Watching from the stands on Monday was overwhelmingly tough. I sat at a stadium I greatly dislike, in seats that cost way too much considering how far you are away from the field, only to very quickly realise my team had not…
Bumpers Up – May 31, 2022: Winning Games, But Losing Starts, Challenges And Players
Let’s talk about life in PARRAdise. As somebody famous once said, it wasn’t meant to be easy. Matches tend to feature the best version of our opponents, and though this produces some cracking footy, it delivers heart palpitations for the…
From The Stands – May 17, 2022: The Eels Ten Week Challenge
Watching the match on the TV last Sunday was a really weird experience for my household. Was it resilience and skill on display in the second half or did it just stack up well against what was a first half…
Bumpers Up – May 12, 2022: Parra’s Mind Guerillas
Were you one of the true believers who tipped an Eels victory over the Panthers? Such faith defied the team’s awful result against the Cowboys and the demands of playing four games over just 18 days. Expecting a win against…
Bumpers Up – April 30, 2022: The Bounce Back, The Rumours, The Culture
Some losses sting more than others. Is it the weight of expectation this year or the nearly four decades of dashed hopes that causes such emotional responses to one-off defeats for our Eels? Regardless, after the negativity of the previous…
From The Stands – April 20, 2022: Round 6 With Round 2 Vibes
There was a sense of familiarity about losing a match in the final seconds. Even more so when we consider the poor play that led to the opposition’s final possession. It was a reminder that a month isn’t such a…
Bumpers Up – July 19, 2021: The Milf And Mindset Edition
How are you doing with the lockdown? For those of us in greater Sydney and surrounds, second time around feels a lot longer. I hope you are all as well as can be, and I extend my thoughts and best…
From The Stands – June 21, 2021: Honesty and Leadership
My full weekend of footy viewing culminated in taking up my usual spot in the Bankwest Stadium stands, watching our beloved Eels notch up another win. I loved our victory against the Bulldogs because of the leadership on display prior…
Bumpers Up – June 16, 2021: Rants, Debuts, Expansion
What a week! The announcement of Parra’s inclusion in the 2021 NRLW Premiership was soon followed by an eventful win over the Tigers, including that “moment” between Gutho and Moses. Now we have a couple of unexpected team list inclusions…
From The Stands – June 15, 2021: The Supporter Experience
Playing the Tigers at Bankwest Stadium never disappoints. From the stands it’s amazing what a little bit of passion does to otherwise sensible supporters. Looking around at the reaction from the visiting Wests fans in the various bays to everything…