The only thing worse than Newcastle's performance today, was Parramatta's as the Knights ran out 14 to six in what will surely be one of the worst NRL matches of the year.
It was a clash that seemed to be played in slow-motion for most of the affair. Newcastle scored early when Junior Sau managed to get his hands free in a three man tackle and pass out to an unmarked Akuila Uate for an early six to nil trial. The Knights extended that lead with a penalty not long after, but even at that stage of the game Parramatta's attack was looking so inept, that the eight point margin was looking a lot bigger than it actually was. We had plenty of opportunities, due to Newcastle continually turning the ball over but the spark that was present last week must have somehow fallen off the team bus somewhere along the F2.
Tim Mannah had made two errors playing the ball earlier in the match, but he bullocked his way over the line on the 35 minute mark to put the Eels just two points behind, after Sandow's conversion going into half-time.
Parramatta only really needed to conjure one moment of brilliance in the second half but all of their star performers were flat today. Chris Sandow looked disinterested and Jarrdy Hayne appeared to be running on one leg - only Ben Roberts appeared likely and the most he could muster was a line break.
In the end, Cheyse Blair over-read a Newcastle backline movement, and Uate went in again to stretch the Newcastle lead back out to the eight point margin.
To be honest, Parramatta never looked likely and it was hard to imagine what the decision-making process was, when they turned down a simple two-points that at least would have had them within six points. You could perhaps imagine them fluking one try, but two was always going to be a moutain too high, when nobody had remembered to bring along their climbing gear.
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What I couldn't understand is that they were putting up the same kicks as they did against Manly yet there was not a single Eels player chasing or contesting.
How dumb are footballers? To get pulled up for that twice is just stupid.
Aside from a few Roberts runs, our attack looked totally disorganized, reverting to one-out stuff, even in the Knights' quarter. The Knights were bad but we were worse, so they won!
My list of "stuff looking really worrisome" includes:
- Isn't Sandow supposed to organize these blokes?
- Hayne is either playing injured or playing scared of injury. Either way, there's no way he will make origin playing like he did against the Knights.
- How long will SK persist with W. Tonga being a non-entity in attack and prone to dropping the ball?
- Morgan, really? I'm sure he's a good bloke and all but he offers zero in attack and teams are running at his side at every opportunity for a reason. Blair to centre?
- How long will the Lasalo experiment carry on?
- why is our line speed so slow, as Sterlo bemoaned 9,000 times?
I'll add to your list.
- Set plays?? Isn't that a fundamental part of structured game play? Go figure...
The only reason we didn't loose by 40 is the fact the Knights had too many errors.
Blair to centre, Burt back on a wing. Forget Esi.
There are a couple of things that really stand out for me:
Fix these threethings and we beat the Knights and possibly go on to record a lot more wins through the season.
Go Eels
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