The public microscope will be on how the Eels respond to last round's TIO Titanic disaster where the Dolphins humiliated the Eels 16-44.
There will be bitter sweet interest on our young debutant Sanders who to date Arthur has held off from first grade and has also announced today his departure to the Raiders on a three year deal. The same day we announced his NRL debut.
Manly are warm favourites, looking to consolidate a move into the top-four with win back-to-back for the first time since round two. The Eels are trying to avoid back-to-back losses and stay in touch with the top-eight and stay away from the basement that they are moving ever so closer to.
Though the Eels have a good recent record against Manly (4 from 5), the Eels have only won 1 from the last 5 (20%) at Brookvale since 2018 with an average losing score of 21.6 - 33.2 per game.
The Eels defence has fallen off a cliff, now the fourth worst in the competition, at 14th (25.7 per game) conceding 35 per game on average over the last three weeks, whilst the Eagles aren’t much bettter at 13th (22.3per game). To date, the Eels' defence is the worst for a season average under Arthur's tenure since 2014.
The Eels attack has also fallen in a heap to be now 11th (19.9 per game) whilst the Eagles 5th best (25.9per game).
Essentially, the Eels are taking off from where they left off late in 2023 season and regressing further.
Since the R18, 2023 bye the Eels have been conceding over 35 points a game outside Commbank. Since then, Eels have only won 6 of 15 (40%). In this period, at Commbank, they have won 5 of 8 (63%) at an average score of 21.3 - 24.1. But, outside Commbank, they have only won 1 from 7 (14.3%) at an average score of 16.6 - 36.1.
With both teams having struggled defensively this year, collectively conceding almost 50 points per game, the game is likely high-scoring.
Time is ticking on the Eels' season, and potentially on Arthur's tenure and the club's immediate future despite the club's steadfastness and lack of knee-jerk reactiveness. Will the Eels' players respond this week or sink further into an abyss?
Comments
BREAKING NEWS: Eels will now travel to games in separate busses. The outside backs are so slow and always late getting anywhere, The Club has been forced to rent high speed transport just for the backs to have a chance of making it near the play.
Sad but true Daz :)
There is an error in this post, HOE. The game is not at Brookvale. It's at the SCG, befitting the cricket score Manly will rack up.
LOL, Daz. Nothing would surprise me anymore with this mob. We could see another 20-plus loss or another high-scoring 4-point gritty win. Manly are a bit suspect, too.
That's gold Daz 🤣🤣🤣🤣
If Parra win it takes pressure off the two bit eels board, if they lose it will put more pressure on them to act.
Frankie, I wouldn't be surprised if the Eels lost by 20 plus or got up to win a close one.
Either way, I expect we'll be back talking about the Eels problems again soon enough.
Fundamentally, the Eels have cultural issues, top to toe, even during Arthur's reign, the best since Smith.
But they have been able to get by since 2019 with consecutive finals appearances on the back of incoming talent since that time (Dylan, Paulo, Lane, RCG, Matto, Ferguson, Sivo, Penisini, and more recently Ice, Cartwright, Hopgood, etc) to complement the core of Moses and Gutho (and Reed and Brown back then) despite lacking the speed and athleticism of top-tier teams.
But the regression since 2022 can no longer plaster over the cracks and the Eels' off-on mental switches.
Spot on HOE with the cultural issues, we have no true identity. It sadens me that my mates, mostly Bronco and Roosters supporters, now pity me enough to go easy when sledging our woes...