I honestly find it very easy to know what to write about each week or should I say most weeks. When I watch the game something always stands out.
It’s usually a moment, or a few moments, in a match and mostly it’s positive.
This last game in Darwin was different because there was nothing positive that stood out.
And that is our problem. I use the term “our problem” because everyone in the club wins and loses together.
Furthermore, as I watched the game I also had a sense of déjà vu.
Yes, we had seen similar before, and I’m sad to say that I’m not shocked.
Our team is disjointed, not just in terms of the game itself but off the field as well. Are we all rowing in the same direction because from the stands it appears that we are not.
As fans we have the right to ask many questions because none of us know the actual truth about what’s going on.
So rather than asking a question, I’ll make a statement.
I love my club, the colours, the jersey. There are countless thousands of others who share my passion.
There is an honour in wearing the Parra jersey, or having the authority to make decisions about the club. If there is anyone in the club who doesn’t feel that honour or doesn’t do their utmost to deserve it, then they need to leave our club or be moved on.
This photo tells the story from Darwin
For us to succeed, the players on the field and the coaches and administration off it, all need to be rowing in the same direction. From the stands it appears that they are not.
This week we take on Manly.
It will be tough. Manly have so much strike in their backline and they have spent their salary cap on getting that. Much like we have spent ours on the spine and forwards. At times they will hurt us with their speed. They do it to everyone.
But if we cast our mind back to our earlier game this year we hurt them through the middle. We used brilliant interplay between our forwards to catch them out with a focus on supporting our forwards who can offload.
Really the task is not all that different but for the fact that our team was confident in round 3. I honestly don’t know what I will see this week but see it I will.
I will sit there with my jersey on and support our team. I only hope our players can be as resilient as us fans. We get up each time when we are knocked down. I only hope that resilience is not taken for granted by those in admin. I am not going to rant about things because in all honesty if those in charge cannot see the problems then they might be the biggest problem of all.
Finally to our players, like thousands more I will be wholeheartedly supporting you this week. Give it a genuine go and play the entire game, every minute, with effort. Not only will that elicit support from the fans, it will ultimately give you every chance to cause the upset.
Shelley
It’s an important weekend, isn’t it? W lost all three senior men’s grades again in round 7; we now have won four of 21 such matches this season. A series of wins this weekend will Leave us pausing and hoping; a series of three close, toughly-fought defeats will leave us frustrated but still around. We really can’t afford any more of the dispiriting capitulations we saw against The Raiders and The Dolphins; any more of those and crowd support and mnetchandise sales will be affectef. It was hard to confront the fact that only shortly into their second season The Dolphins have done a far better job of building roster depth than we have.
Can’t do anything but agree with all the comments. The most important point is that if those in charge can’t see the problems, then they might be the biggest problem of all.
As they run out at the next home game we will stand and cheer them, but watching the team inside the opposition 10 play crash ballls and the hooker attempting to burrow over in every set is beyond support.
Perhaps it is time for a change , and we can’t be timid as one of the biggest clubs we need to be surgical in taking the step, it can’t continue as we are set up. Depth is abysmal and recruitment prior to Lomax has been lacklustre since the current regime came to power. Hopefully, we see change not as a reaction to the last 3 weeks , but to solidify the future and take the club to a place its size in support and importance in the NRL should be.
I did not understand Lussick coming back and straight into the team last year. He is too predictable in attack and lazy in defence once you get past 30minutes. In that I don’t agree with BA and his faith in lussick. In this position he has other choices.
Shelley my favourite quote from your article:
“I am not going to rant about things because in all honesty if those in charge cannot see the problems then they might be the biggest problem of all”.
Over the years we (Parra supporters) have been desensitised and a degree of mediocrity has creeped in. At games its standard commentary around us to say “which Parra team will turn up today”. This should never be the case with an nrl standard team. Back in the day we didn’t take “the lads tried very hard” explanations for very long, why should it be acceptable now.
Poor football team under Arthur his lost the dressing room manly will put 60 on us
Shelley I remember the Eels coming home the stronger against the Broncos last year in Darwin despite losing in the end. The loss against the Dolphins with all things considered is one of the worst I can remember and we’ve had a few bad ones in recent seasons. I didn’t think the club could find a new low but here we are.
There is nothing I’ve hated more than the media kicking our club, I’m hoping the media runs this club over the coals, we may just start getting answers and actions. I still won’t like it but it might be what we need this time.
I heard Sarantinos on the Big Sports Breakfast after the Canberra loss, I thought the hosts knew more about our issues than he did.
Thanks for the post Shelley, it’s always good reading.
