I was mercifully wrong on the timing of the complete Parramatta collapse last week, as while the Melbourne Storm never needed to get out of first gear to comfortably beat the Eels, the effort from the men in Blue and Gold was certainly there. The game was a contest for a decent chunk until the self inflicted pain of errors and the familiar sight of teams streaking away against the run of play snuffed out any hope of an upset. That’s about the Eels in 2024 at this stage: still trying, but nowhere near good enough.
It might not be fair, but capitulation watch for the Eels is a week by week prospect and an away trip against a New Zealand side with everything to play for is a flashing danger sign for a team on the brink. It’s hard to see a Blue and Gold win, and after the week/month/year/four decades the club has had, an upset here isn’t going to make much of a dent in the misery. Yep, it’s another one of those previews. For the rest of 2024, get used to them.
Game Info
Date: Friday August 2, 2024
Venue: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Kick-off: 6:00PM AEST
Referee: Todd Smith
Bunker: Grant Atkins
Weather: Cold, potential rain
Broadcast: Fox League, Kayo
Sixties Speculates (Odds quoted are NSW TAB)
It is painful for me to write a punting tip this week.
Last week the Eels gave it everything they had in a performance that was at least 9/10 for effort, though 5/10 for execution. In doing so they still registered an 18 point loss to the Storm at CommBank on Gutho’s 200th game for the Eels.
Will the motivation be as strong away from home this week? Sadly, I don’t think so.
This season is now too long. The Eels have run out of troops.
I believe that the Warriors will win this comfortably. I’m looking at the pick your own line market, and the Warriors at -20.5 is returning $2.70.
Imagine me tipping against Parra. I’m not sure I can look at myself in the mirror.
Happy, responsible punting.
Sixties
Teams
Parramatta Eels
1. Clint Gutherson 2. Jake Tago 3. Blaize Talagi 4. Will Penisini 5. Sean Russell 6. Dylan Brown 7. Daejarn Asi 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Brendan Hands 10. Wiremu Greig 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. Ryan Matterson. 14. Joey Lussick 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Luca Moretti 17. Dan Keir.
18. Ethan Sanders 19. Matt Arthur 20. Matt Doorey 21. Morgan Harper 22. Makahesi Makatoa.
No changes to the Eels side, which means at the least nobody got injured last week, for once. Dan Keir was a late debutant last week, and while I’ve given the club management some much deserved grief for leaving the first grade side needing part time footballers to fill gaps this year, how much a debut meant to the journeyman forward and how his family and friends celebrated was a rare bright spot for me in season 2024.
New Zealand Warriors
1.Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Ali Leiataua 4. Moala Graham-Taufa 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Marata Niukore 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Dylan Walker. 14 Freddy Lussick 15. Tom Ale 16. Jazz Tevaga 17. Leka Halasima.
18. Demitric Sifakula 20. Taine Tuaupiki 21. Te Maire Martin 22. Ed Kosi 23. Bunty Afoa.
Shaun Johnson returns from injury for the Warriors, though on his form this year nobody should be particularly worried. The Warriors own backline contains part timer Moala Graham-Taufa and four game youngster Ali Leiataua, but on the flanks they ooze class with Watene-Zelezniak and Tuivasa-Sheck. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad returns at fullback, bringing high energy and workrate.
Off Topic
How good was Elsie Albert last week? She is amazing.
This is going to be less preview and more whinge, because frankly how many people care about the slim paths to victory that the Eels have against the Warriors at this point? Their forward pack will roll through the Eels, their outside backs will find saloon passages to the line and the middle and edges will likely crumble about the 30th minute. We’ll probably throw an intercept for a try at some point. We’ve seen it all before.
