn’t apply any pressure, we only forced one drop out, and just nothing there in attack from the Eels. Conversely, we weren’t threatened by a Dogs attack which couldn’t keep up the second phase play of the first ten minutes.
2nd Half Stats
| EELS | Team Stats | BULLDOGS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | Possession (%) | 56 | ||
| 15/17 (88) | Complete/Total Sets (%) | 15/20 (75) | ||
| 15:38 | Time – Opposition Half | 24:46 | ||
| 7:03 | Time – Opposition 20 | 7:59 | ||
| 1227 | Metres Gained | 1105 | ||
| 4 | Scrum Win | 5 | ||
| 0 | Goal Line Dropout | 1 | ||
| 3 | Penalty Conceded | 1 | ||
| 0 | Forty Twenty | 0 | ||
Our defence won this game for us. Time in opposition half swung massively to the Dogs and they haven’t been renowned for their attack this year. Still we must give kudos to the Eels defence.
Player Stats
Same old heat map for the Eels. Doing the hard yards in our own territory but pretty much nothing in the oppositions half. This has been the same of the Eels all year.
Let’s compare this to the Storm’s heat map from last week. See below.
This is a regular map for the Storm over so many years. Not just this game or this year. Our heat maps looked like this last year. Not sure what has happened to make it so different this year.
Set Starts
We had some decent starts in the Dogs half but just couldn’t do anything with the ball. Either one out plays, crabbing across the field or just giving up cheap possession with unforced errors. That’s the story of the 2018 Eels.
Final Thoughts
It was great to get the win last night don’t get me wrong. I am just as frustrated as anyone with how we have played this year. If it wasn’t for long range efforts then we are barely bothering the score board attendant.
I can’t really remember last time we scored off a great set piece. Probably back to the Manly flogging in Round 7.
To not get the wooden spoon we need to win games off our defence as our scoring options are very limited.
Our for and against will not help us get off the bottom of the table so it will come down to wins and losses.
It pains me to say it but, along with the Dogs and Cowboys, our play this year is very deserving of where we sit on the table.
And on that note, I honestly can’t believe that the Cowboys aren’t getting more heat put on them when you look at their roster compared to ours and the Bulldogs. I suppose that when you’re the darlings of the NRL it doesn’t get brought up. But that’s another conversation for another time.
So as we finally have a good weekend with an Eels win lets bask in it for the week and hope we put on a great display against the Rabbitohs like we did just a couple weeks ago.
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.
When one looks at those stats, the win was much better than what was actually on show for a game that was dour at best and at time boring and monotonous. Thing is though when one looks at the penalty count under Paranoia and his cohort, one could say we actually won the count under him for the first time I can remember, even though they were level for both teams. Second half was match up for him though.
The aspect that we had less possession yet dominated in the metres gained is a good plus from my perspective, and something that can be built on
Everyone keeps saying it was a boring game and therefore it must have been. But at the stadium I did not see it that way. Winning the game and the closeness made it very enjoyable for me.
Our lack of ability to score from close range has been with us for a few seasons. Admittedly it seems worse this year. The halves are getting all the blame for this and that may be justified.
To me however one change I have seen this year is a lack of players backing up the ball carriers. I think as a result of this we have seen MM not running square at the defence and instead running across field to pick up the runners. Oppositions would be aware of this and let him go in order to concentrate on taking out the receiver.
Maybe I am looking for something that is not there
Agree john eel ,had it been storm v broncos the media (who know nothing ) would have described it as a highly entertaining dour struggle .people need to recognise no matter how hard we are trying to score theyre trying equally not to let us and dogs have stated they are basing everything on their defence , just enjoy a win !!
Might add 6 internationals in dogs side 3 being outside backs
Colmac, your final thoughts are spot on.
We have to find ways to win and should have done this all season.
To me the forwards have been ok all season but the halves have not been consistent and lack fluidity- and gelling.
Our dummy halves have also combined to give some poor service and also our plays around the ruck have been one out too often and slow.
The Cows should be under pump like us but not; its like saying the NRL will want another Brisbane team in comp; i think they’d rather see a team in Perth and NOT upset the poor broncos……the media seem to have their favs. It’s a bit like media carrying on about Canberra last night; one try was bad and possible non forward pass. So what? It happens to many teams but Canberra and RS seem to be the media and Telegraphs good mate…
We really need a fresh attack coach, think the current one has been there for 4 years and apart from 3 hit ups, followed by a sweep play, then a kick – we seem to have little motion or ideas. Even watching tonight’s games, we are off the pace a long way when you look at structure and that evil, footy size in the forwards.
Maybe we not only need new recruits to stiffen the club across the team, but some support coaches with fresh ideas and ability. What we have isn’t working and if we keep BA, he needs help big time, the current assistants just aren’t doing it.
Souths attacking coach would be a good start. The difference in their attack this year to last with basically the same roster is a breath of fresh air. Oh and some bigger more skilful forwards wouldn’t go astray.
Finally we hang onto the ball and surprise surprise we win! We do actually seem to be playing to our opposition this year – we matched it with the bunnies and the dragons, as well as the broncos for the most part this year, but obviously our execution is lacking. As Derek said I think BA needs some more help around him in the coaches box.
Honestly if we can chip away, win a few games and have the results go our way to get off the bottom, sadly I’ll call that a successful year.
Derek would know !