No doubt Parramatta fans have a right to be dissappointed with their team’s performance against the Panther’s last week, but equally there’s no need for any wrist-slashing just yet.
The first thing to take into account, is that it was a wet night. While, it’s often considered that the wet favours those teams with simpler, structured game-plans, if your game is centred around a high completion rate, and it becomes more difficult to achieve that task, then it’s going to have an impact on your game. I think that rattled the team’s confidence a little. They didn’t really attack the ball with the same intensity that they did last week and that led to them struggling to match up to the Panther’s forwards. Without question the Panthers handled the conditions better than Parramatta did.
Penrith also out-enthused the Eels and that should be Kearney’s biggest talking-point this week. It wasn’t that there was a lack of effort, but they didn’t lift to the level that Penrith did. That’s especially disappointing at home, and if there is to be a single take-out from the game, it’s that the level of effort and commitment that Parramatta produced last weekend, isn’t enough.
However, I think it’s worth noting that Penrith were able to get off their line incredibly quickly. I presume from the level of boo-ing that emanated from those fans in a higher position that I was, that the Panthers got away with a lot of latitude in that regard on the weekend. They were in Parramatta’s face all match, both in the forwards as well as getting up quickly on our outside backs. I find it difficult to believe in those conditions, that they weren’t consistently offside, ironic given that the Eels were penalised on the first set for that same infringement. It’s something I would have liked to have seen Parramatta awake to, and to have responded to in kind. At the very least, it might have forced the referee to blow a few more penalties.
In wet conditons, small errors can have big consequences. I’ve watched 1Eyed Eel supporters, predictably pointing the finger at the same old targets, but it’s worth nothing that Penrith’s first try came as a result of a Justin Horo handling error that gave the Panther’s a premium attacking option. Their second try came off the back of a silly Casey McGuire penalty and of course the third came from a wayward Jarryd Hayne pass to nobody. No individuals were particularly bad on the weekend, it was just that the entire side was down a notch or two on their previous week’s performance.
That of course can be easily turned around, as the Panthers themselves proved. However, the Eels are going to go nowhere if they keep letting their gameplan get away from them. It was a constant source of frustration for Daniel Anderson and on the weekend Stephen Kearney would have been feeling the same pain.
Jeff Robson has to take a lot of responsibility for that. He went missing-in-action in the first half. He tallied only 15 gets in the first half - less than both Daniel Mortimer and Jarryd Hayne (17 each). In comparison, Luke Walsh chalked up 39 gets in his dominant first-half effort. Robson is the senior playmaker in the Parramatta team and if he doesn’t make his mark on the game and lead the way, the Eels will always struggle to stick to a plan.
Indeed, last week’s structure - particularly in the first half - got back to the awkwardness of 2010 with Daniel Mortimer more often than not getting the ball at first receiver and then simply shuffling the ball out wide to Jarryd Hayne to try and create something. 2010 showed that isn’t going to work, and it’s not going to be any different in 2011.
Defensively, the Eels struggled to cope with Michael Jennings and David Simmons had a very strong game on his outside. It was an ideal gameplan because it didn’t require a lot of ball movement, and simply relied on Jennings to use his blinding pace to get on the outside of Ryan Morgan and draw Hicks. Right now, that’s clearly the area where our defence is weakest and the Eels need to make it tougher for opposition attacks to get on their outside. Their sliding defence was acceptable though and Morgan has shown himself to miss few tackles and he works hard in cover.
I don’t think I’ll go into any wet weather match with confidence this year. With our relatively limited attacking artillery, and lack of sheer pace, we’re going to find scoring points in slippery conditions difficult. However, equally, I think there is no reason to think that given a dry park we won’t return to the type of performance displayed against the Warriors. It is worth noting that the Warriors were beaten again on the weekend, so maybe that win was flattered by their poor form.
The first thing to take into account, is that it was a wet night. While, it’s often considered that the wet favours those teams with simpler, structured game-plans, if your game is centred around a high completion rate, and it becomes more difficult to achieve that task, then it’s going to have an impact on your game. I think that rattled the team’s confidence a little. They didn’t really attack the ball with the same intensity that they did last week and that led to them struggling to match up to the Panther’s forwards. Without question the Panthers handled the conditions better than Parramatta did.
Penrith also out-enthused the Eels and that should be Kearney’s biggest talking-point this week. It wasn’t that there was a lack of effort, but they didn’t lift to the level that Penrith did. That’s especially disappointing at home, and if there is to be a single take-out from the game, it’s that the level of effort and commitment that Parramatta produced last weekend, isn’t enough.
However, I think it’s worth noting that Penrith were able to get off their line incredibly quickly. I presume from the level of boo-ing that emanated from those fans in a higher position that I was, that the Panthers got away with a lot of latitude in that regard on the weekend. They were in Parramatta’s face all match, both in the forwards as well as getting up quickly on our outside backs. I find it difficult to believe in those conditions, that they weren’t consistently offside, ironic given that the Eels were penalised on the first set for that same infringement. It’s something I would have liked to have seen Parramatta awake to, and to have responded to in kind. At the very least, it might have forced the referee to blow a few more penalties.