Instead let’s talk about how a club that has constantly referred to itself as a “development club”, a noble aim that should have always been the club mantra but was revitalised in Bernie Gurr’s short but eventful stint running the organisation, has just managed to flitter away its most promising junior group in over a decade. Time is clearly a circle, because I remember having this conversation when a group led by Jarryd Hayne, Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu and Daniel Mortimer were lauded as the next big things and mostly disappointed. At least those guys had first grade careers at the Eels measured in double digit games. The current crop didn’t even wait until they turned 20 to get out of here.
Sixties has taken his shot at the manager(s), which is fair enough, but clubs being bullied by player managers is like the lion being pushed out of a watering hole by the zebra. When you are a development club, you would think there were at least some plans to lock in development players longer term, efforts made to ensure you didn’t need to negotiate a new deal with a player mere days after his first grade debut. Instead of loading up the first grade squad with overpaid veteran forwards and the fringe of the roster with guys even the interim coach is naming part time players ahead of, where are the long term deals on these prospects? If they are being offered, why aren’t they being signed? Why are 19 year olds getting player options?
The facts are simple. Recruitment and retention has been abysmal, and while each decision in a vacuum has some understanding; the player went elsewhere for too much money (Niukore), his replacement didn’t work out as hoped (Mahoney and Hodgson) or the guy we did retain in their place got injured or fell out of form (Papali’i and Lane), when you look at the body of results it is a total failure for which there must be accountability.
That we can call a promising group of juniors our best in years, and one year after they win the SG Ball competition three of the best have left the club, and another requests permission to negotiate with other clubs, that is completely unacceptable. It’s not the result that a development club would achieve. So, if you aren’t a development club and you aren’t a recruitment club, what can you identify as?
All I can hope for now in season 2024 is that the stench of the joint doesn’t waft its way down to the NRLW side, that really looked the goods last weekend and played with encouraging levels of heart and skill. Given they play most of their games away from home this year (and every year so far) we can only hope, though the injury curse of the men’s side has already found its way into the women’s team.
The Game
Seriously, the NRLW team look the real deal after, well, one game. But it was a great game.
The best I can say about this game is that at least it is the early Friday game, so it has a minimal chance to ruin my whole weekend. If the kids can go to bed without drama (something even less likely than an Eels win) it might not even ruin my Friday night.
I’ve had enough of the excuses and the bumbling. The only thing separating the Eels from the shambles that is the Tigers of recent years is a few public gaffes. At least we get the occasional email about the next young player to leave the club.
Actions speak louder than words, and action is what we need right now.
Go you Eels!
Prediction: New Zealand 48 d Parramatta 10
Man of the Match: Addin Fonua-Blake
Gol
I hope Harper comes in for Talagi, I don’t want to see him play in Eels colours again. I especially don’t want to hear the commentators pump his tyres any further and bang on about what a loss he is for the Eels.
The thought of watching him play in Eels colours again makes me sick.
I honesty don’t know if I can watch the game if he plays.
Its not the kids fault , its all down to mcelduff and sarantinos being taken for a ride by issac moses , tigers now parra 16/17 th , both destroyed by stupidity at the top .might add when do clubs give loyalty , its a 2 way street .
What else did you want the club to do ?
Name a grandstand after him ??
The kid cannot in any lifetime say that the club didn’t stick by him and his family !
In the ‘two way street battle’ Talagi got much much more from the Eels than the club got from him.
But you are right. They certainly got taken for a ride by Moses.
It should be a stipulation that you sign a decent contract before you are elevated to debut for the club.
Higgsy, no doubt our board messed up and it is their fault that we lost him but it’s not their fault that he left. The club was set-up to be sucker punched the moment they agreed to give Blaize a PO.
Issac Moses knew exactly what he was doing, it’s amazing the club couldn’t see this scenario unfold.
However, the club did fully expect Blaize to be loyal, as Spark said, what more could they have done?
The club heavily invested in this kids development over many years, coaching, physio, medical, transport while paying him a wage and God knows whatever else him and his family leached out of the club. How does he repay the club? He pisses off at first opportunity he gets. We literally got zero in return.
