Eels Blogs

In yesterday's interview with YKTR, following the round-three win over the Storm, to make it three straight against them for the first time in 20 years since 2000-2001, a reflective Dylan Brown believed the Eels' had a habit of beating themselves. He also underscored Brad Arthur's continual displeasure.

Games are often decided by how a team responds to critical moments or errors. Here are 11 critical round three moments that collectively decided the game. One drop at a time.

1 

First 15': Struggling Eels hold rampant Storm to 6-0

The Storm tried to blow us off the park early with their typical formula. Playing monstrously intense, direct and aggressively. They were making busts up the middle, and looking for space out in the edges. And they almost succeeded. There with two kicks to our left and right wingers in the first minutes that almost resulted in tries. 

Cheese, Fabio, Munster, Hughes were making busts and half-busts through the middle. The Eels were looking fragile and error-riddled (1' Simonsson, 4' Nathan Brown to Reed, 4' Ice ruck infringement, 7' RCG offside, 7' Reed, 10' Lane offisde, 15' RCG error) and missed tackles (14-3 in first 15 minutes). The Storm was dominating every aspect of play. They had over 60% of the possession, over 70% of the territory to the Eels 29%, and 27-10 tackles in the opposition half, respectively, and the Eels had made 121-79 tackles.

Eels' fans would be all too familiar with some early Storm demolition jobs such as R9, 2019 (64-10) when it was 14-0 after 21 minutes; or 2019 Finals, week 2, (32-0) at AAMI Melbourne where they led 18-0 after 22 minutes, and 22-0 at half-time. Game Over. The Eels do not often recover from being behind at half-time (1 in 4 since 2014, compared to almost 98% when ahead). It was clear the Storm were on a mission.

What helped the Eels' cause was two disallowed tries, on both the right and left edges, which could have gone either way. Also, three penalties right on the Eels line (two of those due to the disallowed tries). And lastly, some typical last ditch on-the-line saves by Gutherson.

Former Knights reject, lock 13 Josh King (no. 13) offloads to set up rake Brandon Smith (no.23).

Although, Gutho could not stop Cheese from eventually scoring in the 11'  it could be argued the Eels really got a win - and perhaps aided in their confidence they could get the job done. It could have easily been 18-0 or worse. Despite the early onslaught, the Eels did not buckle and implode as they have many times before, and managed to keep the Storm to only 6-0. 

2 

16': A Storm error is capitalized on by the Eels, 6-6 

Prop Jesse Bromwich (8) drops the ball in the Eels' red zone when the Storm was on the attack again in the Eels' red zone, looking very dangerous again.

In the next set, the the Eels' ensuing attack was aggressive and direct with some good left edge runs from Waqa, Opacic, before Junior, Reed, and Gutho, started the Eels short-passing offloads (3) around the ruck and the Eels were over the halfway line by the 3rd tackle. Then, on the 4th tackle Dylan Brown busts through big-names Hughes and Kaufusi. Critically, Gutho supports, as usual, to score. Moses converts a great kick from the sideline to level the game.

Before this point in the 16' the Eels had made zero offloads (0-3) and possession was over 60% in favor of the Storm, as well as territory.

3

23': The Eels goal-line defends holds

The Storm had back-to-back penalties, including one for a Waqa high shot on Kaufusi, and peppered the Eels goal line from left to right, and through the ruck. But, the Eels defence held. Another boost to their confidence.

4

32' : Eels gain momentum to take the lead for the first time, 12-6

On the back of good defence to force Hughes to kick from behind the Storm's 40m line - Gutho makes a great run from from his 25m line to almost halfway. 

Then, Opacic makes a break. But, Hughes tries to slow down the play and gets penalized on the Storm's 30m line.
Soon after some direct attack, with short passing on the left edge, a great pass from Dylan Brown sets up Waqa, who powers his way over in the left corner. On the back of one set and a penalty the Eels force their way to the lead.

Moses converts from the sideline to put the cherry on top. Moses has his kicking boots on, today. Thank goodness.

5

36' The Storm immediately strike back, after an Eels' error invites them in; 12-12

Reed generally has given great service out of dummy half, but at the worst moment just before half-time, fumbled whilst in Eels territory inviting the Storm for another raid on the Eels' line. This time the goal line defence broke.

Cheese, Munster, Olam, and Fabio all combine to set up Meaney to go over untouched with a little over a minute left until the break.

Moses confronts Olam, the Fijian runaway truck, about knocking him over. Again (which also happened in a disallowed try early in the game). Just when you think the Eels are gaining momentum, they let the opposition in again, through yet another error, and almost immediately after gaining the lead. 