Thanks Shelley,
I always find your articles fair and objective. It’s interesting that in your first 2024 column you talked about an intangible that you called connectedness. I responded saying I agreed and there seemed to be something different in the group, something difficult to grasp and describe but it was definitely a positive. And yet, over the last few weeks that intangible seems to have been lost. How or why I’m not sure but it is disappointing that it seems to have disappeared. What are your thoughts?
It hurt more this week, my wife and in-laws are Redcliffe natives so they were all happy on Friday night (although my father in law refuses to formally support the Dolphins until Bennett is gone).
Like you I will be cheering on the team again this week, unfortunately not in the stands like you, and amusing my mother in law with my yelling and carry on. Like the Chumbawamba song, every week I get knocked down but I get up again. It is what we true supporters do. Insanity – maybe, but I can’t help myself.
I agree and it appears that the connectedness was only there when we were winning. I have heard the CEO, Coach and players all talk over the past few weeks. But nothing from our HOF- it is his job to ‘manage football operations’. He manages everything and oversees people doing their job well or in my opinion not so well such as recruitment.
Why is he not being made to answer questions about our entire football program, the program he ultimately gets paid to manage? How is he going to ‘ manage’ us out of this mess?
The program he manages has resulted in 4 wins across 3 grades so far this year. If it was just first grade playing poorly then I could accept blaming BA but it isn’t. In fact the team BA coaches has won 3 of those 4 games. In my view our HOF should be made to answer some pretty tough questions.
Always enjoy your comments and this week is no different, thank you.
I have been going to EELS games for 64 years and can clealy recall the days when if we were beaten by less than 20 points we celebrated. I witnessed the rebuild of the club that lead to the years of domination and 4GF wins, I rode the wave of defeats and rebuilds over the last 40 years, the joy of a great win and the sadness of a close loss and witnessed some of the greatest players of all time proudly represent the B&G giving their all every time they ran out to play.
All these emotions are a part of supporting any club but the ONLY thing that has, and still does make me feel a wave of anger is when the team throws in the towel and disrespects the club, the fans and their teammates.
Sadly we have seen this too often from our team and last weekend was right up there with the worst of them. What the solution to the problems are remains a very difficult puzzle to solve but the team MUST begin with contributing 100% each and every minute of the game despite the score. Maybe then the respect and pride of playing for the EELS will return and be reflected on the scoreboard.
LakeEel, the sad part about this resonating with me is when you used the term “throwing in the towel”. When I can’t disagree with that, it’s a sad day.
I haven’t watched the Darwin game as I’m away on holidays at the moment but I did listen in to the commentary on ABC Sport, albeit I turned off after the Phins scored their 3rd try of the 2nd half. Anyway the point I wanted to make was that a”caller” on the show commented that over the previous 3 years, post game Parra players did not engage with the crowd post game to do autographs etc. which I also know has been a”thing” even for our home games.
The connection Shelley mentioned earlier in the year was there when we beat the Dogs and Manly, players spent a fair amount of time post match interacting with fans. However after the loss to the Tigers they were nowhere to be seen. I bet they didn’t spend much or any time with the crowd again after this last embarrassment!
Is it any wonder that the Darwin locals cheer for the opposition? I will be watching with interest at our next home game, especially if we lose.
JonBoy, I highly recommend that you don’t watch it because you won’t be able to unsee it.
And if you have kids under 15, the NRL has now rated this game MA, it is not suitable for children.
I forgot to mention JonBoy, Darwin fans, or to be accurate, Queensland fans can kiss my arse.
JonBoy, as I wasn’t in Darwin I can’t answer this. However, it’s something that I’ve criticised the club about in recent seasons, and in a meeting with a couple of club people just two weeks ago, I emphasised that when it came to losses, those fans who remained till full time and after were the ones that deserved the greatest acknowledgement, not the least. I should add that there was immediate agreement with the sentiment.
Tks Shelley. You just have to live in hope. In a lifetime of being analytical and wanting to see the reason behind any occurrence, this one escapes me a bit because unless you are an absolute insider, you just don’t have all the information to make an informed summary. What I do sense here, is not a blog on a forum but a thesis, maybe a book or. Netflix series.
I would like to understand the stats since Trent Barrett joined the Eels.
Watching the game on Friday, what stood out was that in the first half we had plenty of opportunities to score, but couldn’t ice the cake. We should have been 20 points up at half time, with one foot on the winners dais. It’s like the players gave up after that because they felt nothing was going right. This raises plenty of questions as to why we found ourselves in this situation, but they are very highly paid professionals who are expected to put in 100% every game.
I think the next few weeks will either show that the players have finally learnt a valuable lesson, or the will wilt ever further. If that’s the case, next year will be a very different looking Parramatt Eels.
Clint gutho just liked an image from nrlonnine ( on Instagram) that is captioned “is brad Arthur running out of time at parramatta?”
