Parramatta Eels 28
Newcastle Knights 6
Well that was encouraging. The Parramatta Eels were in control of this game from the first minute and while it took until the later stages to put the game away this wasn’t one I watched through the cracks in my fingers. The individual form of Moses, Lomax and Jack Williams of all people was very encouraging, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll go into the Origin period hopeful that this side can spring an upset or two against an understrength opponent.
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect for me was watching the Eels put two tries on during the period Kai Pearce-Paul was in the bin. Yes, we can make the most of an advantage.
As an Eels fan I’m very happy, but this game wasn’t about us at all. The Newcastle Knights are a special kind of bad right now, constantly at a level just below their opponents that, come the end of 80 minutes of football, leads to a big discrepancy in the final scores. It’s hard to find individual moments where they are truly terrible, they’re more like a week of slow drizzle that quietly dampens your mood to the point that you are swearing at the dog for breathing too loudly.
Maybe all it took was a move to the edge, but on Friday night Jack Williams was a different player to the one I’ve watched this season thus far. The footwork and speed he has were on full display, and every minute he spends in the middle from this point on is a waste when he clearly looks to be the solution to our back row woes. You da MVP, Jack.
Isaiah Iongi
1 – Fullback
Solid but unspectacular night for Iongi, who was rarely challenged in defence but made no mistakes the few times he was threatened. After the rocks or diamonds of last week it was a welcome, steadying performance from the rookie custodian.
Josh Addo-Carr
5 – Left Wing
Addo-Carr wasn’t the focus of the attack like last weekend, but he got some hard work done and broke eight tackles on his way to 160-odd metres. It says alot about how dire the Knights attacking situation is that our wingers combined for four tackles total, and in half of those they put their opposite over the sideline.
Will Penisini
3 – Right Centre
It’s all well and good to put on a couple of tries and break nine tackles, but it can’t come alongside five errors, including several unacceptable drops in contact. Calm it down and hold onto the pill, Will.
Sean Russell
4 – Left Centre
Poor old Sean Russell holds the TCT Grades record for “player I most regularly forget to write about”, and this was a classic “nothing to say” kind of game. Nothing wrong, not a lot of standout moments, I probably didn’t even need a second sentence here.
Zac Lomax
2 – Right Wing
Regular readers will know that I’m well capable of being wrong, but it is hard to miss the mark by more than I did in saying in the preview that Zac Lomax wont pick up his regular workload. 30 runs and nearly 300 metres later, alongside two tries, it is looking like a short return for Zac and surely the sky blue beckons.
Dylan Brown
6 – Five Eighth
Dylan Brown’s performance was the only highlight for the local faithful as he showed off all aspects of his skillset with pinpoint short kicking, good open field running and strong support play. He’ll look great running 23 times for 150 metres with no try assists in games the Knights lose by 16 every week next year.
Mitchell Moses
7 – Halfback
While Xavier Coates won’t be worried about losing his aerial king title to Mitch with the air the halfback got on his try, it was another great example of Moses’ versatility and competitiveness. It was a classic halfback game otherwise; kicking well, controlling play and in a game we win by 20-odd, the halfback is always going to grade out well.
Jack Williams
8 – Front Row
Where has this been all year? The back row situation for the Eels has been dire all season long but if Williams isn’t our answer then I’m worried Jason Ryles didn’t hear the question. Footwork and speed like that are wasted in the middle of the field, and his performances to date certainly don’t scream that he is irreplaceable in the prop rotation. Don’t overthink it; get him running wide off the shoulder of Mitch and let those linebreaks flow.
Ryley Smith
9 – Hooker
Classic “little to say” hookers knock here; steady, mistake free defence and a lot of distribution. It’s exactly what the team needs, but it is of little help to the grades guy in saying interesting things.
Junior Paulo
10 – Front Row
Big Junez turned back the clock here, earning his ballplaying with some hard running then putting a few deft passes on for breaks. The Knights certainly didn’t get in his face and make the night too tough for him, but let’s see this every week from the big man.
Luca Moretti
15 – Second Row
Another firebrand stint for Luca Moretti, who added another linebreak to his burgeoning collection. He missed a couple more tackles than I’d like against a listless opposition, but as an impact runner Moretti is becoming a real difference maker.
Kitione Kautoga
12 – Second Row
For the sake of my football team and at the expense of my pride, I’m rooting for the Kitione Kautoga revival to continue at this pace. The early grades for Bailey Simonsson were far less kind and he’s now one of my favourite Eels, so maybe in the future we can all look back and laugh at when the grades guy didn’t rate the best back rower in rugby league.
J’maine Hopgood
13 – Lock
He gets a pass on one of his errors for copping an almighty head clash as it happened, but Hopgood isn’t offering enough across the rest of his game to get away with three handling errors in a match. His metres per run were Trbojevic-esque, and not Tommy or Ben. When second year syndrome drags out to a third year you start asking some deeper questions about a player, and we need to see some improvements from J’maine man quickly.
