Here is lengthy Round 1 Health check, to be read over the next week or so, written in complete sobriety, with a few thoughts on the good, the bad & the ugly which might be a vignette into the near future.
THE GOOD: First Class Attitude
The tremendous pre-season attitude was evident in this match. We played with energy & passion. We were fit, ran hard & defended with gutso. Scott, Mannah, Mau, Edwards, Junior Paulo all impressed with hard running efforts.
#proud
Overall the Eel’s attitude in defence was good too (right flank excluded) & had ample aggressiveness & intensity for most of the match. The "scrambling" defence, evidence of a great never say die attitude was good as Arthur conservatively added in the post match conference.
Importantly, the attitude & effort was still at the end.
Anyone recall 2015 marked by withering away in the second half. Has anyone forgotten the second half of the Cowboys match where Eels lead by about 24 points ?
Even Gus Gould noticed. Commenting in the 70 minute or so, that the Eels were "not emotionally broken" at any time. This might appear flippant, but it’s deeply poignant. Traditionally, the Eels attitude has been marked by a soft underbelly, when it counted. Psychologically & defensively breaking down when the blowtorch was applied, even during the recent golden globetrotting years of 2001, 2005 & 2009.
Complementing this good round 1 attitude, Gordon provided stability & courage at the back previously missing in the post Hayne world, epitomising that never say die attitude.
Also, bench impact player, Pritchard added tremendous bullet like kamikazee style pow-wow to dummy half & ruck areas. He won't stay largely unknown & underrated for long. If he remains healthy. Greatly complementing the unfairly much-maligned Peats, with his 60 tackle a game, mini-Hindmarsh-like efforts who (pardon the pun) puts his neck on the line.
THE BAD: More than “loose”. Stuttering attack.
Arthur described our attack as “loose” and ‘all over the place’. That’s an understatement. Without composure , cohesion & structure you get Thursday night.
In part , it’s probably due to so many new faces in the backline, lacking enough time & confidence under live match conditions, to build chemisty & crispness, coupled with the pressure playing catch up against a well-oiled Broncos QLD origin machine.
The loss of Norman’s confidence, aura & control in the second half nailed the coffin tight as we were already struggling for execution & cohesion. Kelly tried hard along with the team, but the stuttering attack left Brisbane with modest concerns as to the final outcome.
Poor execution, pushed passes, missed opportunities, impatience, reliance on individuals breaking the line through hard running was the primary source of hope, with big guns Semi & Jennings starved of ample opportunities against the well oiled Broncos juggernaut.
Last tackle options & the kicking game bordered on the ugly, especially in the second half, were they were largely non-existent. There were a few bright moments in the first half when Norman put up a few high taking advantage of the wind & added pressure on the Broncos.
The call for Norman & Foran rings loud.
#urgentcallforNorman
THE UGLY. Right flank. Long term Achilles Heel ?
All 3 tries, were the result of the Broncos masterful & brutal exposure of the Eels right flank. Unfancied Oates , an unlikely giraffe-like legged powerhouse speedster (equal fastest with Roberts at the Broncos over 100m) starred , terrorising the right flank, with allies such as Gillet & Milford.
There’s some real issues on this flank both defensively & offensively, that could become a long term Achilles heel.
One, was the poor decision-making. Consistent misreads with inexperienced Gutherson coming in exposing the flank, poor communication with the new combinations, perhaps also due to nerves. The other screaming issue, aiding & abetting the Broncos cause was the lack of genuine speed on the right flank.
It’s not only that current right flank of Taka, Gutherson, Kelly & Scott won’t have the propellers , of a Semi or Jennings or French, to take full advantage of broken play, line breaks or even provide killer support. They also don’t have the jets to assist scrambling defence & cover defence when the front line is compromised & the pressure is on leads to points.
A typical example saw Milford scoring off a kick, outpacing the cover chasers & Kelly on the right edges. Gordon isn’t a genuine speedster either at the last line of defence. Symptomatic of this lack of speed, saw Semi, late in the second half, using his pace, roaming across field from the left, deep in cover preparing for the worst as the Broncos were marching downfield following another right side breach.
Notwithstanding that, Taka still presents a threat, because of his size & ability to set up his outside men. Naturally, Gutherson scored accepting a typical Taka gift, traditionally presented for Semi, his ex-partner in crime.
The conceited arm chair coach in me, would love to see more speed out the right flank, either by relocating our speed guys or putting French in - somewhere. The realist in me concedes it won’t happen any time soon for plenty of reasons already covered in previous blogs.
A Unicorn’s synopsis. I genuinely believe we have the classiest team since 2001. We have some kinks to iron out, but one can see the light at the end tunnel, built on attitude.
Replies
As an aside, did anyone else feel Arthur looked a little more flabbergasted than usual in the conference ?
Maybe it’s the suspicious in me, creating imaginery landscapes, but it seemed he was avoiding his past repetitive Mantra ‘the effort was there’ & trying not to be overly positive. Perhaps his pre season statements ‘there was no excuses for losing, this year’ has something to do with it ? Not sure whether that will help the Eels cause or not.
I was really unimpressed with Brad in the Presser for the first time, he was dribbling with Tim, and as usual Tim sat there smiling about the loss, ive never seen a player that sounds less hurt or concerned after a loss than Tim, he looks totally unfazed every time, Tim actually talks about a loss smiling, he makes me sick, ive never seen Tim looking angry after a loss once, never.
Just have a look on Scotts face after the game, listen to the way he talks, you can see in his eyes how much his pride is hurt and how much his hurting and filthy, one of the reasons he's a winner.
Then have a look at tim talk after a game, you basically cant wipe the smile off his face, does it look like he's really hurting or his prides wounded? Not to me is doesnt, Tims a complete embarrassment in the pressers, its car crash material.
Great points Snake. Tim was almost speechless at first struggling to put on that goody two shoes facade he normally ouzes more coherently than our attack.
Along with the Scotts, Mau's & even Arthurs obvious anger - all great great auspicious signs.
Isn't that what psychologists would put under the umbrella of "taking ownership" full & complete personal emotional & psychological responsibility ?
No more excuses.
Really good signs of better between the ears attitude.
You've definitely got some points re the leadership issues, that sit in the bad to ugly sin bin. Tim's likeable but not inspiring. Sure, oratory wise he's more Mr Bean than Winston Churchill.
Still, I'm hoping this year we see a more assertive aggressive Mannah in his Club Captain role. Which is his.
Sure, 100% agree, Scott has more authority to his presence & body language. If it was up to me, Scott would be doing the presser with Arthur - but he's not.
Tim's leader of men issues aside - Mannah's an important cog up front along side Junior & I thought he had a reasonable game
Nice one you dirty HOE ;), good write up mate.
Whilst our energy and passion was ok i still thought we have a few levels in that department to go, see how Manu runs the ball and the look on his face before and during the game, thats energy and passion imo, the way Scott was tackling and the look on his face during and after the game, thats energy and passion, theres a few blokes out there that need to go up a few gears mentally and physically imo.
I think the loss of foran took the lads confidence down a few pegs, they looked a bit worried running out and pretty tense, so much of this game is between the ears, when the boys run out confident it filters through their play, things become less disjointed and more fluid.
Scott is really a great addition. Really is.
Forans hamstrings can go into the ugly category.
I know you don't rate Norman but I believe we need both of them out there imo.
I am concerned still with the right but maybe I'm being unrealistic and not giving it enough time.
I must admit that I'd love to see French on that wing. He's a good defender even for his size and a Taka offload or grubber would have them guessing. You just can't beat speed.
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