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In the most painful recording in The Tip Sheet history, Sixties and Forty20 sort through the pieces of twin grand final heartbreak for the Parramatta Eels in NRL and NRLW.
The Penrith Panthers played perhaps the game of their lives and engulfed the Eels in a tidal wave of physicality and aggression. Likewise in the NRLW, the Newcastle Knights executed a superb game plan and punished the Eels down their edges.
The boys share their sombre takes on both games on a night that will hurt deeply for all fans of the Blue & Gold. When it is all said and done, there is naught to do but pick yourselves up and get back to work as the Eels chase that elusive breakthrough premiership.
Yeah some good points here fellas and it is always hard to make comments when we are emotional.
Look i think we did not play our best, and that is it. We did not have the start we needed and they did. Maybe experience? Maybe we were a 5 % off…..I don’t know but at half time it was over for me; and only a miracle would have won it.
No excuses and i don’t care about the Kikau one in second half. You must make your own luck and you have to push the refs in these games…..i would like to know the play the ball speeds when compared.
Anyway, we have the nucleus to make it to the top 4 in 2023, and i wish Penrith all the best (even though i can’t stand them) and i thank BA, coaching staff, background staff and all the players for our club.
We have the nucleus to make it to the top four and we need to better to get there and learn from this. Better starts / all players aim up.
Thanks to all here at TCT, get some sleep and rest those typing fingers pls……next year could be the one.
Go Parra 2023.
Cheers Milo. All up it’s been an incredibly positive year. Thanks for all of your replies/contributions mate. Onwards and upwards.
Congratulations to the Eels on a tremendous season.
Shame we ran into arguably the best drilled and executed Grand Final team in living memory. We weren’t terrible; Panthers were just too good. I can’t think of any other team in the NRL who would have had an answer for that.
Onwards to 2023 …
Chris, you nailed it.
my chins up. any team including Panthers that plays three finals, followed by a Grand final as well as trip to Nth Qld in the heat and humidity in a month, would be cherry ripe for beating by a team rested, well coached and GF hardened .Our forwards were understandably drained after 20 mins.
Penrith had only lost what 13 games in 3 years.
as a supporter we can never know the politics of the club organisation, particularly from afar, and it is sufficient for me to know the players who take the field have given their best, and for me to always support the colours.
Well said Bega Les!
Thanks Sixties and TCT.
Very disappointing loss in both games.
We were dominated through the middle.
Panthers were just far too strong and basically blew us away in first half. I think Too’ ran for 150m in first half, JFH 100m and Edwards also over 100m in first half. Second half 300m, 200m and 250m respectively. Junior and Reg both under 100m for the game. Simmonson ran for 150m but only played 55min.
The Sivo dropped ball no try and the Simmonson break with Edwards cover tackle (should have kicked for himself) could have given us 2 good tries. These plays probably summed up our headspace as zero went our way.
Ashley Klein and Grant Atkins? Is that really the best the NRL have?
I think we have 2 gun’s coming next year Hopgood and Hodgson. So I’m not all doom and gloom 2023.
Go Eels!!
Penrith too good on the night. Irrespective of “shoulda, wooda, cooda”..Great team, one of the best
The Panthers, with wins in all four grades, look set to dominate the competition for a long time. Good luck to them.
Things could have been different if the boys had grabbed the few opportunities that came their way.
Not to be..Move on, the wait is on until the 2023 season begins, and it all starts over again…Every team starts as equal..
THE SPORTSMAN’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, in the battle that goes through life,
I ask but a field that is fair;
A chance that is equal with all in the strife
A courage to strive and to dare;
And if I should win, let it be by the code,
With my faith and my honor held high;
And if I should lose, let me stand by the road
And cheer as the winners go by.
And Lord, may my shouts be ungrudging and clear,
A tribute that comes from the heart,
And let me not cherish a snarl or a sneer
Or play any sniveling part;
Let me say: There they ride on whom laurel’s bestowed
Since they played the game better than I
Let me stand with a smile by the side of the road
And cheer as the winners go by.
There’s a particular team that would do well to read this Parra Pete.