Dylan Walker
14 – Interchange
Good luck explaining the exact reasons and pinpointing precise moments, but the Eels just look better when Dylan Walker is on the field. Walker has perfected the balance of playmaking to running for a modern lock, always demanding respect for his passing game but eating up metres as defenders hold off of him. That he’s a solid defender is a real bonus in a team that needs them.
Jordan Samrani
16 – Interchange
Impressive effort from the rookie in his first real first grade game in the forwards. His speed asks questions of tired defenders and he’s big and tough enough to do the hard stuff. Between Samrani, Moretti, the emergence of Jack Williams this week and the improvement in Kautoga, suddenly our edge forwards are looking like legitimate weapons.
Toni Mataele
17 – Interchange
While hardly a debut for the ages, Toni Mataele was solid in his first appearance in the Blue and Gold. He was the victim of a veteran play in getting held up in the tackle and having the ball knocked free, but dropped balls are dropped balls and he won’t last long in grade if he can’t hold it coming out of our own half.
Ryan Matterson
16 – Interchange
Some tough running from Matto, who looked more than good enough to take a permanent spot in the middle rotation if Jack Williams is to graduate to the edge. While the rumblings get louder that he isn’t much longer for Blue and Gold, he looks like the best option we have for the middle until Sam Tuivaiti is back on deck.
It wasn’t a win I’ll be telling my grandkids about, but what a welcome relief that was after the dire performance of the week before. The Eels could and perhaps should have led by a lot more at halftime, but they didn’t panic and the defence held firm against the feathered touch the Knights attack swung at them with. There were still plenty of rough edges, but I’m good with sanding those off in 20 point wins.
With some luck the Eels will be full strength next week against a Manly side that should be without at least one or two key players. Or maybe we’ll somehow have more Origin representation than a team entrenched in the top eight. Football is a funny game like that. I don’t see many wins in the future of a Parramatta side without Moses and/or Lomax, but stranger things have happened.
The signs were good, and if Jack Williams solves our back row problem and Ryan Matterson can hold down the middle, suddenly our biggest weakness is a lot less of a worry. I’m still thinking spoon avoidance rather than finals contention, but with some luck in the Origin period and the continued emergence of the rookie class, the second half of the season should bring a bit more joy to Eels fans than the first did.
Until next time, stay slippery, Eels fans.
Gol
Stats and images provided by NRL / Eels media
Laurie Daley and Billy Slater will decide the favourites for next Friday night’s game
If they pick Mitch and Zac and leave Daly and Tom it’s hard to see how we’re a show; reverse those decisions and we start favourites. Strange situation for a major sport.
Mitch will be 5/8. Done.
DCE will be picked, but did you see Turbo last night? He was average and looks injured still. Olakau’atu I wished was picked but no Jake Trbojevic helps.
I thought Moretti made a huge difference to our starting effect on the game , he’s tough on both sides of the ball. Has a good late offload. I hope they persist with him starting and Williams on the edge.
We’ve been banging on about this too. Had to find a stronger start.
Apart from origin effecting us God i hope Luai is the 5/8
Now Junior has had his 1 good game per month next week were back to the Junior we know.
Liking what Luca and Samrani bring.
Lomax is a difference maker hope Laurie goes with someone else. I hate when eels get selected for origin i wish it was on 3 stand alone weekends and then the comp resumes origin has to much of an effect on the competition
Offside, Mitch will be 5/8. But we were competitive without him against Manly at Brookevale. If they have a few out we can get the win.
Your an optimistic soul.
Id just don’t like the origin period
I’ve said for years both teams pick a 25 man squad.
Stop the comp 3 weekends of rep footy Samoa Tonga and New Zealand can play a international tournament at the same time
I think we will gain more by having players in Origin that having them miss out. Let’s face it, this season is all about getting experience to our young players, ready for something bigger next season. If we lose a couple of games during Origin period, well I am sure we will make up for that post-Origin when the experience kicks in a bit more.
Good grades 🤝 Jack Williams is one of our best players. Experienced players in the club and the coaching staff identified this pre season hence he is part of the leadership group.
I’m with you it was a great performance. But we must also give props to Jack for his other games.
No current other forwards at our club can shift in between middle forward and back rower like he can, and hold his own.
Jack also looks good in the middle off the bench, but as a starting forward obviously edge looks to be far better for him with his speed and footwork.
Jason’s taken a similar approach to Ciraldo at the dogs. The players Jason has signed have been pretty versatile, fast, and pretty solid defensively.
If you look at Jack Williams he can play any forward role basically if needed.
Iongi is a fullback who could fill in at wing, even 5/8 if absolutely needed.
Then Samrani who’s able to cover wing, centre, even back row it looks like.
