Like many Parra supporters, I watched the game against the Knights intently. How would the Eels bounce back and how would they cope with the continual changes in combinations as a result of injuries?
As the game progressed it became obvious that our team was going to win, but that didn’t dampen my focus on what was playing out.
As a Parra supporter I have experienced too many seasons that resulted in only a handful of victories. Therefore, I make a very deliberate decision to celebrate each victory as you never know when the next win will come along.
Incidentally, I hope our fan base never, ever becomes an arrogant one that thinks victory is easy or guaranteed – or dare I say takes pleasure in mocking opposition fans or players.
Once victory was secured, my interest was focussed on our players’ intent and ability to stick to our game plan.
Over the opening rounds, I became increasingly frustrated with our teams unwillingness to stick to our strengths and more importantly stick with the game plan that had resulted in good early leads.
Against the Knights it was so pleasing to see Parra start strong in the middle and stay there. I particularly liked how we targeted the Knights behind the ruck, kicked long and waited for our opposition to tire.
Mitch Moses
The top 5-6 teams are an interesting observation as they have different playing styles and strengths. As far as Parra is concerned, our forward pack is strong, and it’s backed by Moses’ excellent long kicking game. We also know that smart offloading opens up opportunities for the Eels attack.
Discipline in staying with these strengths will be critical in navigating the regular rounds and then hopefully going much deeper in the finals series than previous years.
So with the on-field examined, the other issue that I want to raise concerns the Eels supporter base and the attempts by some in the media to manipulate their opinions.
Given the size of Parra’s membership and fan base, it’s obvious that there will be differences of opinion. This can run the gamut of football from player performances through to tactics and team selections. If everyone thought the same way, footy conversations would be very dull.
I’m reminded of the different perceptions of fans when I sit in the general admission section of our stadium each home game, and as I indicated, that difference can be an extremely healthy thing.
Of course it can also be an extremely unhealthy and divisive force.
Over the weekend I read very spiteful comments made about team selections on social media. This was bad enough.
But I also read a ridiculous article from a journalist that was essentially trying to agitate Eels supporters into believing that the club is currently terribly run, that it needs greater involvement from former players, and that the ARLC needs to step in as they did in 2016.
Though the salary cap dramas of 2016 hurt, they gave Parra Leagues Club members the chance to remove the opportunity for factions to control the club or push agendas via the media.
Any football club should be judged on performances both on and off the field. So let’s compare the growth made at Parra from 2019 to 2022.
Along with regular finals appearances, memberships have grown by more than 7500 and that number will increase over this season. Along with vastly improved corporate partnerships, this means more money coming into the club to strengthen the Eels self sufficiency as opposed to decades of massive Leagues Club funding.
In 2018 Parra came last, and I looked back at our team that lost to the Knights 30-4 at ANZ.
I remember that game very well because it was one of the few games that I have left before full time. At ANZ Stadium that night there was 20 minutes left on the clock when I walked out. It was a cold July night and our team put in a disgraceful performance in front of a “home” crowd that had loyally fronted up in the unpleasant conditions.
Nathan Brown
Just three members from that team were part of Sunday’s comprehensive victory – Moses, Gutherson and Nathan Brown. That’s all.
How was such change achieved? Good directors, good executives, and good coaches identify problems and fix them.
So fast forward one year to Parra’s next game against the Knights, played coincidently after the Easter Monday game.
Six players from Sunday’s game took the field in that 2019 team, with Reed, Junior, Oregon and Lane joining Moses and Gutherson. It could have been eight but Nathan Brown and Dylan Brown were both injured. We lost 28-14 and were criticised, but the Eels were in the top 8 and improving.
From there the recruitment and development continued with RCG, Papali’i and Matterson bringing more size and skill to a pack that lacked such qualities in 2018. Others such as Sivo, Haze Dunster, Oregon Kaufusi and Marata have also made NRL debuts and flourished to become regular, high quality first graders.
Obviously, the cost of improved performances has meant an increase in player values and Parra will be losing individuals that they’d preferred to keep. But this is actually what the salary cap is intended to do, and the very early stages in the careers of Sean Russell, Will Penisini and Jake Arthur are indicative of the coaching and preparation happening at the Eels that will help to fill any voids.
The point is that for criticisms to be valid, they must be based on fact. To suggest or imply that the ARLC needs to take over our club is ludicrous and illogical. It has no roots in reality, either on field or off. One wonders about the motivation in authoring columns like the one we read over the weekend.
