He may bear some resemblance to a mature, Alan Walker, sans-mask, but José Antonio Fortea Cucurull, or simply Father Fortea is a Spanish priest and renowned exorcist. He also wrote Summa Daemoniaca. Some kind of exorcist manual.
He’s both for us and whoever is the next referee. Atkins is gone.
We have lost the last six-straight against them, at an average losing score of 11.3 - 35.
We last beat them four years ago (26-14, R12, 2019, Bankwest).
But we haven't beaten them outside of Parramatta in over five years (since R26, 2017, ANZ, 22-16). The days of Semi (above) and cheerleaders (below).
A Body Blow
Tonight’s R11, 26-18 loss against the Raiders, was a real body blow.
We lost too many moments in this physical encounter, and the Raiders like Hudson Young said took the Eels "personally".
The Raiders three tries in 9 minutes (18 points) on either side of the break, an Atkins' 10-3 penalty count against us (above), 44% possession, 68% completions, chasing points under scoreboard pressure, not getting the rub of the green, and some errors at critical times ensured we effectively had next-to-no chance to win. We made 353 tackles to their 289; often under the pump.
Dire Straits
It probably means we’re looking at needing to win 8 of the next 13 (62%): to get to 12 wins, 12 losses. 30 points.
And if we lose this Friday's match against the Rabbits, we may need to win 8 from 12 (67%). An uphill battle. Unlikely. We’d be running out of runway to land.
We need to break this vicious cycle: the habit of finding ways to lose.
We’re just about ready for the ventilator, on life support.
Call Cucurull.
Comments
Looks like the n r l are determined to deliver the final blow for the eels with the ref and bunker appointments
Not liking our chances this week. Refs announced - Klein and Atkins in the bunker...
Oh God noooooo!!! Club should've lodged an offical complaint about Atkins
honestly I'll never forget that disgrace
south's are much too good for us ...that's usual fair but raiders were absolutely not!!! And to have the quinella of those two is far too much to bear!
you know I'm sure if it wasn't that parra fans are as loyal and committed we are I really doubt the nrl would try giving Atkins to us A gain so soon after that mess of reffing
sorry I'm not past it
Lady Badger as a video ref is worse than Aitkins. She routinely calls play back to make dubious calls against us but let's opposition clear penalties go
Wile that call back for summons rolling on ground was pure absolute cheating!! She had the time to look over that and came up with that call!?!? That was not a mistake can't be ... that was an intentional how can I help the raiders ...sounds like I'm going nuts but it was just so bad! Atkins was thrilled.
Kasey not Lady - spell check and Kasey Badger have something in common
I had a quick Google search on Sports mind coaching.Their is a lot of professional services around which address this subject.I noted some NRL clubs use them. You would think a club like ours who were in a GF last year and were not really competitive would be looking at how to get the mind set addressed as a big priority.
The situation we are in now you would be thinking "maybe there is something in this stuff worth exploring"
A good start would be getting an exorcist and tapping into the spiritual world to complement the physical world.
Great post HOE.Liked the Parra history bit from Daz as well.
Sometimes you have to have a big fall to realise that you have to add more tools to your kitty and learn something from losses.I think Edison said something like he had a thousand steps before he succeeded in getting where he got to.He didn't see those steps as failures but a pathway to success
Great posts, Tad & Daz. Very interesting.
HOE, as always, very nice write up. Love the exorcism theme.
Max points available: 13 games (26 points) + 3 byes (6 points) = 32 points
Eels on 8 points after Round 11, so Maximum Ladder points = 40
If a team wins 50% of games played (24), that is (12x2) 24 pts + 3 byes = 30 points. Currently (after Round 11) Titans and Roosters have won 50% of games played and are equal 8th, and any team with a sub-50% win ratio is outside Top 8. Hence why HOE is correct to suggest the Eels probably need to win minimum 8 from next 13 and probably hope for/against sneaks them into 8th spot.
Bunnies (Round 12)
Cowboys
BYE
Dogs
Manly
Dolphins
BYE
Warriors
Titans
Cowboys
Storm
Broncos
Roosters
Penrith
BYE (Round 27)
PS: fun historical facts. Central Cumberland entered the NSW Rugby Football League in 1908, playing in blue and gold. They were called the fruitpickers, because the area we know of as Parramatta and west from there was at the time a rural area. Cumberland played from Round 2 that season, therefore playing 8 of 9 games in the season. Cumberland won just one game, and lost 7. They finished the season 7 of 9, though far from that attractive Borg chick from Star Trek Voyager: their differential of -153 arose from scoring 38 (lowest) and concedeing 191; but by points for/against per game, they were the worst. Only the bye points they received from missing Round 1 saved them from the wooden spoon.
The Fruitpicker's first game was against ... South f***ing Sydney, who flogged them 23-2. The Fruitpickers scored a resounding 14-6 win over eventual wooden spooners Western Suburbs in Round 8. The winners of the inaugrul 1908 competiton were ... South F***ing Sydney. Central Cumberland then folded and the Parramatta area had to wait until 1947 for the Parramatta Eels to re-enter the NSWRFL competition, where they were promptly the worst team in the league, finishing with the wooden spoon (from 3 wins, 15 losses, the worst differtential of -194). At least South F***ing Sydney finished 7th from 10 teams that year.
The game against the Rabbits could be season-defining or ending: our biggest challenge to date, this year. A quasi-grand final.
It's been five years since we beat them outside of Parramatta (2017).
Lose next week, and the finals are looking unlikely. We'd need to win 8 from our last 12 (67%) to get to a 12-12 win/loss record and have a reasonable (but not guaranteed) chance to sneak in. Hard to see this team going on a consistently good run over almost three months. We struggle to win 2-straight.
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