Pete, the window most definitely stays open. Not too much went Parra’s way in this and goodness knows the Panthers don’t need luck or calls to go their way.
Somewhere around the 15 minute mark we stopped gang takling and lost our line speed, I remember thinking we’re in trouble here. Thought the boys showed a lot of heart to put Penrith under pressure 35-40 minute mark and then at various times during the second half.
Unfortunately Penrith have set a new level, not only at NRL but across the whole club, now it’s up to us find yet another level and knock them on their behinds.
Although Penrith were the better side on the night I thought the Referees and Bunker were horrible, Too many missed and bad calls to list here.
Hope our fans can stay proud (it’s hard to reach a GF)
The only way we find that next level is by sticking together.
Well said BEL. Penrith are a once in a generation team. They don’t need luck, or ref calls going their way. Makes it tougher when that happens. But they are short on humility.
Tks men, really well covered. I don’t know how you do that, make it look like there are 2 different ways of playing an all or nothing game. I couldn’t believe Penrith’s manic style with or without the ball, the field position battle lasted for about 5 sets each. I note the Vice Chancellor of WSU is a Parra tragic, could we have him write a thesis on line speed and tackle technique, I just don’t get how you can be good or bad at it under the same rules and conditions.
Some great sections – compare and contrast,mental approach, team dynamic,roster balance, fitness, skill,technique, coaching,officiating. You know, HTF did they do that???
I want to write about their benchmark areas. The ones that set them apart.
Looking forward to that sixties.
Firstly thanks to all contributors here.
Enjoyed the debate, both emotional and irrational.
The GF – Damn that panthers side is special.
The first half looked like the SOO, such was the ferocity in the hit ups and tackles. Alas, we just weren’t up to that level. Moses Leota is just a wrecking ball and has no regard for his personal safety. We need to find a few blokes like that.
The Panthers system is an absolute marvel. They will be an irresistible force for many years and will win many more titles judging by the endless talent they have coming through. The Eels, being so close to the area have the ability, with a bit of foresight , to capitalise on the juniors who may be itching for higher honours but can’t get there due to the log jam – J’maine Hopgood is the classic example.
The addition of Trent Barrett is a master stroke by the club. Barrett is well known and loved by many of the Panthers juniors and will bring us untold rewards both in development and the fact that he is a
damned good coach.
Well done to Brad and the club, onward to 2023 !
Was that your irrational debate or just everyones that was different to yours ???
Does the turnover in the roster add a sense of the unknown or some excitement to next year?
Always excitement!
Ah, bugger. Penrith were just a class above. Maybe some solace can be found in the notion that you have to lose a grand final to learn how to win one. If so Parra has had a very good lesson in what it takes. I felt Parra never gave up and the two tries at the end (partly due to Penrith relaxing the intensity) showed that. But the Panthers were awesome. That first half was one of the best I’ve seen in a grand final.
Hopefully the team can take what they have learned on 2022 and use it to have another good crack in 2023. Go you Eels!
Dont agree penrith relaxed thought we just kept playing , penrith would have loved 28 nil . They are a dominant but arrogant force in our game .NO ONE beats them last night , as for the other 14 teams we have achieved more with less !!!!!
Yeah, I’m on board with their attitude. Glad that we kept fighting.
I’m really keen to get back to preseason training. How crazy is that!
Hand on heart I think most of us were hoping for a miracle yesterday but that was well and truly snuffed out with the first Penrith try. Our left edge was showing worrying signs prior to the Creighton try but that really seemed to take the wind from the sails of the team as well as the supporters as a sense on inevitability sunk in.
For a team that needed to trade blow for blow that kick on the first tackle early on was a worrying sign, then came their first try and after that we never seemed to have the ball or field position.
They are / were that good that they only needed a slight invitation to take control of the GF as they did.
With the biggest prize comes the biggest disappointment but it’s on again next year and hopefully the result will be reversed.
Go those eels.
Trapped, the Riff were outstanding. In retrospect I wouldn’t have fired that kick shot, but at the time I felt it was worthwhile. However, from that point we barely had a play the ball in their half. That was significant.
