Parramatta Eels 32
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 16
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 16
The Good: |
Well that was a very nice way to end the regular season. Not only was it a victory, but a victory over one of our most significant traditional rivals, at home, by enough points to secure us a 5th place victory. Feels good, right? |
The Bad: |
As Des loaded up his starting lineup with three recognised props next to the already robust talents of Jake Trbojevic, the early goings saw the big and burly Manly forwards slice through our defensive lines at will.
A possible date with the judiciary for Kane Evans is a bit of a downer, not to mention some pretty questionable moments from the Eels as a whole, including a pretty dumb strip from Junior and Taka not being square at marker leading up to Manly’s first try. Despite the win, BA was not particularly pleased with tonight’s relatively performance in the post game presser, but I kinda like that. |
The X-Factor: |
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: that second Manly try.
That Manase Fainu try was weirder than that 56th minute Mexican standoff where time stood still and all players from both sides just looked at each for a couple of minutes. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the Marty Taupau penalty that we received, but whatever. Swings and roundabouts, swings and roundabouts. The game itself very much started as The Night of the Long Offloads, as player after player hit and spun their way to a looping late pass. It seemed that the lack of focus on the result itself might have led BA to throw caution to the (howling) wind, as the Eels seemed to return to our offload heavy tactics employed early in the season. However, as the heavens opened at halftime and the players ran to the sheds like cricketers heading for cover during a rain delay, so too, it seemed, did the Eels propensity to throw the ball around. Of the Eel 17 offloads on the night, 11 of them came in the opening 40 minutes. Team stats don’t make for particularly insightful reading tonight; with possession (Eels 51 to 49 Manly) and completions (Eels 72% to 67% Manly) don’t tell too many tales. Surprisingly if you remember our Brookvale capitulation, but unsurprisingly if you watched tonight’s game, the Eels dominated yardage 2166m to Manly’s 1818m. Also, long time readers will know how hesitant I am to compliment a moment of opposition brilliance, but that breakaway threat, chip for himself over Gutho play that DCE put on for an almost try in the first half was actually pretty glorious. I mean, sure; he did sorta hold Mitch back in the end, but it was still very pretty before then. |
The MVP:
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This award was Dylan Brown’s for the taking before Maika Sivo went nuclear in the second half. What an absolute find both young players have been, truly crucial cogs in any success we have going forward. Regarding Maika, I dare say it’d be difficult to comfortably name 3 more valuable players in our side, despite the fact that he was relatively unknown at the start of the season, and we only swiped him from Penrith once Mansour took Penrith’s (significant) currency instead of ours. How good!
Another ridiculously great performance from Maika tonight, with 15 runs, 173 metres, 4 linebreaks, 5 tackle breaks, a try assist, an offload and 3 tries. That stat line is absolutely ridiculous, and who would have thought Blake Ferguson would so frequently (yet still impressively) be the second best winger in our 17? I can only imagine the incredible pride reverberating through the tiny Fijian village of Momi as the name Sivo was chanted again and again throughout the modern day Colosseum which is Bankwest Stadium. Outstanding. |
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1- Clinton Gutherson (c)Fullback, Parramatta Eels |
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| Gees, the kid can throw a nice long ball. It was an absolute pearler of a pass for one of Sivo’s four pointers.
How does that make you feel, Gutho? |
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Clinton was pretty great all over the park tonight, leading to a 15 runs, 130 metre performance. The King also had 3 offloads, 2 linebreak assists, one tackle break, a try and a try assist. |
2- Maika SivoLeft Wing, Parramatta Eels |
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| Those 3 tries could have very easily been 4 or 5, as if Maika wasn’t throwing Manly players down, he himself was being held up.
In other news, although DWZ will likely still take out top honours for Season 2019, this week’s Sivo Photo of Shame victim is Brendan Elliot.
I know art is subjective, but to me it almost looks like Elliot has just given up on tackling the giant Fijian, instead opting to give him an encouraging, left handed smack on the ass on the way through. At the other end of the spectrum, Maika looks like he’s about to reach into his opponent’s chest and reef out his beating heart; you know, Temple of Doom style. |
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3- Michael JenningsLeft Centre, Parramatta Eels |
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| It was another very likeable performance from Michael Jennings, showing nice hands on a number of occasions to get Maika open in the first half, scoring our opening try himself (off a Maika try assist), before sealing the game with an incredible dummy, draw and pass play for Sivo’s final in the South Eastern corner. The Jet’s 10 runs for 92 metres, 2 linebreak assists, 2 offload and a try assist stat line probably still don’t reflect his impact on this game for the good guys. | ||
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4- Waqa BlakeRight Centre, Parramatta Eels |
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How long do I have to talk about the in and away Waqa Blake put on to set up Gutho’s first half try? Good heavens and mercy me.
Although Fergo and his chemistry is still coming along, Waqa’s 8 runs for 114 metres, 1 linebreak, 1 try assist, 2 tackle break game has reignited my burning love for our newest recruit. Please also consider me always here for Waqa flying across field like Superman to make a cover tackle on an unsuspecting opposition player. |
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5- Blake FergusonRight Wing, Parramatta Eels |
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Although Blake Ferguson is still making his way back to full health, if it weren’t for Maika he’d still be the best winger on the park. Only the solitary tackle break to join his 12 runs for 105 metres, I look forward to a time where Fergo is not in the highlights for his spectacular put downs, but also for the revival of his tendency to absolutely eat people in both attack and defence. Good times. |
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6- Dylan BrownFive Eighth, Parramatta Eels |
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| This is admittedly pretty easy to say after a win but I really loved the balance between Mitch Moses and Dylan Brown this week. Dylan actually had identical running numbers to Fergo (12 for 105 metres), showing an incredible workrate for a half, and highlights the potency of his running game. He did have 4 tackle breaks, too.