Wtf is going on with this playing group?
Was that the real Gutho?
Even in the unlikely event Gutho thought that. He would never put it out on social media.
Not the real Gutho. Besides which he is BA’s favourite
From my understanding, It was the real gutho. I remember clicking on the profile on Instagram that liked it and it took me to his offical page. Next morning he had unliked it
What a fluff piece. Sugar coating the anger that resides inside you, Shelly. Or maybe you actually don’t have any? You should be furious with the way this club is run and with the way the players responded in the second half when it got too hard for them.
BA, the coaching staff, and the head honchos who run the club have no idea. They have lost the dressing room, and lost the fans.
We have a CEO who has his hand in the sand, and a coach who has a head full of sand.
It is time for change. Blind Freddy could have seen this capitulation coming after the Grand Final loss. It’s history repeating.
I, for one, hope that we get lapped again this week. And other weeks. It will be the only way we get a new coach comes in with fresh ideas. The game has changed and sadly, BA’s tactics have stayed the same. The team could put in more effort each week, but our game plan is too simple and has not evolved. How often have we been camped down in an opponents attacking zone, only to come away with nothing but a dropped ball or a poor/rushed/impatient decision? And in defence, our edges have been continually carved up for years. Compressed defensive lines don’t suit the Eels. We don’t have the players to slide quick enough.
Shelly, tell us how you really feel. We are angry. We are as passionate and committed fans as you. But how many times will you write this same article this year… because this won’t be the last time we get a team that lacks any direction or dedication on the field while BA is in charge.
Completely agree MFEels. Every supporter, esp members who part with their money, should be angry with the way our club and team have been run the last 3 yrs.
MF, how is Shelley’s post not angry? She wants people out!
You are rightly angry, and you are calling for heads. But unlike Shelley, you take it a step further and actually hope that your team keeps losing! Mate, if that’s called supporting your team, count me as not a supporter. I could never, will never, wish that on the team I love. No reason could justify it.
Do you honestly think that if the team puts in sub-par performances where they jag a win here and there that there will be changes to the coaching staff under the current administration? You are delusional if that’s the case. Unfortunately, as much as I hate to say it, the only change that will happen is that BA will be sacked if the team continues to lose. Even more unfortunate is that nothing else will change… the current administration will still be there and our pathways programs will still be a joke. It is going to take more than losses to turn this club around.
There’s enough heat on the club at the moment to do something to reverse the rot in the club. If they don’t see the importance of that, well we are in for some bad times ahead regardless of who the coach is or who plays for us. I want to see a top down approach to this mess, not just hitting the nail that happens to stick out the furthest.
Good point here Longfin
I don’t know what you are taking issue about with me here MF. I’ve said no matter how I feel about how the Eels are performing that I’ll never wish for more losses. But if wishing for your team to get thumped is how you show your support, so be it.
We have the core of a team that could have given the best team of the modern era a run for their money less than 2 years ago.
It’s time that they are managed properly.
Let’s see how Gutho goes at five-eighth. After 4 years of me calling for it he finally looks like getting a go. It was the making of Darren Lockyer, let’s hope it gives the King the opportunity to play his best.
I’m staggered by how meekly we seem to be prepared to let Sanders go. He didn’t shine in the trials but we don’t have the depth to throw talent away without a chance to develop.
I suppose it’s possible that we don’t have the coaching lineup to do it.
Great points 56 years an Eel.
We are not developing anybody in Flegg or Cup with our current coaching arrangement.
Sanders is a loss as was Stefano, Galvin… We cannot identify talent right under our nose.
Blaize was put in centre then No 6. When he’d been playing fullback in cup.
If we look at the development of Sanders and Blaize. Then compare to Strange and Galvin its chalk and cheese.
Look at Raiders – cannot attract players. They scoure England. They will have Strange and Sanders as long term halves. Plus a number of + 20 year old speedsters in the backline. Ricky is planning for the future. We are still dining out on “we made the GF in 2022”
I don’t mind a loss. But we are finding new ways to lose
I have to agree here – Stuart( I dislike saying this has done well). One thing Canberra are and that’s tough. We are not tough consistently for me and it shows. Ricky has got a young gun Fullback and Strange has come on from the Central Coast and could be good. He now has another young half.
I don’t get why we didn’t look at locking up Sanders last year??
We have made too many errors as a club in R and R.
We also don’t have an alpha leader of the pack too and we need one experienced player and a young forward to come on for me.
D Brown and Guth have been good and the outside backs need to be looked at again.
I feel we have players particularly in the pack who are too comfortable and they know it. BA half mentioned this in his press conference- sack one or two and bring in others even if they’re not tearing the wall down just to make a point.
When was the last time we as a team were consistently playing well over a season?