As predicted exclusively by 1Eyed Eel during the week, Kris Keating became the scapegoat for our poor attacking performace last week and was moved to the bench with Tom Humble into the starting line. However, his combination with Mortimer proved no more compelling and with Jarryd Hayne struggling to come up with big plans under a weight of responsibility, the Eels could again score no more than one try - and that came from a dropped ball off a kick.
In a match that was dominated by defence, kicking would prove critical and a pin-point Darren Lockyer bomb was snatched out of the air by Peter Wallace for an early Brisbane try. A Corey Parker conversion made it six to nil.
The Eel's must surely have the most woeful record for being first point scorer in the competition and with their lack of attacking options, it always becomes difficult when they get behind on the scoreboard. Fortunately, they weren't left too far behind for long as a Daniel Mortimer cross-field kick was dropped by Brisbane and Jarryd Hayne picked up the loose ball to touch down. Burt couldn't convert but at least the gap had been narrowed to six to four.
Defence dominated for the rest of the period with a Parramatta penalty to Burt being the only points added to the first half. Locked up at six all, defence continued to shape the match well into the second half. Brisbane however were looking the team most likely and on a couple of occasions only scrambling Eels defence prevented the Broncos from going over as their backline kicked into gear. Eventually the Eels would run out of numbers and Israel Folau would be left with an uninterrupted passage to the try line. Parker's conversion missed but the Broncos had reclaimed the lead to go up ten to six.
With both teams finding it tough to breach the opposition defence, the bomb became the weapon of the choice mostly with little effect. We had a couple of minor line breaks inside our own half through Joel Reddy and Kris Keating but nothing that looked like bringing points.
Points are the most valuable commodity in Rugby League and unfortunately half back Daniel Mortimer has struggled to create opportunities all year. While Anderson continues to switch and swap his five-eighths and hookers, surely the heart of the problem lies in the middle? Even the mercurial Jarryd Hayne is firing blanks, given little space to work with and constant attention by the opposition as well as the burden of responsibility. We are blunting our main strike weapon while we persist with a strategy of trying to make a young man, who had a good half season as a supporting five-eighth, a dominant halfback. Sometimes you just have to admit you were wrong and throw away the shovel. At the moment, we're just digging ourselves in deeper.
Replies
On that, has any game gone to golden point this year?? i dont remember one. Last year there was almost 1 a round!!
Which planet have you been on mate...A REAL Rugby League fan would know that.
Have faith in the BLUE & GOLD.....pffft .... Eels by 1, more like EELS BY 14!!!
We are a rabble at present.
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