Lesser lights the key to Eels: Price

Forget Jarryd Hayne and Nathan Hindmarsh, Parramatta's stunning resurgence is all about the likes of Krisnan Inu and Fuifui Moimoi stepping up and giving the star duo some much-needed help.That's the opinion of Eels legend Ray Price, the Parramatta board member who is the last man to lead the blue and golds to a premiership triumph more than 20 years ago.Price refused to be drawn on whether this year's squad was capable of matching the feats of 1986, but after storming into the top eight on the back of five straight wins, Price said the signs were there that the Eels had finally turned the corner."They weren't playing as a team, they weren't playing for each other and they are now," Price said of the poor start to the season."You can see that out on the field. It's not always the stars that contribute most to that win and that's the best thing that I've seen out of the last five wins that they've had - it hasn't been the Jarryd Haynes and the Nathan Hindmarshes that have been starring all the time."They still do their work, but everyone else in the team is doing their work - that's the sign of a bloody good side."Despite Price's assertion, having a player like Hayne up their sleeve is a massive bonus for the Eels ahead of Friday night's highly anticipated clash with the Wests Tigers, who are unbeaten in their last six starts.The fact Hayne hasn't had to carry his side makes the Eels an even bigger threat, with Hindmarsh admitting that the in-form fullback was generating confidence throughout the group."He's doing everything - he's a freak," Hindmarsh said of Hayne."It's not surprising because he does it all at training. When you see him every day doing that type of stuff at training, he does things pretty easy like that."One player in particular who seems to be benefiting from a lift in confidence is Inu, who has returned from the depths of the NSW Cup to again stamp himself as one of the game's most dynamic outside backs.If the dumping to Wentworthville wasn't enough to jolt him from his early season slumber, Inu said a reality check from head trainer Hayden Knowles definitely hit the spot as he called on the former Kiwi international to show some more aggression on the field."(Knowles) challenged me to go out there and just prove to everyone that I wanted to be out there," said Inu, who at one point was linked with a mid-season move to the Bulldogs."I think that was one of the key things, just to be a bit aggressive ... it was something that I was hiding away - now and then it would come out but then (Knowles) worked on it a bit and now I can just pull it out whenever."

"Brown had 1 try assist in 2021, 8 in 2022. 15 in 2023, 24 in 2024 (Hunt had 30 in 2024 , Drinkwater had 26 ,and Gerome Hughes had 24 equal with Brown,) 2025 Brown has had 5 ."

"Here's a good example of statistics and lies Tad.
I love DB but he is not a play maker but those stats reflect the fact with Moses out best part of the season, we had no one else to be a play maker. Joint third in try assists is meaningless when you…"

""Come on what has he done for us to think Newcastle has to pay $13 Million to get him off us" I knew you weren't a fan when you wouldn't come off the 35k and increase it to 50
Thats too logical for me Arnie, I just wish I had thought of that! What…"

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seCtion eiGht August 17, 2009 at 7:15pm

I agree with Ray, it is the fact that the team is not totally reliant on Hayne and Hindmarsh, that every player is doing what is required and more, that is why we are playing so well.

Just look at the leap that Inu did to score against the nights, the defence of Grothe to stop that massive freak from the once where warriors, the only time he scored he had to knee Grothe in the back, look at the efforts of Burt and Reddy, Lowrie and Smith, and we can't forget FuiFui "Wrecking BallBall" MoiMoi and Captian Cranky.

We are playing as a team and then giving it to Hayne when he wants it, that is why were are winning.

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