Blaize and his family had every opportunity to show loyalty to the club who gave them everything, the club deserved a return.
Ultimately, it wasn’t Moses or clubs decision that resulted in him leaving, that decision was Blaize’s and his family’s.
He’s kicked the club squarely in the nuts when they needed him the most.
Thanks for nothing Blaize and a special thanks for nothing to his family.
You all keep referring to it as the clubs fault .NO. NO.NO.Its mcelduff and sarantinos who call the shots , christ at least blame it on the persons responsible not the good people within the club as a whole .Nothing is going to change while ever this pair are in charge ,out of thier depth with ZERO footy nous .
Absolutely.
In fact reading the press release, I don’t recall a club being more pissed off. They were seething.
After all they did for the kid and his two faced family, I hope he pisses off and we never see him again.
I never want to see him anywhere near an Eels jersey ever again.
Agree, Joseph.
Agree 100% but Barrett isn’t going to pull him from the team considering he is going as well.
Morgan Harper may not be as skilled but he has given his best everytime he has pulled the jersey on.
It’s one of our easier games, let’s be positive. The Warriors haven’t done a lot this year either.
If they hold the ball and they give Lane a rest before half time and bring him back later then we have a chance.
And, of course, if we get a fair go from the referee it becomes a fifty fifty call. I am predicting a win.
I’m with you on this one.
That’s precisely how it needs to run.
I feel sorry for Lane. His issues aren’t for lack of effort, and he can do some good things as the try last week showed.
He might be the only one tall enough to catch some of the passes coming from the play the ball area. Don’t get me started on that.
Doesn’t mean that he has a future in the side though.
I never felt sorry for myself not being good enough.
Eels by 8.
I have to right sooner or later – why not this game.
Go Eels!!
Not on this game so much but on loyalty, honesty, playing for the colours and the tribe. That’s what I want. They are our team. We don’t let them go or swap for easy success. Let the Jamie Lyons of the world play their games elsewhere, although Lyons was more honest than Talagi. Same with Matt Arthur. Sheesh. Only 19, I know, but there is so much more to a club than a couple of decision makers who shafted his old man. Honestly, show some guts and loyalty and realise that there are tens of thousands of us supporting the Eels. I’m valuing those who want to play in our colours and for our tribe. The rest can just go.
Great first half!
Hoping we don’t fade out of this game fingers crossed.
Gentleman on the podcast you guys thought deal has nothing to play for, with that being a fair idea.
What we have all overlooked is these guys are playing for them and their families futures.
This is more self motivating than anything else for some players who have families to feed.
The eels have actually lifted in their efforts majority of the time since the announcement of Jason Ryles alongside rumours of a possible clean out.
Great effort tonight by the boys. Asi played well. Dylan Brown gave 100%. Gutho gave 100%. Hands have nice service & 100% effort.
Was great to see discipline on display for most of the game.
Nice to see them not giving up and rolling over like cowards, some of these men do CARE and have been giving their own 100% for this club in recent games.
Thought they* might not have anything to play for. But thank god they did 💙💛
Whoohoo!
We still couldn’t play for 80 minutes
They only scored and looked dangerous when Todd Smith played his last card and put the Eels down to 12. Didn’t really threaten until they could spread to our left where we had to space differently.
Their first try was scored after a dubious penalty for a late flop, when the Warrior had rolled out of the initial tackle and wasnt held, penalties were something like 9-2 .
I get it, but it would’ve been nice for the players to be ruthless
Brett, you are hard to please. This is a win to enjoy.
I’m by enjoying it; but just spoiled by the last ten minutes
Looked like call that came from the bunker. Atkins.
First try was an obstruction on Brown.
My “win by 8” prediction was only out by kicks.
Disappointing, we should have won by 30.
Probably Asi best game as an Eel I’d keep him as a backup his defence has improved greatly and so has his kicking game.