Many on this site and in the wider rugby league community predicted what would happen on Saturday night.
The Rabbitohs exposed Parramatta's right edge defence to the tune of six tries.
Brad Arthur's solution of switching Waqa Blake and Tom Opacic was akin to shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Waqa Blake actually turned in a defensive performance of 22 tackles and only one missed.
The defensive frailties are in built on that edge. There is no subtlety, no communication and a boneheaded stubborness from Blake Ferguson to rush in Every. Single. Time.
Ferguson's efforts in defence make Eric Grothe Junior look like a defensive master.
As Peter Sterling highlighted on the Sunday Footy Show, the Eels lack defensive cohesion and there doesn't seem to be a system in place that utilises the sideline like almost every other NRL team.
While Dylan Brown has effectively been the glue holding that side together, your entire defensive structure cannot be reliant on one player.
Trent Robinson and Craig Bellamy have defensive systems so simple yet effective they can take any player, from anywhere and plug them in, and they'll get the job done 90 per cent of the time.
Just think of George Jennings for a second. He was a second string winger for us, prone to rushing in and missing his assignment. While that habit did exist in the early rounds at Melbourne, suggesting it wasn't entirely Parramatta's structure to blame, he's shifted into the Storm system and has secured his edge alongside Reimis Smith.
Watching last night was beyond frustrating. Everyone from the fans, the commentators, coaches, players and those at home could all see Souths' attacking shape aimed at our right edge. Parramatta did nothing to counteract it.
But it wasn't just the defence. The side relies too much on its one-out running from Junior Paulo, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Nathan Brown. We rarely attack from our own end despite possessing a very skillful team.
We send our big guys up to get belted continuously and it's a credit to them they turn up each week with the attitude to keep doing that.
However, the team needs more. This will burn our middle forwards out, particularly if they are on Origin duty.
There is a fine balance between metre-eating and going sideways. Melbourne do it, Penrith do it. It's one of the best ways to establish your attacking game. Two passes off the ruck, attacking the backrower and half, then swing it to the other side.
We don't do that.
We just hand the ball to Junior and tell him to run straight. And because he's one of the biggest forwards the game has seen, he can do that. But it's a waste of his talent and impact.
It's safety first football but that doesn't win you games these days.
Where does the side go from here?
Well, they're still in a strong position in third. But just coming third isn't good enough.
The club has set the benchmark of a preliminary final at the minimum. Right now, that preliminary final is way off.
The side will likely make the finals. The sides at the bottom of the eight keep beating each other and with Parramatta's current points tally, they'd likely only need to win four of their remaining 12 games to qualify.
But simply making the finals is not the point here. A premiership is the end goal.
35 years. 35 fucking years and already it's looking like it'll be 36.
I have backed BA continuously because what he has done over his tenure has been great for the club. To deal with the dumpster fire he walked into, 2016 salary cap scandal and to get the side to back-to-back finals for the first time in more than a decade has put the club in the strongest position it has been in a long time.
It no longer pays overs, it retains players it wants, the junior system is beginning to pay off, the club has developed Origin players. All of those things are great.
But the premiership window is open. This group is not going to be at a top four level for forever and the club needs to take advantage of that.
Some coaches, this as far as they can take a side. They can put a team together, they can get them to top four and consistent finals but no further.
Unfortunately, that's where I see Brad Arthur right now. He's a good coach. He has a win percentage at 52% which, for eight seasons in the NRL is nothing to sneeze at.
Ricky Stuart and Neil Henry both have worse win percentages. He has the same win percentage as Ivan Cleary.
But he and the team have to show something over the next few games to indicate they've learnt from their mistakes.
There is time to turn it around. There are 12 games left. But from round 20 on, that will be the test of whether they will be premiership contenders or just finals fodder again.
The club should not tolerate another straight sets exit. That would be a dereliction of duty on the part of the board and administration who have been doing a pretty good job since being appointed.
