Things certainly didn’t go the way the Parramatta Eels had planned in Round 1 of the NRLW with the Wests Tigers running roughshod over them in a 36-8 defeat. Despite holding an 8-4 lead after 23min and the carrying that margin into half-time, the Eels were staggered by a sustained second-half barrage from the Tigers. While there were flashes of attacking skill and talent, the fragility of Parramatta’s defence casts a pall over their prospects in the coming rounds. Still, even with that grim introduction – is there anything we can salvage from this loss? Perhaps. So let’s jump straight into the first breakdown of the NRLW for the season.
Passive Defence Picked Apart
There is no real way to soften the blow from both the data and the eye test on this one. Starting with the scoreboard itself and running right through line breaks conceded (12-2) to missed and ineffective tackles (77 vs 17) – it was carnage for the Blue & Gold in Round 1. A tip of the hat to Shannon Muru who was the only Eel to not record a missed tackle. On top of that, amidst the avalanche of Wests Tigers tries, centres Mahalia Murphy and Shontelle Stowers were the only defenders to have solitary missed tackles charged to their names. From there it was a mess though. Reactive efforts with little to no line speed and a lowlight reel of arm-grab attempted tackles.
On the whole it made for a concerning lack of execution and impact. It simply can not be the standard moving forwards. Passivity is the bane of any defensive structure and Parramatta fell badly into that mindset in the second half. The good news is that simple effort and application go a long way here. Line speed is built on effort and relative effectiveness of any given tackle is quite literally the application of sound technique.
Of course, these things are easier said than done but our ladies get the chance to right these wrongs against the Dragons next week.
Eels Stumble Through Set Ends
As frustrating as Parramatta’s struggles in attack were on Sunday, it is much easier to be measured in criticism in this regard. Rachael Pearson was a brutal out for the Eels and while she certainly doesn’t rectify the defensive issues listed above she is the single most important catalyst for our attack.
Without Pearson’s guidance the Eels ended up running the ball ineffectively on the last far too many times. Their inability to apply pressure via the kicking game and consistently get the ball to their biggest attacking factors simplified matters for the defensive line of the Tigers.
Thankfully, getting Pearson back should be a huge shot in the arm for the team here.
Backline Coverage From A-Z
For all of the issues and all of the struggles there were still some bright spots for the Eels from the loss. Abbi Church and Zali Fay were legitimate threats to the Tigers throughout the contest. Abbi was a critical component for one of Fay’s two tries while Zali climbed the ladder to claim a brilliant individual four-pointer in the other instance.
It is important to celebrate their efforts because I believe they will be focal points for Parramatta’s attack in the coming weeks and months if they are to make a push for the finals. Despite the lack of possession and opportunities, both players were solidly over 100m on the ground and posed a serious threat to the defence.
Can Key Ins & A Fresh Mindset Turn Things Around?
Absolutely. While I think the Eels have plenty of ground to make up on competition heavy weights like the Sydney Roosters, they are a much better team than what we saw on Sunday. Rachael Pearson and Elsie Albert add serious experience and class to the makeup of the squad while improved team resolve and focus rectify a number of issues in both attack and defence.
It will take a whole-hearted team effort though. Players need to be shoulder-to-shoulder in defence and digging in hard for those first few steps every tackle to bring the line forwards. That means buying in for the full 70min and pushing through the pain barriers that come with it. The alternative means slumping to a 0-2 start and putting yourselves well behind the pack early on.
The effect of not having a HNWP side was obvious as a component of the defeat, the Tigers were fielding a team not only comprising 6 ex Eels NRLW players but had a number that had played more than a full season together previously in the lower comp.
Somewhat fortunate to be ahead a half time, but it was a reward for keeping in the contest. No kicking game and little organisational in either attack or defence took its toll as the Tigers ran in 3 late tries to blow the margin out.
The girls all tried but recruitment appears to be an issue in both NRL and NRLW this season, a decent crowd came to support the girls so hope the experience and the return of key players brings its rewards with a more competitive team.
The loss of Pearson was huge because the Eels couldn’t apply much pressure on the Tigers defence. That meant they had fresh legs and ran over the top of Parra. Without question, the Eels defence was awful. They will need both Pearson and Albert in the team to get the job done.