Ando should have made some tough calls

Firstly before I say anything I don't want this to sound disrespectful or to take away from some of the players I'm going to talk about here. I think they've done a great job but...In the end, you win grand finals on the back of moments of class.Robbo has been great all year, but he was out of his depth as a Grand Final number seven today. Our kicking game was absolutely woeful and number seven needs to take responsibility for that. I won't complain if Robson is at the club next year, he's overachieved like I would never have expected but we need to get either Kris keating or Daniel Mortimer into seven to live up to our potential.Feleti Mateo has to always start. He is the only player in our side who you can always rely on to spark the side and I will fair dinkum turn it up if we lose him next year. Shame on those blokes who wanted to blame Mateo for our loss. He should never not have the number 13 on our back next year.And we needed a Justin Poore our there. We've been one quality forward short all year regardless of our wins. You can't play someone like Joe G at prop and expect to win the forward battle.Again, I don't want to criticise, but I just think Daniel Anderson could have made a couple of tough calls towards the end of the year. People say don't change a winning side, but I think that was always going to be a strategy that would leave us just short. I still think its a travesty that Kris Keating did his ankle playing park footy.Anyways, I know some of the blokes I've just chopped are popular with you guys, and I'm probably going to get some stick for this post. Again, I'm not saying those blokes haven't been awesome but ideally I think we would have been better in the decider with a slightly different side out there. Who knows, maybe if we'd have changed the side we wouldn't have got there but I just don't subscribe to the theory that you don't always have your best players playing in their best positions, no matter what.We'll be back in 2010, with the right players in the right positions.

For fuck sake, Robson was best player last week. Didn't notice you guys bagging him then. Most of the poor kicks in the first half were done by Mortimer or Hayne. Fair dinkum, all you experts were very quiet last week. Don't recall too many of these brilliant ideas after we beat the Bulldogs to make the GF. Our kicking game was ordinary, Last week it was terrific, that is footy.We lost because the other team were better on the night. Do you really think the likes of K Keating would have done better? For fuck's sake he is not Andrew Johns.We can all be geniuses in hindsight. Daniel Anderson has done an extraordinary job this year and I for one has backed every call he has made. He certainly knows the game better than you, me and all of us. Let's just celebrate an oustanding achievement by the Parramatta Eels to make the GF and not point the figure as to why we didn't when. After all we beat 14 other teams.
Can't wait for next year!!

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Replies

Ross October 4, 2009 at 10:00pm

I think you right with the player calls, but was too late to change things.. the kicking game was our down fall.. young blokes not thinking well enough under pressure. Next year for sure.
Johno October 4, 2009 at 10:03pm

Dont blame Robbo for our kicking problems, Mr Hayne was the chief lack of exponent today. Most of our guys were completely over-awed by the game in the first half. That is where we lost it.
MsjessN October 4, 2009 at 10:40pm

Not robson.. poor robbo never got the ball.. Hayne was always getting it under pressure.. he was crucial in todays game.. he played a big part leading to the final result!
Parra Mafia October 4, 2009 at 10:51pm

For fuck sake, Robson was best player last week. Didn't notice you guys bagging him then. Most of the poor kicks in the first half were done by Mortimer or Hayne. Fair dinkum, all you experts were very quiet last week. Don't recall too many of these brilliant ideas after we beat the Bulldogs to make the GF. Our kicking game was ordinary, Last week it was terrific, that is footy.We lost because the other team were better on the night. Do you really think the likes of K Keating would have done better? For fuck's sake he is not Andrew Johns.We can all be geniuses in hindsight. Daniel Anderson has done an extraordinary job this year and I for one has backed every call he has made. He certainly knows the game better than you, me and all of us. Let's just celebrate an oustanding achievement by the Parramatta Eels to make the GF and not point the figure as to why we didn't when. After all we beat 14 other teams.
Can't wait for next year!!
hayne_88 October 4, 2009 at 11:05pm

it is true. winning a gf with robson at 7 was always going to be a massive ask. but look how close we came.

with kingston going to panthers it will be interesting to see if k.keating gets the 14 jersey or if he gets the 7, or if he is overlooked completely
Steve-o October 4, 2009 at 11:09pm

Agree with most of your calls, but KK over Robson i dont see, i dont think KK is big enough, and a smart enough number 7 over Robbo.

Feleti must start!!!!
- 1Eyed Eel > Steve-o October 4, 2009 at 11:12pm
  
  I'm not going to knock Robson but I do agree Kris will see our team improve next year.
  
  I think the coach had to stick by his winning players. I think thats part of the culture he is creating to reward players who perform well and to punish players who don't stand up.
blueNgold October 5, 2009 at 12:14am

What exactly are the "tough" calls you are talking about?

Todays line-up was the best we had 1-17. KK as we all know wasn't an option at 7 through injury, besides imo Robson deserved his spot in today, KK's time will be 2010.

Mateo imo was being used well off the bench, he never really got back to %100 match fitness and couldn't have played 80mins anyway. Mateo needs a massive offseason to get himself back into shape, and in 2010 will display to people that he is the premier 13 in the game (oh yeh you can quote me).
Eelheart October 5, 2009 at 10:17am

I will only be critical of Ando for not bringing Mateo earlier into the game.
And to the players, Why wasn't any Eel contesting the ball against Inglis when he scored that try????
Other wise the Eels did well, remember everyone that the Storm had Archer on their side, whom should won the Churchill medal as he won the game for them.
Bourbon Man October 5, 2009 at 11:20am

Dude, do you even remember how shite we were at the beginning of the season?? You know, when Mateo was wearing 6??