However, Johnnubond is right to a certain extent when he cautions that it’s only a trial. No-one is disputing that there is a big difference between the pressure cooker of the NRL and a pre-season hitout - especially when you’ve shown up to play, and come out with a lot higher intensity than your opposition.
Hold on. Back up the horses. Did I get that right. Let’s check that last paragraph again... “especially when you’ve shown up to play, and come out at a lot higher intensity than your opposition”. Yep, that’s what I said.
I’m checking the memory banks for the last time I reported that. My memory, unfortunately, isn’t that good. Maybe there was a game last year where we came out full of fire and brimstone and blew the opposition apart in the first 20 minutes. However, certainly those occasions were few and far between.
We’ve had a lot of rhetoric this year about a new attitude. A new committed, never-say-die approach to the game that our new mentors Stephen Kearney and Brad Arthurs have supposedly brought to the club. You know as well as I know, we’ve heard it all the before.
Speaking to people connected to the club, I’ve been pretty giddy this off-season about the possibility of a real cultural change taking place. It’s the thing, I’ve banged on and on about for years on this website. It *SOUNDS* like it’s take place. But I’ve tempered my optimism, because until you see someone walk the talk, talk is all it is.
However, that trial - if nothing else - was a clear example of the Eels walking the talk. They came out with a better attitude than the Tigers and they out-punched them early with enthusiasm and desire. Yes, it was just a trial but that’s half the point. They came out and showed they mean business IN A TRIAL. You cannot say that you’re going to turn up week in, week out and not start the pre-season that same way.
Parramatta fans can smell something. It may not be a premiership this year, but over the long run it is something that I'd argue is even more important. We can smell change. We can smell desire. And damn it smells fine.
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the only time we blew a team of the park in the first 20mins was "the hayne show" agains thte bulldogs. also i thought the eels v storm clash was a great example of the side turned on as it beat storm. would like to see that this year consistently
Nice aroma - just like an excellent coffee.
Yep - it would appear there is change in the air.
like all good constructions we look for the solid foundations being laid.
If Iv'e said it once I've said it 1000 times, i'd much rather be winning trials than losing them. Why not have momentum running before the season even begins? It seems like logic to me.
I understand that a trial in itself doesn't mean anything but I do believe that they are integral part of getting the season off and running, obviously not in all cases do the results of early season trials prove to be consistent with a teams performance through the season however in more cases that not you would find it to be the case.
Last season I travelled to Gosford to watch us take on the Chooks in the trial. I went into the trial not overly caring of the result yet was more or less expecting a win from us considering we were coming off a GF appearance and the Chooks off a wooden spoon. After watching us get towled up, I kept thinking to myself 'don't worry it was only a trial' 'it doesn't mean anything' but deep down I was honeslty shaken by the result and thought about it for several days. I actually went home that night and put a considerable wager on the Chooks to make the 8 who were still second favourites for the spoon at that stage. We were sluggish and the Chooks looked very focused, and that form carried on right through the year.
Wins bring confidence,even if it is a trial and after their attacking display, that will bring a load of confidence.I think we will see a very different side this year thanks to Kearney and Arthurs.I think we will see that "never say die" attitude that we havnt seen in the eels for a long time.Not saying we will win it , and i'm sure there will be some low times throughout the year , but damn there'e gonna be a lot of high fiveing and celebrating as well.Hurry up round 1.
Well written buddy.. I have never looked forward to season more so than this one. I really feel that there is a big change in the culture at the club and cant wait for the season to progress to see how much. I looove the Eels with a passion and really hope we adopt that never give up attitude! Lets Go Parra Lets Go On another note, anyone know what seats we are restricted to with our membership passes at this weeks trial against penrith???
He made that notion perfectly clear when it was made official that he was the coach.
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