I guess Kautoga is more a specialist back rower for now but to be fair the kid can defend decently for a green new player.
If we are being honest here some of our best players now (Simmonson) or even Lomax, sucked a few years ago compared to what they offer now.
If you saw Lomax or Simmo a few years ago play, then read social media comments, 90% of fans would be blasting them as “usless” etc.
In with you here that some of these newer players need time and we will see the dividends if they continue to work hard and develop.
Luca Morreti is another one – arguably our best impact middle forward now.. last year or previous season’s? People commenting here and other places labelled him as over rated, or just not good enough.
I personally think Jason Ryles is showing to already be a great coach, and great thinker.
Maybe I’m wrong but it’s a hill I will die on. I personally love the fact the young players who are giving their 100% for parramatta are gaining priority opportunities.
This is something most of us wished for, for years… it’s finally happening. Now we must be patient on some of these players, because like Luca & Simmo, eventually they will be the the best players at parramatta.
I think so long as Jason doesn’t use too small of a middle rotation each week, we should hold a chance against some of these teams we face over the origin period.
I’ve got a post coming on the inexperience in the team Muz.
Thanks Gol !
We often don’t see eye to eye, but I think you got this pretty right from my perspective.
The one I would say you were harsh on, is Sean Russell. Two magic moments! The fast catch and pass to the wing (JAC) that set up the Dylbags try and the 50 metre run from off the dropped ball on our defensive try line. … and then you can’t remember much else, cause the tackles were very solid and no errors (that I recall) across the game.
I reckon he was at least …. at least …. a b-
Can we vote give Jason Ryles a A+ here fellas? 😅
Jason’s improved our edge defensive structures and limited teams getting over laps on us MORE in 11 rds of footballs than we saw it improve over over 5 years probably. We are sliding better than ever.
Since when has Sean Russel and honestly any of our outside backs easily closed down edge attacks on a regular basis?
We’ve never seen in the years of Sean being at parramatta him defending remotely close to this high of a standard.
Josh ado car’s voice is helping him but out there but Jason Ryles deserves a A+ this week for coaching our outside backs to slide so effectively in defence.
Let’s throw Sam Moa in there too for the defence coaching
Good point 60’s mate. I hope they have a great run like Brad did where he took us from the bottom to finals regulars in just a few short years.
I agree Brelogail. He had a solid game for his 50th.
I’d probably say those grades err on the side of generous, but that is probably more appropriate in a win, than in a loss.
As Ryles said post games, we’ve played better and lost.
Williams had a good game – but he did what he did against NSW Cup level players. I like him on an edge, but i still think the better edge players with speed threaten to catch him out in defence. Ponga almost got him a couple of times.
While Moretti starting gave the opportunity to move Williams out to the edge, i thought it hurt his game. I didn’t think he was nearly as effective as he has been coming off the bench. But no qualms with giving it a try and trying it a few more times given the state of the Eels roster.
If Matterson can give us that sort of game, with no errors off the bench – given our lack of depth, i would take it.
A Centre who could pass would be lethal on both sides.
I didn’t think it was Ryley Smith’s best game in terms of quality of his service. Effort is always outstanding.
Selfishly one doesn’t want Moses to be picked for the Blues. Not just because we lose him, but we lose Dylan Brown as well apparently.
I’m hoping that Dylan is in a better head space now and playing without Moses (he’ll be 5/8 in Origin) won’t be as troublesome for him.
Ba sports we can’t expect a young middle on his first ever start in NRL at prop to set the world on fire
Morreti and no other middle ever dominates the game the first time they are ever a starting middle
He’s only just become a big impact bench player consistently, give him some time and he will be a good starter if he can stay healthy and get more experience & mins under the belt
In regards to Williams, Ponga beats origin level players at rep level and makes them look stupid, even if Jack missed him it would not be viewed badly, Jack actually did well
No issue with the grades. I’ve been happy with the team generally most of the season – huge changes and to me at times we look much slicker. It’s the errors and oomph at times we need.
Our bench have shown to be good and consistency will take time.
Manly very beatable; and Walker for us could be the key
I think you’re a bit harsh on Sean Russell, his defensive efforts against a 300 game veteran was fantastic, I mean Gag GUI can be hard to handle and being a milestone game, I didn’t see much of him…..I think Sean deserves a little more credit that’s all…
Can you make the grades out of 10. All this B+ C- is very confusing
Not too hard to translate. Approximate and 15 grades don’t exactly fit into 10. But here is an approximation.A+=10 A=9 A-=8 B range 7-6 C range 6-4 etc
It will be very interesting to see how we go without Mitch. Without him at the start of the year it was startling how bad we were. How far have we developed? I guess Hawkins replaced him rather than Volkmann. I’d put Samrani straight back on the wing to cover for Zac. If we can manage to beat Manly with two of our leading lights out, that would be real progress.