Guth has to keep it simple

With no Corey Norman, Clint Gutherson must step up for Parramatta against the TitansMarch 16, 2017 4:47pmMATTHEW JOHNSThe Daily TelegraphSubscriber onlyCOREY Norman leaves a huge hole in Parramatta’s line-up on Friday night.He and Clint Gutherson have been on fire. They have formed the most unorthodox halves combination in the competition and it’s been working brilliantly.Unorthodox ... that pretty much sums these two blokes up. They are unorthodox personalities.A few weeks ago I interviewed them at Fox Sports and I was taken aback by how relaxed, easygoing and good fun they were.Norman is such a charismatic character. Yes, I know he’s had his share of controversies (who hasn’t), but he doesn’t allow it to subdue his personality.It’s understandable that when young players have had a couple of brushes with controversy, they start to carry themselves with rising amounts of suspicion when dealing with the media or the public.Norman could easily fall into this category, but doesn’t. The bloke’s fun. When you laugh, he laughs louder. You crack a joke, he cracks a better one. He’s genuine.His personality allows him to handle the pressure of being the primary playmaker, where for others the No.7 jersey’s responsibilities eats them up.Gutherson on the other hand grew up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, a Manly Junior who got squeezed out and is carving out a career at the Sea Eagles’ bitter rivals.It’s as if every person on the peninsula knows “Gutho”. The bloke at the pizza shop in Collaroy, all the fellas who try their best to drink responsibly at the Collaroy Beach Ex-Services, the lady at the Brookvale TAB or the volunteers who operate the barbecue at the Cromer Kingfisher’s Junior Footy Club. Everyone loves Gutho.When I finally met Clint at Fox Sports, I shook his hand and said, “I’ve never heard a person say a cross word about you … you’re a champion!”He replied, “That’s pretty cool!”Yes, it is Gutho!This unorthodox pairing are giving Parramatta an attacking edge no one thought they had. The game is changing rapidly. Attack dominates.Unorthodox attack that is, unstructured passages of play which force the most disciplined of defenders to lose their nerve and make poor decisions.Every team needs structure, but it’s a team’s ability to break away from it which brings defensive errors.The slow, laborious block to block to block attacking sequences are so ineffective and predictable that it’s impossible to work out why sides are bothering to persist with it.In Norman the Eels have a halfback who is able to play in and outside of structure. He’s as dangerous running the football as he is using his vision and sleight of hand. Coach Brad Arthur allows him the freedom to play what he sees.Gutherson is primarily a runner. The thing I like about Clint’s game is that he doesn’t venture too far away from this strength … if in doubt, use your God-given athletic ability and challenge the defence.On Friday night Gutherson needs to resist the temptation of over playing his hand without Norman alongside him.Expect Bevan French to carry a lot of the creative load left by the absent No.7. French was amazing against the Dragons. The try he scored from the attacking scrum in the second half sums up his talent and football intelligence, using a clever, bodies-in-motion set piece to dance through the defence.This game was highlighted as a marquee match for the NRL with the Eels coming up against Jarryd Hayne for the first time. Unfortunately Hayne won’t be there, but his Titans certainly will.With no Norman the Titans come right into contention, even with all their injury problems.The Titans aren’t about any one individual, their strength lies in teamwork and discipline. They will return to those principles here. They’ll hustle, bustle, complete high and work their backsides off for one another.If the Eels aren’t fully switched on they’ll lose. But it’s hard to see them not being focused. In 2016 they had nothing to play for, yet kept putting in.In 2017 they have everything to play for.Parramatta by 6.

Replies

Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown March 16, 2017 at 8:05pm

GO WOODY GUTHRIE!!!
Mitchy March 16, 2017 at 8:27pm

I find it hard to take Johns serious.
- The Offside Eel > Mitchy March 17, 2017 at 6:48am
  
  Im don't like him but don't hate him. When he talks footy hes fine he just acts like hes the authority on the game
- ParraTime > Mitchy March 17, 2017 at 8:42am
  
  Not as stupid as The Footy Show, or NRL 360. His show is actually pretty funny.
Parrakeet March 16, 2017 at 8:39pm

I say razzle dazzle Guth.
Mitchy March 16, 2017 at 9:21pm

Fair point precious, but the word When is imperative. I get sick and tired of his rubbish on tv. To me he has little credibility and when I hear him talking politics.....well......
kev March 16, 2017 at 10:12pm

Don't worry Robson to the rescue bwahahaha not.