Oh, and how about this little kick? It’s a big thumbs up from Maika, and a big thumbs up from me, too. |
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7- Mitchell MosesHalfback, Parramatta Eels |
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| It wasn’t a 5 star performance from Mitchell Moses tonight, but that is completely fine. In fact, I actually prefer the odd victory where everything doesn’t run through our mercurial number 7. Tonight, Moses played pretty well despite having exactly zero try assists and missing a couple of shots on goal (6 from 8 overall), along with 4 runs for 25 metres and 336 kicking metres. A little more concerning is that the stats will also record Mitch made 20 tackles with 8 misses; however this was often more a case of giant prop Addin Fonua-Blake starting the game on the left edge. To his credit, on most occasions Mitch tended to make the tackle in the end, even forcing an error a couple of times. | ||
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8- Kane EvansProp, Parramatta Eels |
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| Kane Evans‘ night looked like 8 runs for 88 metres, 19 tackles, 2 offloads and a reportable tackle that hopefully does not draw the ire of the Match Review Committee.
Other than the questionable hit, Kane was also frequently bested laterally in defence by both Paseka and Jorge Taufua, compounded these issues by being found wanting several times in cover defence. Although his running game improved, I thought Kane’s lateral defence was no better in his second stint. With all that said, gosh I’m hoping he’s running around for us next week against the Broncos/Sharks/Tigers. |
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9- Reed MahoneyHooker, Parramatta Eels |
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| Some might say I’m being harsh on Reed Mahoney, but his 36 tackles with 9 misses is less than ideal no matter how you slice it. Combined with a loose pass to Moses (leading to an error), 3 ineffective tackles and 2 errors, it wasn’t Reed’s best night at the office. Despite the statistical car crash, we won and won pretty well, and teams don’t often do that with ineffective service. He’s been one of most important players in 2019, and I don’t suspect that changes next week, or next year for that matter. | ||
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10- Junior PauloProp, Parramatta Eels |
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| The Big Hombre was a mainstay for us in the middle tonight, getting through a massive 18 runs and 151 metres with 3 tackle breaks and 19 tackles of his own. That’s an exceptional workrate for a man of his size in his massive 64 minutes of service. | ||
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11- Shaun LaneSecond Row, Parramatta Eels |
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| Not dissimilar to Junior, Shaun Lane was also terrific for us tonight in his 62 minute stint, threatening his old team with every one of his 11 runs for 117 metres. Penny Lane also added 3 tackle breaks, an offload and 21 tackles. Cop that, Silvertails.
Ps – Remember when he almost stripped the ball from Moses Suli to score? That would have been something. |
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12- Manu Ma’uSecond Row, Parramatta Eels |
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| Monster Mash had 10 runs, 91 metres, 1 linebreak assist and a team high 41 tackles tonight in his final regular season game for the Blue & Gold. Although I’ll be missing the scary bastard next season, I suspect many opposition players will be working through PTSD. | ||
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15- Daniel AlvaroLock, Parramatta Eels |
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Yeah, it was ok. The new  At one point Alvaro was our rising star; now it’s like he’s somehow had his powers stolen like that scene from Space Jam. Hoping he finds them in time for Season 2020. |
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13- Marata NiukoreInterchange, Parramatta Eels |
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| Marata was just out there tonight running with venom, breaking tackles, punching through the line – Marata was out there tonight doing all those things that Peni and Tepai can’t do.
His 11 runs for 98 metres, 1 offload and 12 tackles were a little invisible next to the bright lights of Sivo, Brown, Lane and Paulo, but he was nonetheless a very important addition to our cause tonight. |
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14- Brad TakairangiInterchange, Parramatta Eels |
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| It was a brief appearance and a hard slog for our Mr Fix It, Brad Takairangi. The Cook Island Control Tower had 4 runs, 28 metres and made |
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16- Ray StoneInterchange, Parramatta Eels |
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| Before he was effectively decapitated by Marty Taupau, Ray “Harry Highpants” Stone was taking to Manly’s gigantic attacking raids like a sharpened axe to a pine plantation. It was excellent to hear midway through that final period that not only was he ok, but that he willingly stood up off the stretcher. Here’s hoping he’s fit for next week; I definitely want him in my 17. | ||
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17- Tepai MoeroaInterchange, Parramatta Eels |
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| Despite providing some pretty impressive stats tonight (14 runs for 133 metres is excellent), little moments in the game mean it’s becoming more and more evident that Tepai Moeroa is just not all that good at Rugby League anymore. Hopefully he finds greater consistency in Rugby Union? But it’s not the mechanics of his defence, or even his running game; what frustrates me is the dropped ball to open the second half, it’s the post strip knock on, it’s the timing of the penalties he gives away. Nonetheless, tonight may have been his last game in the Blue & Gold, and overall I will prefer to remember him as a young dynamic meat axe, chopping down players, busting tackles and scoring tries. God speed, Tep. | ||
Well, that’s the regular season done and dusted.
Not only did we make the Finals, we finished pretty in 5th, overtaking arch rivals Manly in the last round. And that is worth celebrating:
For the first time in 2019, we don’t know who or when we are playing next weekend; we just know it’s at Bankwest Stadium. FYI – if the Broncos lose, we’re playing them. If the Broncos win, we play the winner of Tigers/Sharks.
Victory next week will mean a sudden death game against one of the losing Top 4 sides. Defeat means that’s all she wrote for Season 2019.
Whoever it is, whenever it is, I cannot wait.
See you then, sports fans.
Go you Eels,
Mitch
Photos courtesy of the Parramatta Eels. Stats courtesy of the legends over at Champion Data.
Also want to give a big shoutout to Alt for the GIFs.