Fans have every right to debate team selection or retention and recruitment decisions but none of us should fall for the negative, spiteful commentary peddled to us in the past week
Instead, let’s focus on a team that travelled to Newcastle last Sunday with eight players who came through our junior system and/or made their first grade debut at our club and won 39-2.
Can the Eels do better? Of course they can, and I expect and even demand that the board, management and coaches identify what improvemts are still needed to continue our growth on and off the field.
So forgive me when I say I don’t want any faction leader, their mouthpieces or (with respect) any former legendary player anywhere near the decision making at Parra. We’ve been there and the path has been nothing but divisive for our club.
The facts don’t lie. The cost of in-fighting was decades of misery and a football operation haemorrhaging millions of dollars.
Thankfully, those days are now consigned to the past.
Shelley
Good article Shelley. I agree TOTALLY. Beats me why some ‘followers’ can’t be positive, despite the efforts of the players, coaches and adminstrators. These poor souls have to find a scapegoat every week. The team has lost two games this season..on the bell. If the ‘so called’ supporters are disappointed – just imagine how thoser actually competing feel!!!
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”..
Theodore Rooseveldt
The club today is miles from where it was for most of the past 30 years. We have a good, experienced roster with many promising young players coming through the ranks. That has given us the opportunity for regular finals appearances and is exactly the situation you expect the club to put us in. One thing that is amiss this year is the high number of injuries, but most of these are likely beyond the control of the club – they don’t seem to be from poor player management.
The factions that constantly run to the media with “stories” on Parramatta are not fans. We would all do well to ignore these rubbish articles.
Good piece Shelley. The game – Gutho’s dropout and the last 5 minutes aside, there was a high degree of application and staying with the agenda. Fingers crossed, we stick with it.
100% with your thoughts on the running of the club. I am aware that both culture and process of our management set up is strong and healthy. Past debacles will not be repeated.
The basically nasty attacks that we see constantly on the so called fan sites are nothing more than a disgrace, and the personal nature of them awful.
Used to post on them but now don’t and read them far less and from looking at the postings, they are down to about 20 constant posters each, whose main aim to to denigrate the coach and his family, and complain about a lot of issues that plainly they have no knowledge of.
Socail media is a tool to keep people in touch and discuss things they are passionate about , unfortunately it has given some an opportunity to cap vent and take aim at specific targets.
The Newcastle game was a reflection on how much mature the club has become, let’s not forget the games that we lost we’re both in the last 10 seconds. We are far removed from the dark days of factions and board positions for the boys. The only issue will be replacing those who are leaving at the end of this season.
Not sure what article you are referring to, but it sounds ridiculous. Club is best it has been in ages. We are in our fourth year of being a strong team that is consistently in the top 8/6/4 and still improving even with the player churn. We have good juniors coming through, transfer players are improving under the coaching staff and club is developing a distinct Parramatta style of play. Yet there are still too many idiot fans and much media sensationalism that try to make out things are bad.
Said it before and I’ll say it again. There are elements of the Parra supporter base that would find something to whinge about even if the team won the comp.
Shaun well said.
I have seen so called fans on another site willing the team to lose because a win would justify BA’s decisions on changes.
If you want confirmation how crazy the 2 fan blogs have become! I quickly looked while grabbing a coffee this afternoon. They are at the level of New Idea and Women’s Day, gossip, whinging and continual of hammering the coach and club without pausing.
No footy talk, all nasty bitching, pretty embarrassing with a lot of them living interstate and not even bothering to mention the club only has 19 players to choose this week. Rein and Greig are the ones missing out, and their call for others doesn’t take into account the rest are on development or second tier contracts and generally no available until after at least round 10.
The KOE side tells you we are down to bare bones.
I watched the game again today mystified by all the negativity toward the two Arthur’s.
Would I rather have Dylan at 6? Absolutely. Would I rather have Marata in the forwards? Absolutely. We can’t always have what we want.
JA made two errors from what I saw. One was a kick too long giving seven again from the 20 metres. The second in the second half was I think a knock on.
However without the backup of stats my guess would be that JA had more touches of the football than the Knights 6 and 7 combined. Furthermore he performed better than either of those players.
There is no doubt in my mind that all this rubbish about JA is agenda driven. When people are agenda driven they lose their objectivity.
Once that happens people are unable to identify reality. That is what we are seeing and it is not going to get any better for the Eels until we begin to get some players back.
What is increasing the problem is that basically all injuries are mostly occurring in the same position.
