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The Eels got revenge for a loss in Round 3 in emphatic fashion as J’maine Hopgood, Clinton Gutherson and Brendan Hands led the Blue & Gold to a 34-4 victory. The Tip Sheet is live from Jacks Bar & Grill to celebrate the big win and Parramatta’s 4th consecutive victory.
Sixties and Forty20 break down all of the action as Parramatta brought the line speed and energy from training to game day. The Eels starved Manly of both possession and territory and were ruthless in their execution of the game plan.
David Liddiard is a surprise guest at the end of the show with the club celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1983 premiership and completion of the incredible three-peat.
The highlight was BA and Baz’s reaction to Sivo’s chip kick for Makatoa’s try.
As BA said, it was boring footy but one of the most important wins in some time. Previous seasons a game the team would have most likely lost but the playing group has really bought into the next man up mentality.
I was worried about Schuster and the speed of the Sea Beagle’s outside backs but they had shocking games. A credit to Parra’s defence not letting them get into the game.
Just quietly, this season is building nicely.
I didn’t get the ‘boring’ bit – We had 4-5 Bunker denials in the 2nd half. The Cartwright knock-back being called forward was absolute robbery.
It was a simple but effective game plan. Not much flash but just hard work. And yes, the bunker was at its incompetent, inconsistent best last night.
Shaun, did you enjoy the Sivo chip kick? I’m sure it’s a set play called “Big Maka with Chips”
Loved it. And I bet we’ll never ever see it again.
Chris, I think he was referring to a relatively simple game plan. We strangled Manly out of the game.
Shaun, I stand by my post from a while back that the Eels are playing more consistent footy in 2023.
Yep, I am in agreement with this.
Great win! Most pleasing thing for me was early on Matto trying a 5th tackle grubber that went dead; tried a 5th tackle pass on the shortside instead of kicking (which was a hospital pass) – and then he had the smarts to know his 5/8 bag of tricks didn’t necessarily have the polish needed last night, and he went workhorse mode instead.
And Gutho, again with the highlight reel plays – I also am loving watching his passion that he wears on his sleeve. Great player, and great captain!
Matto practiced the grubber several times in the warmup, had it going nicely. I guess the game pressure overcame the practice.
just a little too heavy.
Everyone around where I was sitting was complaining about the bunker. The amount that it is used and the number they get wrong.
Personally my solution would be to go back to the previous practice of rotating a very small group through the Bunker so that they can enhance their skills with more expertise.
This is as bad as it has ever been in the Bunker. I have had this view since the Darwin game and Haas was left on the field.
John, the same idea was put forward to me by someone involved in the game – develop specialist bunker refs rather than rotating on field refs there.
He was almost playing his lock role out of five-eighth.
I thought the only player from Manly that genuinely looked dangerous was Paseka. But then again, he had around 3 cold drops. But clearly a massive unit to bring down.
The idea of Parra at full strength is compelling. Hopefully the team can continue on the improve. I’d think Matto has to continue the specialist bench role. He is probably more versatile than anyone else in our pack. Only place he really would be a fish out of water is on the wing or at FB! My 18 would be….. I think….
1 King
2 Sivo
3 Will
4 Simmonson
5 Russell
6 Brown
7 Moses
8 Reg
9 Hands
10 Junior
11 Carty
12 Lane
13 Hopgood
14 Hodgson
15 Matto
16 Joe
17 Grieg
18 Maka
And that’s leaving out Davey, Doorey, Ogden. Tough decisions ahead
And possibly the best bench sub in the Manly game , Luca Moretti doesn’t get a mention. Tough gig choosing 17 when all fit .
Great problem to have.
I like what I see from Doorey in particular. There’s a bit of the old inconsistent Shaun Lane about him. I always thought Lane was good, he regularly got his nose through the defensive line. He just needed to lift fitness and iron out some of the errors…. And that’s what we saw in the second half of last year. Doorey is similar, looks very threatening with the ball, runs good lines. Just needs to up some confidence, game fitness and desire to be involved.
Remarkable how this season is evolving. Hopefully we go one better than 2022.
Doorey will become a quality first grader. He hasn’t been required to play 80 minutes on a regular basis pretty much throughout his senior career. I trust BA to develop his game.
Moretti has plenty of aggression I like him. You don’t want your forwards being top of the class for “please” and “thank you “
Was great to be there and watch them play. Asi deserves credit for only his second game, as well as limit forwards.
Gutho was superb for me.
I actually felt that most of the bunker calls were fair enough but the checking is slowing the game down too much…,it’s becoming a two hour event.
What was poor was the costs of mid strength ale…that’s for another blog. My first game in a few yrs and it feels like people can’t enjoy a full strength ale for the small amount who spoil it. Paying over $10 for one mid strength is pathetic. I won’t be wasting my $$ again.
Milo I did not realise you were back home again. Welcome home I think we should catch up at Kens sometime.
Hi John and yes mate been back for over a month now. Aim to get to a few more games; and yes would be good for a Kens catch up one morning on way to work!!
Those bunker calls were frustrating. The decisions to review the Sivo tries were both very late. Also, I could live with the calls going against us in each decision in isolation. They were 50/50 or 60/40 more likely. But to have all four go against us felt like there was very little landing Parra’s way with such calls. That’s now three in a row denied for Sivo.
Fair enough Sixties, from my vantage at game I thought the calls were fair from bunker but the time taken to review was too long. The game is becoming too long imo The Sivo one could’ve gone each way but I thought it was forward when I saw but can live with a 50/50 but there is never consistent calls.
Tks men. Yep, it’s better when we win! DCE, Turbo and Jake carry Manly, who seemed clueless and leaderless. Also their Asst Coach just said sayonara. Putting them to the sword was so boring I could have watched all night.
It was a ruthless dismantling. No easing of the pressure. Parra stuck to the game plan, and you could see the game plan very clearly when we were happy to carry the ball on the last tackle in the red zone.