Yep hindsight always 20/20, I thought the chip to Moses was a good play at the time. Showed we were there to play footy and give it a real crack, rather than let Penrith dictate terms. Unfortunately they did that in spades.
I rarely agree with Freddie, but he was right in saying nothing fell our way. Was hard to sit there and watch, particularly as I had some Riff supporter and his wife/daughter screaming insufferable dumb comments in my ear all night.
I thought there were a number of instances in the first 30 mins that Klein could/should have called Penrith on with swinging arms, laying all over the ruck and being offside. A handful of penalties marching us down the other end of the field, and I think Penrith would have had to reign it back a fair bit with line speed, aggression and slowing the ruck down. Had that happened, I don’t think they would have been as dominant because they would have had to ease off their defensive tactics. All speculation of course, nothing we can do about it now.
All things considered I thought our lads did well. When you don’t have things falling in your favour, against the fittest, most well-drilled and consistent team in the comp, its always going to be a tall ask.
Onto 2023 now, noting that it was Parra 3 v Riff 2 in 2022 🙂
The Moses obstruction was let go, so anything goes. I watched it again and cannot believe the bunker call, even though Moses threw his right arm out, Kickau’s line was hopelessly wrong and rendered Moses useless in the slide pattern. If he slides it’s 3 on 3. Common sense zilch, technical tripe a winner.
Again another example of at least a 50/50 call that fell one way BDon but nothing unexpected.
Mick B, I can’t disagree with your comments re Klein. We know how he officiates in our games, in fact in all games, yet he is adjudged best in the NRL. There weren’t any howler calls, just occasions where he could have or should have penalised. But given how good the Panthers are, for us to focus on the ref would be to ignore what we need to be better at. Don’t start me about those supporters from the Riff.
Weve built a culture to take us forward so i believe its time for fans to start directing their voices towards where they need to be heard , junior development ,its in total shambles , gone backwards not forwards since debacle review 3 seasons back ,no one will lose thier job for poor performance ,just another review will simply probably create more jobs instead of making those accountable accountable . Laziness and apathy , reactive not proactive , poor communication with managers and potential junior signings , if its not a major carnival our r &r people simply dont attend while other clubs identify and steal . Our junior system-is at crisis situation and its down to the admin therein , fix inhouse before you bring in more #### from the outhouse !!!! Example ,you just watched it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We need to get Matt Cameron back from the Panthers Junior development.
How did we let him go?
I doubt they will ever let him go now !
1947, we are hoping to have a chat with Brown and Shephard going forward.
BA has got to find a way to improve our line speed and our propensity to give up metres in defence
Our line speed and our defence is the most crucial problem we have. We need a defensive specialist to address this ASAP.
In my waffle above I was trying to say that Brett, Penrith do it in spades,for 80 minutes, we need to do it too.
Heres our chance then , departing , nuikore , oregan , stone , papalili all slow , reedy workhorse with zero attack and wayward passing , its a chance to retune our forwards and introduce speed and mobility , we have ample offloaders but lack some mobility and speed in forwards my thoughts . Wether anyone likes to admit it we over achieved with this super starless squad and whilst grateful to thier contribution none of the departing will be missed to much, i see this as a chance to rejuvenate and improve factors within the squad , need strike players not finishers !!!!!!!
I’m hoping Hodgson is healthy, will add plenty. Hopgood is young, mobile, high work rate,tenacious.A Rugby League Queenslander, DNA – tick. A mate and I have had ongoing debate about the skill base and mental application of our forwards, I get what you’re saying. The Panthers forwards think and act fast – energetic, consistent, sustained. They’ve set new levels, no point in thinking we’ll catch up by doing the same better. Just an isolated moment, pretty sure it was Leota who chased Simonssen so that he couldn’t cut back inside and allowed Edwards to work the sideline, or if Edwards only half tackled Simonssen, whatever, a prop made a 50mtr 1%er, not many would be capable.
Brett, few are able to replicate what Penrith can achieve there. Teams always look to copy success, yet the Riff’s capacity for 80 minutes of relentless line speed for entire seasons, year upon year, is yet to be replicated. Why is that?