The old “they’d boo Santa Claus” actually applies.
At last, someone who recognizes the hard work put in week after week by the forwards. How good is RCG going? Nathan Brown as always, the Eveready Bunny. Don’t get me wrong, Gutho is sensational, Mitch and Dylan can be game beakers. But forwards set up a win, the backs polish it off. Its a TEAM game folks!
And when we travel north-south through our forwards, how much better do we look!
Your article touches on how well the club is now run compared to yesteryear and I absolutely agree that we are now a premier professional club, run by well credentialed and capable people – but that’s my opinion. I would not however try to stymie any contradictions purely because I do not agree with them. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, if I don’t agree, I move on.
Your assertions that “The point is that for criticisms to be valid, they must be based on fact” is somewhat disingenuous as everyone’s interpretations and opinions are their ‘facts’ unless they are quoting statistics that can be challenged – and they can be challenged ! I do see that you have done this with membership totals and the like and they are valid points. A throwaway line like “the team is run by a bunch of idiots and we would be better off if we were run by ex players” is an often heard phrase and is just not defendable or able to be challenged.
Respectfully, we need to just allow those with this contrary view to wallow in the shallows where WE believe , they belong.
Your other point about spiteful comments regarding team selection probably deserves some fleshing out and I reach beyond your article to other posters. After the Knights game I made some pointed observations regarding young Jake Arthurs performance.
It was in no way personal, I am of the opinion that Jake is simply not ready for the NRL and has been promoted way beyond his development at this time. He needs the umbrella of the NSW Cup to further learn his craft. His continued promotion may hurt both the team and the player.
BUT my opinion is just that – an opinion and I’m sure Jake is probably immune to such observations, if he’s not, he’d better develop a thicker skin if he wants to remain in the ‘big show’.
If he comes out and shows a level of maturity in the next game, I will be the first to acknowledge this.
I was accused of pre bias but the statistics support my assertions that he did indeed have a poor game.
Assertions like “we won so why the criticisms you nasty person” requires a fan to only use a broad brush and to withhold any negative comment as long as we win. I contend that this is somewhat immature as we can be a critic and still laud the accomplishment of a victory.
To those that hold their hands over their ears and stamp their feet, shouting ” non believer !” , perhaps we should withhold any TCT grades when we win and only use them upon a loss ? – Perhaps this is the very definition of a ‘fair weather fan’ ?
Shelley, always look forward to reading your articles and thanks for your contribution here.
I agree that debate can be extremely healthy and I do agree that you can make data say whatever you want.
I genuinely respect anyone’s ability to disagree, to speak to journalists and to say the club is on the wrong path. I simply think that to say a person or board is incompetent in the professional job they hold requires the person making the comments to support it with something more than look at the Parra player playing for Manly. If we followed that logic the Melbourne board should be removed because three starting forwards , 2 internationals and an origin rep are going to the Dolphins next year. Of course that is ludicrous and would be called out. No journalist would write that.
A fan talking in the stand and debating team selection or retention is different to a person using the media or public forum to convey ideas, push long standing personal gripes that in the past few years supporters have rejected at both board elections and reform processes and I really lament the lack of professionalism in modern journalism to present an objective account of events.
If a supporter decides to use a journalist or a public forum to tell what they say is the truth they open themselves to debate, just as I do.
Yes I was upset with the comments on social media about Jake before and after the game. Yes, they are professional athletes and public scrutiny is part of that. But they are also human beings. To be honest I was not happy when Dylan was moved to centre and in my house we debated it and decided to agree to disagree. While I ‘ understand’ why the move could be needed at the moment with injuries even after the game I am not convinced it is the right move. Our debate focussed on his ability to handle a high pressure position at such a young age. But the personal comments about him being the coaches son to me cross the line and I think as supporters we have to call it out.
Absolutely agree – any fan seriously thinking that JA selection is nepotism is quite frankly … misinformed.
Well said Shelley. I have said many times, that we have the best fans in the NRL, but many times they can be the worst. I often wonder why some journalists, and I use that term loosely, want to stir up trouble amongst us Parra supporters. We went through some terrible times in the past with the faction and we can’t ever go back to that again. I understand that you don’t want to say , but I am very curious to know who wrote the article that you are referring to.
It’s quite simple – we have the highest membership in the league and probably the biggest fan base and because of this, we sell copy.
Any news good or bad about the Eels, sells.
Thus we will always be victim to cheap journalistic licence.