There’s that famous NFL saying, “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”.
Getting wins in both of the double header matches had that quote spinning around in my head after the final siren. Anything less would have left an empty feeling.
In the NRL, the Eels place a priority on early season wins. To that end, they have held a top 8 placing at the end of every round since Round 1, 2019. That strong start to seasons has guaranteed a finals berth for the last three years.
In the NRLW, a five round competition makes every week critical. With only one home match, the result on Sunday had to be a win.
And so to this week’s column. There’s no shortage of topics to discuss – and literally every one could have been a dedicated post on its own. As it stands, it’s still one long read.
From team selections and lower grade results through to controversial match review committee decisions, you’re bound to have an opinion.
I’ll take the first carry, bumpers up!
Jake’s Role In A Second Half Strangle
It’s difficult to fathom the unwarranted criticism of Jake Arthur following the Eels victory over the Titans. After reviewing the match on replay, it’s more apparent that the game was impacted by Jake’s presence, but not in the manner that most suspected.
All supporters were concerned about the ease with which the Eels turned over possession, and then opened up on the right side in defence, in a first half version of touch football.
It was frantic attacking footy and it was increasingly favouring the Titans. Not once in 2021 did the Titans grind out a tight win. Their lowest points scored in victory was 28. Furthermore, like all teams, the more points they scored beyond 28, the less likely they were to lose.
The mission was simple for the Eels. They needed better control of possession and in doing so, they had to stop haemorrhaging points. A change of mindset was needed for the second half.
Let’s examine how this played out.
Parra enjoyed 62% of possession in the second half compared to 48% in the first. That came from completing 16 of 19 sets after the break, a significant improvement on the 10 of 15 in the opening 40 minutes.
The Titans made only one line break in the second half, compared to six in the first. They were literally strangled out of the match, with 63% of that second half played at their end of the field.
The resulting pressure forced errors and poor discipline from the Titans, something that had not been present in the first half.
Jake Arthur
Why am I including Jake Arthur in the credit for the change in the game’s dynamics during the second half?
JA had 32 receipts during the match, the majority of which were in that second half. He became the dominant halfback, or game manager, during that period. If the criticisms were based on his high involvement and the lack of tries scored, then equally his involvement should also be viewed from a different perspective.
Jake kept things tighter. The ball was frequently passed off to forwards who changed the match from a free flowing affair to a physical contest.
Could it be that this was the instruction at the break and that the halves and the forwards were playing to the plan?
For what other reason would Mitch Moses take less receipts? For what other reason would Jake Arthur, a player who likes to dig into the line and fire precision passes (as witnessed in 2021 and the trials), take a more measured approach?
In looking for the answers, and due to the relentless criticism of the halfback in a winning team, I went back over the second half.
I arrived at the conclusion that there was a slow strangulation of the Titans during the second forty minutes. Our mindset as supporters was on the attacking play of the opening half. The coach’s mindset was on the win.
In taking on the role of game manager, JA changed the nature of the contest. I think we all saw that change, without acknowledging that it was the path to victory.
JA wasn’t perfect. He shanked a kick to give away a seven tackle set and he missed a couple of tackles. But he also shut down a couple of dangerous Titans plays with crucial one on one tackles. And as a yardstick to the nature of the game, the defensively sublime Dylan Brown missed five tackles.
Jake has missed selection this week. In one sense that doesn’t surprise me but in another way it does.
I didn’t expect that BA would use Jake as a bench player for an extended period. He’s earned his spot, but he’s a half who needs game time to further develop his craft, and that won’t be achieved by limited minutes from the interchange role.
However, if we carried four forwards last week, the loss of a winger could have proved costly. As it panned out, Jake’s inclusion provided insurance for a backline injury, something that our bench won’t offer against the Sharks.
Hopefully Jake gets more opportunities this season, even if it’s from the bench. His composure is rare for players his age, let alone for NRL players in general.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what supporters such as myself think. The only valid opinions in team selections are those of the coaching staff and those of the team themselves. They are the ones getting the job done. And they were the ones getting the win in round one.
But I do have a response to anyone making suggestions of nepotism – pull your heads in!
That Tackle
I’m not interested in instigating a witch hunt over the tackle that’s sidelined Sean Russell with busted ribs and a punctured lung. Unintended outcomes and injuries happen in a collision sport like rugby league.
However, in finding that young Jayden Campbell has no case to answer, the Match Review Committee has opened a can of worms.
