Let me begin with a warning. Those Blue and Gold glasses of mine remain firmly in place. Nothing has changed in the NRL or the refereeing ranks so there’s no need for me to let up on my biased support.…
From The Stands – July 20, 2023: Accountability And Agendas
What has been worse since 2019 – the management/development of the Tigers or the management of the NRL referees and MRC? It is a genuinely tough question. Mr Annesley returned to the NRL in 2019 and has since been in charge…
From The Stands – July 11, 2023: Put That Game Behind Us
Just move on. It was a tough to watch the Warriors put on a score against the Eels, and no doubt the players will learn plenty during their review, but as a fan, there’s nothing much to dwell upon. Trying…
From The Stands – June 26, 2023: Lessons For Our Eels and The Hunt For Salary Cap Rules
“Simplicity wins matches, complexity loses them.” Jack Gibson This is one of my favourite quotes from the great man and it’s been stuck in my head since the Dolphins match. In my mind, the lessons to come from this match will…
From The Stands – June 20, 2023: Discipline Is The Key To Parra’s Fortunes
The last five rounds of the premiership have been a lesson in keeping the faith. After Parra’s loss to the Raiders I was almost starting to think about next year. The Eels had an upcoming match against the Rabbits and…
From The Stands – June 14, 2023: Standing Strong Against A Shock Jock
Congratulations to our Parramatta Eels. Providing such a thoroughly enjoyable victory for their supporters was an outstanding way to conclude what had otherwise been a rather forgettable week. The Dylan Brown situation requires no comment from me until the case…
From The Stands – May 30, 2022: Helping Players To Achieve Their Potential
Two premiership points, it’s the goal of every round so let’s classify the match against the Cowboys as mission completed. Outside of achieving that goal, the game itself was almost a microcosm of the Eels 2023 season thus far. A…
From The Stands – May 23, 2023: A Unified Team And Farewelling Jake Arthur
“I’m glad I did that!” Have you ever thought that to yourself? Straight after full time on Friday night I messaged Sixties about how happy I was to have made the long trip to Allianz Stadium. And why wouldn’t I…
From The Stands – May 15, 2023: Blurred Lines
There is nothing blurred about the form of the Eels. The 2023 season has been a step backwards for a team that has seemingly forgotten how to win. I loved Parra’s ride to the Grand final last year. The four…
From The Stands – May 10, 2022: A Season Defining Game For The Eels?
Our Parramatta Eels have come out of Magic Round in a precarious position. Another loss has the team on a 40% win record approaching the midway point of the season. A road trip to Canberra and an away game against…