Like Moses, Fabio also had his kicking boots on. Another great sideline conversion. Both Moses and Fabio kicked 4/4 conversions in the game.

But, the Storm weren't done yet in the dying minute. They wanted more blood, and the lead.

 Gutho saves the day. Again. 

6

43: Immediately after the break, some Munster brilliance puts Meaney in again untouched; Storm 18-12 

The Storm strike with two tries within minutes on either side of the half-time break to wrestle momentum back. How often does that happen? When it's time to stay focused we often relax, and when it's time to relax more, we clam up.

The Storm's try off one length-of-the-field set started with an Olam bust through Reed and Ice, and led to brilliant direct and offloading attack by the Storm.

In the same set on the Eels' 40m line, Munster's vision sees him kick to the Eels' right hand corner, which Meaney chases. He beats Gutho who was a long way to the left of the kick and Simonson didn't seem to have the speed in cover. Storm take the lead again. 18-12. 

Munster was in everything, mustering whatever influence he could. Obviously, he wasn't calling for Nelson's sin-binning after his hit to the back of Makatoa's head in the 53'.

7  

58': Moses' boot to the rescue, a counter punch; 18-18

The Storm is penalized for being offside with the Eels on their 30m. This gifts the Eels' good field position in the Storm's red zone. Opacic then neatly collects a Moses' bomb to score.

PS: A few minutes before this Eels' try, an honorable mention is to be made to Ray Stone who came on for Simonsson's HIA and played out on the right edge - to later play a pivotal role in two game-changing moments and tries.

8 

66-67': Eels goal-line defence holds on after Waqa error, helped by a Lewis fumble on the line

Eels goal-line holds out Storm after another Waqa error - who had struggled to catch the ball all night. The Eels were fortunate not to suffer worse from it.

In the end, the Eels were let off the hook by an error from Chris Lewis on the Eels' line. All that aside, the Eels also had great on-the-line and red zone defence from the Browns, Ice, and Moses, and Stone on the right edge. 

9

70'-73' Another Moses bomb for a Stone try; you make your own luck; Eels regather lead 24-18

But the untold story here is the lead-up work. Two sets before the try, Moses produced an enormous kick from his 40m line that was followed up by a great chase, as well an aggressive and intense defensive set from the Eels that pinned the Storm in their territory and forced Hughes to rush a 40-20 that went out in the full. This error led to great field position for the Eels and what seemed like fortunate circumstances.

10

74': Eels' fail to seal the game; a blunder invites Storm big-guns in again; 24-24

In the Storm's red zone with 5 to go, Moses was in prime position to take a field goal to take the Eels' lead to 25-18, but instead Brown calls for the ball on the left edge and a loose Lane pass goes out the sideline. In the next set the Storm score.

Strong, direct running from the Storm's middlemen and Olam sets up good field position for Brandon Smith to bust through a RCG-Lane tackle.

It goes from Cheese to Munster to Papenhuyzen who scores.

A worrying sign is the Eels missed 44 tackles in the game (351 tackles) to Storm's 32 (317 tackles). Moses (8), Nathan Brown (5), Reed, Ice, Penisini (4) the highest numbers.

What is pleasing is the never-say-die cover of Dylbags, Moses, and Stone who valiantly scramble but can't stop Storm's big guns from scoring a critical try to level the game and send it into golden point.

Addition mention should be made of Lane's chargedown on Fabio's field goal attempt that probably saved the day for us. Perhaps, it is worthy of being called a 12th critical moment.

Golden point records: Storm (9/16, 56.3%), Eels (5/16, 31.3%) before the result of this game.

 Moses barking orders in the huddle.

11

81': Moses field goal attempt ricochets for Stone-Dog to score the winning try; 28-24

The lead up work was critical. After Waqa dropped a Hughes bomb (again) on the Eels' 15m line (that fortunately went behind) Gutho went for a 20m run to get the Eels on the front foot. This was followed by direct power runs by Opacic, Nathan Brown, RCG, and Junior with expansive work by Reed, Moses - all helping to get the Eels to the Storm 25m line in one set - for Moses to strike gold with his boot. Again. 

After failed attempts by both teams, Moses field goal attempt hits the right upright, ricocheting into the hands of Stone who scores the matchwinner.

Stone was the only Eel chasing Moses' field goal attempt. Bitter sweet redemption, for Stonedog. And most likely the last game he plays in Eels colours. 

Meanwhile, despite some great games from many Eels, and it being a team effort, in particular Gutho and Dylan - Moses' boot led directly to the 20 of the Eels 28 points.