That tackle, that contact
The MRC has declared that the tackle was neither careless nor reckless. Apparently it was decided that in attempting to stop a player who was sliding along the ground towards the try line, Campbell was making the only possible tackle.
It was decreed that at worst his knees and arms made simultaneous contact with Sean Russell. The ruling was that the tackle did not start with the knees contacting the ribs, and therefore Campbell could not be found at fault for where his tackle finished.
How does that work?
Has there been similar leniency for defenders standing upright when ball runners back into them and finish in an awkward crusher position?
What about shots that start at the chest but slide up to the head? Is it always an acceptable defence that initial contact wasn’t with the head.
Last season, Dylan Brown was rightly found guilty of making dangerous contact with his knees on Drew Hutchison. It was unintentional but he caused a serious injury by leading with his knees.
A number of different camera angles show that Campbell’s knees unquestionably made full contact with Russell’s ribs. Furthermore, his forearm struck Russell on the side of the head.
If there was evidence that exonerated Campbell, let that be shown in defence at a judiciary.
Laurie Daley’s take was that there was nothing wrong with the tackle and that the fullback was simply doing his utmost to prevent a try. No argument about his intent there Laurie, but since when has noble intentIons been an excuse for dangerous contact?
As things stand we have another example of extreme inconsistencies.
Injury Dispensation
Haze Dunster was put out for the season due to an illegal tackle. It’s arguable that Sean Russell is about to have an extended “holiday” courtesy of similar contact.
Injuries are part of the game. Conversely, those emanating from foul play do not hold a similar place as they should be unavoidable.
Haze Dunster
Teams with multiple players in the long term injury ward are the victims of bad luck. However, if there are multiple players sitting on the sidelines due to illegal tackles, that should not be categorised in the same way.
There is no satisfaction for the club losing injured players. It’s the future opponents of the offending player’s club who gain the advantage of playing against a team weakened by suspension.
Perhaps the NRL should consider some form of dispensation for clubs losing players to long term injuries resulting from foul play. I hope it’s on the agenda for discussion at the end of this season.
Kellyville Crowd
Saturday’s last minute transfer of the NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg matches to Kellyville was a positive glimpse into the near future.
A very healthy crowd was in attendance, one that continued to grow right up to half time in the NSW Cup.
Considering there was almost no publicity, and that most people were made aware by family involvement, word of mouth, TCT or live stream coverage, it was a tremendous roll up.
At this stage, the venue is not ideal for spectator attendance. There’s a single hill, which was quite overgrown on Saturday, virtually no facilities, and a small tree at the base of the hill obstructs some of the view.
However, construction of a stand will commence later this year and the ground will become a venue for lower grades, junior reps and perhaps some NRLW clashes.
And if this first test was anything to go by, locals are going to thoroughly embrace it.
Depth On Show
The future developments at the Kellyville venue was a big talking point on Saturday, but the main show was the footy on display.
I count the Jersey Flegg as extremely unlucky in their 30-22 loss to the Dragons. Anyone watching the clash would acknowledge that the side was on the wrong side of numerous critical calls during the game.
There’s no point in putting those under the microscope here as referee calls are something that any team has minimal control over. We might complain as spectators as we watch proceedings unfold, but such are the swings and roundabouts of footy. I simply hope that match officials receive honest feedback from their assessors.
Despite the tough calls, opportunities were still there for the Eels to secure the win, so there’s no shortage of coaching points to emerge from the game.
On a positive note, Ethan Sanders was impressive at half back as he played off a strong platform laid by the forwards. I also noted the early season form of centres Corey Fenning and Charlie Guymer.
It appears that a better season awaits for the Flegg side in 2022.
Tom Opacic
The NSW Cup game was an overwhelming victory for the Eels. It was a display that highlighted the depth in the club, something that will be critical given an already mounting injury toll.
Tom Opacic had a day out, crossing for four tries, whilst Hayze Perham was simply outstanding at fullback. It came as no surprise that Opacic gained the call up to first grade and Perham must be coming up in selection discussions.
Samuel Loizou had a very encouraging showing at centre. The former Australian schoolboy has had his share of injuries but he plays a very physical game, and leaves a mark on his opponents. He gained a first grade debut in the final game of 2021, but this season could see him taking greater strides towards his NRL career.
I could literally list every forward for praise, such was their dominance. You can read Forty’s call of the match here.