I'm not in favour of booting a coach mid-season. It hardly ever benefits the team and can bring the season crashing down.
But a well-managed exit at the end of the year? I can see that happening.
I have no doubt Brad loves this club. His family stretches all the way back to Parramatta's first ever game in the NSWRL. But this is professional sport and there is no room for sentimentality.
What I have seen over the past two weeks has been utterly disgraceful.
Peter Sterling's comments are as close to him blowing up as you're going to hear.
Next week the side faces Newcastle on old boys day. They're celebrating their 2001 grand final win. That should be all the motivation this side needs regardless of who is on Origin duty.
Anyone watching Newcastle attack today would know they couldn't punch their way out of a wet paper bag. If they need a week against a poor attacking side to organise their defence, this is it.
But lose and the pressure will mount significantly.
Replies
Top 4 or bust is the regular season benchmark.
Pressures on if we don't get there we've been there last 2 years.
Finals well that's obvious he's been given and extension to do a job if he does not then like in all pro sport your times up it's up.
Nice summary Super, especially in terms of our so called game plan and the longer term, impact on the players and predictability. B.A needs to pull his head out of the sand, as does Kidwell. Adapt, change, modify and improve. This is not happening at present. It does not take teams with clever coaches and analysts long, to work things out. We sadly are coached to be what I would describe as a BASIC and PREDICTABLE team in attack. I feel for our forwards. Go out there and bust your bodies with one out hit ups. Get smashed and keep doing it. Magnificent forward thinking. Yet, they are still doing it. Don't even start me on the defence. It all relates and has a flow on effect in terms of attack and defense. Yep, we have had a challenging time with injuries and suspensions, but gees. How does any fool think that BASIC, will beat teams like the Panthers, Storm, Roosters ?
At the start of the season we had the offloads going. Then teams wised up to it and locked up the ball. We haven't changed. Now if you can't offload, then you have to be passing before the line. You don't have to do it every time. If, on every second hit up there's a tip on, you probably win that ruck, or at the very least prevent a gang tackle and then you get the defence in two minds.
Yep. We have become so predictable in attack that is is beyond crazy. Not making it hard for the opposition to read in any way, shape or form. In fact, I think the coaching is making our attack monotonous, repetitive and damaging to our players. We very clearly have some highly skilled players and their skills are effectively being nullified by this brain dead approach. That is just our attack.
That was a fantastic insight into you "ratshit" only a complete and utter moron could go back to 2015 and Chris Sandow (who I liked and supported) and suggest he is now laughing at BA ....you really are a total and utterly fucked in the head deadshit!
It basicly says it doesn't matter how old you are, you are mentally a child, if any of my kids or grandkids behaved with that type of stupidity, I would disown them..... apparently you can't kick them in the arse these days...... for you "ratshit" there maybe an exception.
The thing that shines out in that little bit of drivel is that you liked Chris Sandow. Pretty sure he never played a finals game in the NRL. Pretty good record for a half back.
Rappe. The issue that caused the break with Sandow was him telling the coach that he/Sandow believed he should lead the team and make the calls, he was also quoted as telling the coach that he knew the game more than him.
He pretty well in a sense wanted to be the CC, but he was not consistent enough as a player to be anything more than what he was. Had potential and on his day could change the game on a 1cent coin, but like a couple of other ego trippers liked to wander in a game and not attempt to do anything. A really wonderful example of a player who over stepped his mark in his desire to ladder climb and knock the rungs out as he went up, only way to stay up one would guess.
Have we got the same problem with Mitch, says he wants to lead this team but doesn't step up and lead, 1 good game in every 3 games is not good enough.
Well said Colin.
One more thing. He never played another NRL game after leaving the Eels.
He is however according to the media making his talents available to any Nrl club looking for a halfback.
Yep, it's so predictable.
Run hard, tackle hard isn't a strategy. It's implied.
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