Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur has praised his team for staying in their qualifying finals loss to the Storm and fighting.
Here’s what he said following the game.
On brave performance
“Yeah look it was tough, showed plenty of character, it was brave, but just dumb in some key moments, big moments at critical times in the game and you can’t do that against the Melbourne Storm. They iced their moments and their opportunities, but we need to learn from it. The pleasing thing is we didn’t go away, we kept fighting. We had some blokes out of position and that probably hurt us a bit, but credit to those guys who tried their best to do their job and the best they could,” Arthur said.
First half
“We started well and things worked out for us alright. We got to 12 nil and we didn’t have a lot of ball down in good field position and we got a set start down there and turned it over and probably lacked a bit of patience. They’re the moments we have to get right. We finally build a bit of pressure and turned it over too cheaply,” Arthur said.
Sivo and Ferguson’s injuries
“I think Maika is done for the year. Fergo will have to have scans tomorrow. He’s maybe a chance. It’s (Maika’s injury) a massive blow for the team but we have other blokes who have to stand up. It’s sad for Maika. He has worked hard and it was also his birthday today but it is what it is; that’s footy,” Arthur said.
Do the Eels have what it takes?
“I thought we showed it tonight. Yeah definitely. When they got to 18 points out and we kept fighting. I definitely think we are (in the running) we just have to get those moments right and be smarter,” Arthur said.
Replies
Yea I'm sure I've heard this all before.
Braveness doesn't win matches Brad...
I watched the presser and the eyes never lie.
When he was asked if we can do it he hesitated for a sec and said yes. His eyes said no..
What he says seems true enough, but i want winners as well. Is that too much for an Eels fan.
We will never make a GF let alone win one with BA as coach. Just pay him out and bring in someone who has a functional brain.
Eels need a major cleanout. If its the same team next year it will be bottom 4 at best.
We have a top 4 roster with an extremely unqualified coaching staff.
100% Arthur cant take us to the next level. He is has to do one of two things for us to improve.
1. Get quality assistants in place . GREEN, FLANAGAN, available - TOOVEY- HANNAY - surround yourself with skill set.
2. Re structure the roster to get a forward leader and a REP quality centre and winger.
He wont do either becuase he is too close to MURPHY and KIDWELL and has resigned the bulk of the squad so we are pretty well locked in with what we have minus a cheapie or bargain buy.
Tough taking this year after year.
Well maybe the board should grow some balls and force him to change assistant coaches.
No he won't do either because he is worried that he may be shown up. And he won't get any better players because we struggle to attract the right type.
The players may love him, he may be a good man manager but he isn't a good enough coach to get us to the next level. Problem is we will persist with the guy for a few more years yet and by then the premiership window will close. In my opinion we have a fair few years left of a drought - at least until the status quo remains in the coaching ranks.
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