However, the surprise selection was the elevation of Peter Taateo and the young firebrand didn’t disappoint with a performance that shouted “watch this!”
Taateo looked way beyond Flegg level in a reminder to the coaches that he’s an NRL player of the future.
I’m looking forward to watching his future efforts in this grade.
The NRLW and Bo Show
Our NRLW team had their first taste of a home match atmosphere on Sunday at CommBank Stadium, and it would have the left the team and supporters wishing for more.
Bo knows
Not only did the ladies win in front of the Blue and Gold Army, the crowd responded during the match with a Parra chant.
Amongst a host of impressive performers, Botille Vette-Welsh stood tallest. It may seem an inappropriate comparison, but we were throwing around NRL fullback names to find a way of describing her involvement in attack.
The name that seemed to satisfy was Darren Lockyer, purely in terms of Bo’s movement and involvement in plays. BVW isn’t physically imposing, but as she glides across the field, with ball in hand, there’s always the sense that something is about to happen.
She’s been a critical acquisition for the Eels in their debut season.
The Tip Sheet Live
If you haven’t had the chance to listen to the recording of our live podcast in Jacks Bar and Grill in Parra Leagues after full time on Sunday, please do so.
Steve Ella and Mary K were our special guests as we broke down both victories in the double header. It was terrific to have the bar filled with Blue and Gold supporters. The game day program at the club is designed to make the venue truly the “Home of the Eels”.
I wanted to give a shout out to those followers who dropped in to say g’day, and those that sent messages later that night and the next day. A special thanks to Stewart and Sharon who we met for the first time. Your kind words were much appreciated.
A technical glitch prevented us from providing a live stream for those wanting to listen from home, but that will be sorted by the Eels next home game.
We’ll have another premiership winning legend joining us after our clash with the Dragons. It will be well worth the visit to Jacks to hear his takes and to grab a photo or two.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Sixties – the JA obsession unfortunately reflects the ugly side of some of the “supporter” base. I don’t understand it, these so called supporters believe they know more than the coaching inner sanctum.
As you might recall I was dubious when TCT suggested JA for a utility role, essentially because I couldn’t see the fit and balance on the bench. But there he was selected in round 1 and on reflection I could see many reasons for it.
I was pleased with tactical flexibility on display in the second half last week to grind out the win. Whether JA influenced this style or was doing as instructed I don’t know but the result speaks for itself.
You’re right, we don’t know whether JA was doing as instructed, but given the sharp difference in how we played, it’s a fair assumption. But I think your last comment says it all DDay – the result speaks for itself.
Our second half “success” was due to getting all the 50:50 calls (try reviews/captains challenge) from the bunker. Our attack always stops once JA comes on. I have nothing against him and was hoping he will one day be a Parramatta star. But if he keeps ending up where he should not then I am starting to hate him. You cannot disregard the opinion of many supporters. It is not a fringe few. I have been an ardent supporter of BA. But Moses – Dylan combination is our best half combination and stable spine/half combinations should not be broken up without good reason. That is why Cartwright is a much better 14 than JA. If Moses or Dylan is out then sure bring in JA as a replacement. But if a winger or centre or fullback goes down then we should not be weakening our halves to cover this. Bottom line is I am happy for JA to get all the advantages he can but not if it causes parra to lose and he is no where near ready to be a better option than Dylan or Moses. Also, if he does want to lead then he needs to earn his stripes in leading the Reserves to success or he will not get the respect he needs to lead.
I’m going to pick up a few things you said here Wile. You said you are starting to hate him. You’re kidding right? He’s a 19 year old local junior who loves playing in the Blue and Gold and has a passion for the club. Seriously mate, have a good think about that statement!
I can disregard the opinion of as many supporters as I want. It doesn’t make me right or wrong nor does the “many” as you put it make them right. If coaches picked teams based on supporter opinions it would be a shambles.What makes the right call is largely made up by whether we win or lose and you raised that in your own comment. So if we win with JA playing, doesn’t that make it the right call, because last time I checked, we got the points against the Titans.
That was well explained Sixties re JA. It grinds my gears when supporters look for a scapegoat, normally a player they don’t like. They don’t look at other circumstances such as, losing Russell to, IMO, an illegal tackle, Gutho dropping a sitter, Jnr bad play the ball. These led to tries to the Titans. When JA came on, it also coincided with the interchange of RCG and Jnr plus the reshuffling of our backline, NOT because of JA.
