Round 6 Drink Of Choice – Balvenie Double Wood 12YO
Well that was certainly one way to christen your new home. Parramatta’s imperious 51-6 victory over the Wests Tigers on Easter Monday enthralled and captivated 29,047 raucous fans for eighty spell-binding minutes. Mitchell Moses and Clinton Gutherson spearheaded the rout but every Eel outside of Daniel Alvaro (who was sidelined from the opening play due to a high shot) also played starring roles as Parramatta piled on nine tries in a monstrous boost to their points differential.
I am going to dial back the praise on individual players today because this will end up like a PHD thesis otherwise so feel free to lay the creamy mayonnaise on each and every player that deserves it in the comments!
Western Sydney Stadium is probably the best game day experience in Australia
AAMI Park and Suncorp Stadium are definitely in the conversation but the Eels’ new home is a glorious shrine to our great game. New life has been bestowed unto the outer precincts, making it a pleasure to stroll around and explore while the viewing experience is otherworldly. After catching a replay of the game this morning the commentators were well within their rights to bill the atmosphere as akin to that of a grand final. The near capacity crowd was thrumming with energy well before a ball was kicked off in anger and the Eels then gave them plenty of cause to raise the decibels.
Tickets will probably be difficult to come by in next few games at WSS but I strongly encourage all fans to get out to at least one game there.
Precedent dismissed
It comes as little surprise to me that the NRL continues to hold inconsistent standards from week to week and game to game. After Michael Jennings was sin-binned for concussing a falling Isaah Yeo in Round 1 it seemed a fait-accompli that Ryan Matterson would receive a similar punishment after clocking Daniel Alvaro high from the opening hit-up. The officials were having none of it though and despite handicapping the Eels without a starting prop for the entirety of the game, the Tigers got off essentially scot-free.
To make matters worse, Moses Mbye sent Marata Niukore to the sideline for a head-injury assessment not too long after after he plowed a shoulder into the falling backrower’s head. This time around the Eels didn’t even receive a penalty.
While I am largely enjoying the more hands-off approach to officiating when it comes to the ruck the foul play incidents need to be better cited.
Fitting tribute to one of the greats; Denis ‘Big D’ Anderson
Truly tragic news broke recently as it came to light that one of Parramatta’s greatest stalwarts in Denis Anderson is facing a brutal battle with cancer. The Eels honoured Anderson’s huge contributions to the club by naming the home dressing rooms after him, emblazoning the tunnels with his famous catch-cry “Parra’s in the tunnel!” and introducing an award for junior club person of the year on the back of his herculean efforts in that field.
‘Big D’ is one of the greatest clubmen in the history of the Eels and every bit as good of a bloke away from the footy. Myself and everyone at TCT wish him the best in his battle and I am glad that the Eels put on a show yesterday worthy of his efforts for the club.
A king’s ransom perhaps not but the Eels will reward their off-contract stars
The media frenzy over the futures of Clinton Gutherson and Mitchell Moses continued into post-game coverage but I feel pretty assured that the Eels will nut out fair deals for two of their core play-makers along with their other off-contract talent. Rather, the key re-signing looming on the horizon is likely that of the head coach Brad Arthur.
Arthur is firming as the central piece to retaining the the firmament of off-contract players so perhaps the club will revisit expediting their June deadline for re-signing Arthur.
The Final Word
This is the sort of game that deserves the plaudits from the fans. So please, unleash all the love and positivity this historic result warrants.
Finally you’ve submitted your musings. I look forward to this column(?) every week. Thank you!
What can I say that hasn’t been said? We were stupendously good and we seemed to rob the Tigers of their ability to play as has been done many a time to us in the past. It was a glorious win. A rout as they say. Welcome to the jungle, Tigers, and we Parra fans will laugh all the way to the bank with that catch cry. Their home ground indeed! What a farce! In a way I’m glad they approached OUR stadium with that arrogance, it played right into our hands. However it will always be Parramatta stadium in spirit no matter what they call it who or owns the rights to it. The blood, sweat and tears of our warriors in blue and gold fed that turf. The supporters souls echo around that hallowed ground.
Parra forever!
Match day at BankWest is now a totally new experience, yet the passion for the Eels keeps it as a unique Parra feel.