In wet conditons, small errors can have big consequences. I’ve watched 1Eyed Eel supporters, predictably pointing the finger at the same old targets, but it’s worth nothing that Penrith’s first try came as a result of a Justin Horo handling error that gave the Panther’s a premium attacking option. Their second try came off the back of a silly Casey McGuire penalty and of course the third came from a wayward Jarryd Hayne pass to nobody. No individuals were particularly bad on the weekend, it was just that the entire side was down a notch or two on their previous week’s performance.
That of course can be easily turned around, as the Panthers themselves proved. However, the Eels are going to go nowhere if they keep letting their gameplan get away from them. It was a constant source of frustration for Daniel Anderson and on the weekend Stephen Kearney would have been feeling the same pain.
Jeff Robson has to take a lot of responsibility for that. He went missing-in-action in the first half. He tallied only 15 gets in the first half - less than both Daniel Mortimer and Jarryd Hayne (17 each). In comparison, Luke Walsh chalked up 39 gets in his dominant first-half effort. Robson is the senior playmaker in the Parramatta team and if he doesn’t make his mark on the game and lead the way, the Eels will always struggle to stick to a plan.
Indeed, last week’s structure - particularly in the first half - got back to the awkwardness of 2010 with Daniel Mortimer more often than not getting the ball at first receiver and then simply shuffling the ball out wide to Jarryd Hayne to try and create something. 2010 showed that isn’t going to work, and it’s not going to be any different in 2011.
Defensively, the Eels struggled to cope with Michael Jennings and David Simmons had a very strong game on his outside. It was an ideal gameplan because it didn’t require a lot of ball movement, and simply relied on Jennings to use his blinding pace to get on the outside of Ryan Morgan and draw Hicks. Right now, that’s clearly the area where our defence is weakest and the Eels need to make it tougher for opposition attacks to get on their outside. Their sliding defence was acceptable though and Morgan has shown himself to miss few tackles and he works hard in cover.
I don’t think I’ll go into any wet weather match with confidence this year. With our relatively limited attacking artillery, and lack of sheer pace, we’re going to find scoring points in slippery conditions difficult. However, equally, I think there is no reason to think that given a dry park we won’t return to the type of performance displayed against the Warriors. It is worth noting that the Warriors were beaten again on the weekend, so maybe that win was flattered by their poor form.
Still, it's silly for any Parramatta supporter to panic after one loss in the wet.
Finally, my understanding is that McGuire’s move to the bench last week, was as a result of him being under an injury cloud leading into the game and he’ll return to the nine jersey this week. I also expect Joel Reddy to return to the team, and it also won’t surprise if Ben Smith is back in the starting side. His leadership in the forwards has probably been missing a little and Horo and Lasalo play such similar games that they might be better off alternated.
Finally, my understanding is that McGuire’s move to the bench last week, was as a result of him being under an injury cloud leading into the game and he’ll return to the nine jersey this week. I also expect Joel Reddy to return to the team, and it also won’t surprise if Ben Smith is back in the starting side. His leadership in the forwards has probably been missing a little and Horo and Lasalo play such similar games that they might be better off alternated.
Replies
Good read.
I also hope to see Reddy back this week, we need his defence out wide to hold G.Inglis. Inglis will return to some better form this week after copping a hammering from Idris and the media, and im sure John Lang got stuck into him just quietly.
Dont want Ben Smith in start team, need strength and size at the moment. I do hope Keating gets axed for Mitchell.
Would like to see Walker to the wing for Hicks, Reddy in for Whatuira.
Robson must stand up this week, his kicking and passing game was sub-standard, he threw some absolute shocker passes that coughed the ball up.
Hayne needs to run more, forget these stupid passes, needs to back himself.
I gave Matt Keating a bagging but i understand your point of view.
However it is crucial that we hop on the front foot if put on the back foot and our distirbution of ball between our 6,7 & 9 was attrocious.
Given the conditions were poor i would look at the options you highlighted, move Keating back to the bench and give McGuire the start.
I would progress with Allgood starting and bring Smith in and then send in Lasalo and Moi Moi after 20 minutes.
Reddy and Walker would be the obvious choices to replaces Fats and Hicks however i doubt Kearney may make changes on both fronts, maybe Reddy for Fats.
What was really disappointing for me was our boys went on both footy shows on thursday night and said, the coach has told us to tuck the ball under our arms and run straight. The Panthers probably thought well if thats what they're going to do, then we'll simply rush them in defence, as its a safe bet they have nothing else in offense. And Suprise Suprise, that's what they did, and thanks to the 5m defensive line set by the idiot refs our forwards got smashed.
One thing that really pissed me off was Lasalo was nowhere to be seen in the first half, not sure if he had any runs, nothing good anyway, he did jack. Only in the second half did he have a bit of a go.
Also Robson needs to hit the gym hard and work on some MMA explosive speed training, because right now he is a couple of seconds too slow (couple of seconds is alot in a professional sport). If he doesn't improve in offence then he needs to go, I'm sick of hearing people saying he has great defence, HE IS A HALFBACK!!! Why dont we move Ben Smith or Hindmarsh to halfback they have even better defence.
For evidence as to what a wet football filed can do to turn games on their heads you need look no further than last nights game. I never tend to invest too much in the result of a wet game - win or lose.
The Panthers weren't particularly good either on the night outside of a fired up display in the first 20 from the forwards and a slick performance from Jennings, actually it ranks as one of the worst games of footy I have watched live - a very stop start affair.
I am reserving my judgment on Kearney's team.