Well noted Mick
Sixties ask someone from another club who they would prefer to see Moses-Dylan or Moses- JA.
I have seen JA play several first grade games and results speak for themselves. When he is one our attack always seems to be below par. Check out the stats. It makes no sense to put JA as 14 so if we need to replace a back we have to disrupt our halves. You just don’t want to disrupt a stable spine and you want your best half pairing for such critical positions.
So it is only natural to get angry at those responsible or and Jake when your team is not given the best chance. The kid does not deserve hate but that is what he will get if he is put in there and takes a spot before he should. BA haters will automatically hate Jake. But there are a lot of fans like me who have been supporters of BA who do not think our teams attack does well with Jake there and do not think he is ready. He is 19 so it is remarkable he has done as well as he has. I was so happy for him in his first game, he did brilliantly. But he is not up to consistent first grade yet. He is ready at 19 to be a back up half but that is it. I am not an NRL expert like you but a die hard fan calling it like I see it. I just want my team to win. And seriously if you want what is best for Jake then put him in reserves until he knocks the door down and other clubs are trying to recruit him. Unless Dylan or Moses get injured. If he is as good as you say then why isn’t another club trying to steal him? I doubt he has any offers for a first grade spot at other clubs. Maybe he will in a few years but I really do not think he is good enough regular first grade quality yet- at 19.
And Wile thats fair enough, and we all have opinions.
My simple observation was that JA was on the bench for possible cover out wide if we had defence issue, and the fact Russell got taken off early was something else that was unexpected.
Yes he does need to play reserves – and he has had limited time to play NRL and that’s somewhat good as that means we have had less injuries to our halves.
So can i ask, would you hate others as much if they come in front of others?
I for one feel hate is a strong word, something i use for Manly, C’Bury, Penrith etc.
People will always throw around reasons about players and particularly when a coach’s son is playing.
i feel sorry for the kid but i know he loves playing for the club, and hope he has a good career.
His old man has worked his ass off to get our club where we are…..and lets face it BA was not well known to many before he came to us. He was assistant at a few clubs but gee he has done well for us imo
Hi Milo
I will be very happy if JA ends up being the mesiah who leads the eels to our long awaited premiership. If he does become an elite half then it will probably be on the strength of brilliant leadership – which we have lacked for as long as I can remember. This is not going to happen at 19. Currently he has done well to be good enough to be a back up half. He is not particularly fast or strong and is definitely not a 5/8. He is not at Moses or Dylan’s level yet. And he should not be pushing them out yet because he is not good enough yet. If people see him pushing Dylan out of the halves when we do worse with him there then they will be unhappy/angry and some of that will get directed at JA. It wont just be supporters but also players. If his strength is leadership and not natural strength or speed , then he is not a player who should be pushed early into NRL – especially when it involves a key position.
HI Wile,
I agree he is not at the standards of Mitch and Dylan at this time and thats fine. You are right, he is a back up half and i agree he is. To me its like when Will Smith was on the bench but he could play Dummy half but he also at times got limited mins. I assume JA would have got minimal time last week before that Russell injury occurred and may have come on if we had a lead…just my thoughts.
I have no idea what BA will do in the coming rounds and doubt he would push our current halves out for his son, unless one was injured. He would be mad to do this.
As i said and its only my view he was on the bench for potential cover for the edge / wing defence in case things went bad.
No issue with your opinion Wile
Milo, back in 2019, the Panthers had a bad season and fans were on social media telling Ivan Cleary to F off and to take his useless son with him. How quickly they turned
Ahh mate they were the days….I would be still telling Ivan that if i saw him!! Just kidding. And yes i recall that. I also recall his bus…..he got off at the first stop after Leumeah station.
How about we clarify things.
Firstly he isn’t the starting half instead of Moses and Brown. He’s there as cover. That cover was needed on Sunday. How he was going to be used outside of that we can only judge from the trial but we can assume it wouldn’t have been for half a game.
Secondly,, how do you know he hasn’t received offers from other clubs?
Thirdly, you say to ask other clubs. How is that relevant. Do you know what other clubs would say? I don’t. Other clubs make different use of players when they acquire players.
I come back to my original point. The only opinions that matter are the opinions of the players and the club coaches.
Ill put something to you. The club has consultants like Ennis and McGregor. The club has senior players in the team. If they thought that BA made a mistake in his team selection, do you think they would talk to him about it? Or do you think he would talk to them in the first place?