We love Big D.
Amazing game! Not much else can be said.
On the topic of consistency it was an outrage that Matterson was not binned as blind freddy could tell Alvaro wasn’t coming back but what made it worse for me was the arrogant dismissal of Gutho when he raised the issue with the ref. What is the rule? They just decided to bin Jennings and since then put the whistle away it seems.
I don’t like to bag refs as I did it as a kid and know how hard it can be but again how did Marata not receive a penalty but Robert jennings gets one for his little diving act. Its so frustrating but who cares the boys were “on fire” as they sing.
I won’t let my annoyance over the sin bin issues rain on my euphoria. This was a big day and the team rose to the occasion.
The gesture to Big D was almost as important as the game. It will be difficult, no impossible to find someone else like Denis Anderson who reflects the passion and pleasure that the fans receive from the team in blue and gold. Fan days without seeing him on the BBQ will not be the same
The win will hopefully do a lot for Big D, and the fire and energy they showed if related will reward the fans in no small way.
Parra’s in the Tunnel 👏💙💛
👍👍👍
Terrific result,great attitude all across the park.Let’s hope they maintain that desire and attitude for all games.We don’t need an ambush at Newcastle. please sign Gutho! Get well big D.Thanks forties
I have to agree about that trip to Newcastle, but if we simply put the excitement behind us and focus on the week ahead, we have the team to win it.
I’m still on a high and that’s just for the atmosphere. What a great day and to top it off the boys really stuck to the task. At halftime I was worried that they might just try to protect their lead but they really wanted to hammer it in that it’s Parradise not their jungle. Thanks forty I look forward to Musings every week.
We should thank Simon Cook for firing everyone at Parra up – from Bernie, to the players, to the supporters.
Sixties I am thinking that Magquire would be trying to run him out of town by now.
Cook is obviously not a footy person or he would never have said what he did.
I had to keep pinching myself during the game – wow! It will be hard to top that feeling. Amazing performance and fantastic atmosphere. I am still buzzing 24 hours later!
Same here Susan. What a day!
Somehow I’ve managed to watch the replay twice. Fabulous. Obviously the stadium will forever after be known as Spank Wests Stadium. (stolen but gold)
I was at the game and have just finished watching the replay for the third time!!!
Each time I have found new reasons to be both excited and proud! I know Shaun Lane has received plenty of praise but… as the leading try scorer for the Silver Tails last year it was pretty clear the man had skill, but put away all the Blake Ferguson hype, at this stage of the year he is an absolute shoe in for buy of the year! In both defence and attack he was everywhere on Monday as he has been for each game this year. My bold prediction is here now for all to see…he is the Ken Thornett medalist for 2019.
What the heck is BA going to do when Manu is ready to return?
How do you take Jaeman out when Dylan Brown fit again?
Who does BA sacrifice at this point to bring NBrown back into the side?
The contract saga…yeah the big names will sort themselves out. Gutho and Mitch I feel ok about knowing that they’ll be sorted. But the question for me is around some of the other names
Tim Mannah, MJennings, Tepai are the tip of the ice berg for me. Timmy is playing as good as ever but maybe only has 1 year left, similarly MJennings. Tepai is playing great but I don’t think he’s fulfilled his potential and with the amount of youth coming through??? Isn’t it wonderful to be in such a “predicament”?
I suspect that most ardent TCT followers, particularly those who are fortunate enough to be able to attend a few training sessions knew that 2019 was going to be different to 2018, but I don’t know that any of us dared to dream that it would start this well.
I am so excited thinking about the next game at Bankwest that I am salivating. I am starting to think about a trip to Newcastle this Sunday simply because I don’t want to miss out on being there for my team!
Agree with your comments, especially regarding our youth. I thought for such a big occasion both, Kafusi and Stone went well
Forty I notice you made no mention of “Bankwest Stadium “. Interesting my friend who sits with me insists on calling it Parramatta Stadium.
After watching the game on Monday I became very hyped about the skill of our squad. Also in recent times it has been an advantage to the Eels to not lose any players to SOO: But will it be the same again this year.
If you look at our squad players such as Gutherson, Ferguson, Moses, Paulo and Mahoney while by no means certainties any one of them,one or more are a chance of selection.