It’s the short drop outs that confuse me ! We needed to get them off our line but continue with this play !
Guys don’t you think that both Ices and Reeds tackle counts being so high in both made and missed might mean that they were targeted in defence.I’ve noticed this in many games this year especially close to our try line.
Maybe it’s time to start stealing some of penriths top talent coming through like other clubs have done to us with Tupou and Stefano.Or we need to seriously get our act together in our own back yard as we barely have anyone coming through to get excited about.
We have/are doing that Hands this year, Hopgood next….Hopgood look’s a potentially very good player.
Might shock a few here but I would let Junior go, we need some more intense forwards like Klemmer and Topau.
I’m still proud of the effort we put in and yes we overachieved, the learning curve is still in play, getting a GF this year was a bonus, lets not sit on our laurels.
Poppa, I agree about Hopgood but I can’t believe you are rating those forwards over Junior. I doubt that there’d be any clubs out there on board with that assessment either.
Panthers were too good yes.
We weren’t close to good enough also yes.
What’s sad is the Panthers have a production line of talent we don’t.
Some asked me yesterday do we have any young prospects coming through apart from Penisini and JA
Honestly considering how far off the pace our reserves and u20s are I’d say no Panthers are a top shelf organisation with a plan beyond the present.
We could only dream of such a thing.
Last night was heartbreaking I cried my 7 year old cried. We woke this morning he had moved on me im not sad or bitter just broken when it comes to this club and the future chances to break this hoodoo all hope left about 5 mins into the game.
As for the women’s game hard to take serious a comp where winning 2 games constitutes making a GF maybe one day the comp is bigger and even but for now I look at as a novelty
By qualifying for the grand final and beating Penrith three times this season (yes I’m including the trial😁) we are arguably closer than any club to matching Penrith, but as you rightly point out, their production line indicates that they won’t be slowing down so we have to find another level as an organisation.
As far as the NRLW is concerned, I’ve described the first seasons with four teams as exhibition football. I’ve now described the six team comp as round robin representative footy as the state premierships they compete in get narrowed down to 6 elite teams. Next year it becomes ten teams and a true premiership, albeit over what is expected to be 9 rounds. I want it to settle at this number of teams to ensure quality, with the next step being a home and away season.
Beating them in the season is meaningless when they convincingly beat us in the semi and GF.
Now the dust has settled I’m over the defeat (slightly) i once again see this as a failed season as I now only accept a premiership as a successful season I hope lessons were learnt from last week yes Penrith were on fire but we were flat and our big men were beaten up it’s a concern to me that junior in particular has been out muscled by the Panthers in big games and by qld in origin.
On to next year I’m making the call that Hopgood is our surprise packet
I can’t see this as a failed season given the steps that have been taken moving forward. Anyway Offside, that’s your prerogative and I think both of us have long accepted that we have different takes. It would be a boring world if everyone saw things through identical glasses. I’ll agree with your call on Hopgood.
Any young kids in our junior ranks or NSW Cup side that can make the team in 2023? We need some young props.
yes, and a local junior to watch is Toni Mataele.
where does Toni play ? Can he crack first grade?
Which players can make their debuts next year.
Edge – backrow. I’ll save my predictions for the preseason when I see how they front after the break.
I checked he is off contract this year and not signed for 2023 is that true?
All up gents you’ve got to say that the club has had a more than good year. If we’d said, as the season started, that we’d have our men and women in their respective Grand Finals and the Cup men finish in the finals, I think we would have assessed that as a very good year.
I wish the players a good rest (those that aren’t playing for various nations) and look forward to next season.
It will be hard to get a better result, but not impossible. Go the Eels.
I agree wholeheartedly. Thank you for your contributions here BSB.
Thanks for the work this year TCT. Always good content.
Penrith were great and I thought Parra were too. They worked hard and never gave up – that shows character.
It amazes me how good Penrith are at landing on their knees in the tackle. A consistent technique throughout the whole team. I thought it was a significant contributor to their fast speed playing the ball.
It’ll be interesting to see if that’s adopted by other teams or how it is countered.
BC, teams always look to replicate winners. I shall include this in my Bumpers Up column.