You see, the only opinions that matter are those charged with guiding the team. And by the way, I used stats in my argument, yet you told me to check the stats. How about you show the stats that back the case against JA. And even with the stats I used, the best numbers were those on the scoreboard.
Moses-Dylan 33 min
Eels 5 tries to 2
Score 26-10
JA-Moses 47 min
Eels 0 tries to 3
Score 6-18
The only position JA plays is halves
If Moses or Dylan are injured – sure replace with JA
If they are not, put in a 14 that can allow outside backs to be covered without disrupting a stable and better halves pairing. Also JA is not an impact player. He should never have been 14.
Wile – those are not relevant as Moses and Brown would have been split to cover the loss of Russell anyway. When you lose a winger it is an awkward fix. I can also give the last 35 minutes and the score is Eels 6 Titans 0. That is even more relevant because that is when the game plan was to get into the grind. Even the Titans try at the start of the half was only because Simonsson didn’t contest the bomb.
You say Jake shouldn’t be selected. I say his presence helped to settle the play in the second half. You know that the game stopped being a free for all that it was in the first half. You know that wasn’t by accident. We can go back and forth ad infinitum but I repeat, the ones whose judgement counts are the coaching staff and the players. And the result that matters is what’s on the scoreboard.
Wile, as a final comment, I expect people to disagree. I have no problem with that. And I respect that you are now trying to present your argument in a more logical manner. However, my point in writing this was that Jake was getting criticism that was beyond any logic so I presented logic and stats in my perspective. I know that I won’t convince you or others who feel as you do. But I will always take strong exception to hate filled comments.
Fair enough – good on you Sixties
Always enjoy the read
Cheers mate. The beauty about footy is that there are so many different opinions. It’s why people enjoy talking about it.
So just hang your arm out and it doesn’t matter that your knees are in a dangerous forward position sliding into the rib cage. He dropped his knees into Waqa Blake in a leading position but impact went across Waqa’s back. So hang your arm out- OK. Dont hospitalise your opponent – OK.
BDon, I didn’t even include those other tackles. It proves that his technique is careless, and it’s impossible to think otherwise.
The tackle that did all the damage was very forceful and rolled him off his back.
I think Sean took over as it was happening and completed the roll.
Of the four people on NRL 360 last night. The only person who said there should have been a careless charge was Paul Kent.
If Kenty is on Parra’s side… Then the world has really gone mad… Lol
10 Year, i have to come like Kenny more. He tells it as he sees it. Something not many do.
I agree with Milo. I have gained respect for Kent over the last two years.
Sixties i need to screenshot this comment by you……thank you!! Kent is coming back to the Parra fold in his older years. He bleeds blue and gold i heard,
Yes, and haven’t I changed my tune!
Milo I don’t agree with Kenty all the time. However I agree with most of what he says.
He is a conviction journalist and these days they are few and far between. So many journalists are working from an agenda not the facts.
There were two one on one tackles on Sunday that JA made that were possibly Try savers.
The second one was definitely a try saver.
Absolutely John.
Round 1, it was very ugly but we got the win, we move on. I certainly do want to see a dramatic improvement in our defence in coming rounds.
I mentioned on Twitter a few weeks ago to you Sixties, I believe Hayze Perham is the 14 with X factor we need. He will be in the 14 jersey by mid year and will be a revelation by years end.
The Jacob Arthur bagging is ridiculous and it is a simple argument for the uneducated fan, just like blaming the ref when you get beat.
Jimmy, I suspect that Hayze might be difficult to retain. It will be a challenge for him to get a regular spot and I reckon other clubs will come calling. He has come along in leaps and bounds since joining the Eels.
I agree, if he has the season I hope he has as a star 14 he will be off and gone but hopefully with a Premiership ring, we can only dream 😉
It the yearly dream isn’t it Jimmy!
Hayze looks a player with enormous skill and potential, a true bench player to provide a difference. Why bring him to the club if he won’t get a fair go.
To be fair Prometheus, his outstanding form is the result of getting a full preseason with the team. We saw glimpses last season, but he has hit the ground running in the trials and first round. If he continues to do so he’ll get his shot. Case in point Maka – He was a star of the reggies last year and then he got his shot. He’s also followed it up with an enormous preseason.
Fair enough, but let’s give him a shot early and see how he goes. Then if he performs secure him for the future, before the vultures fly in aka Papalli.