Quick someone find a bottle and capture the last 25 minutes of today’s clash against the Tigers, where the Eels staged a remarkable comeback from 31 to nil down to go down by just a point when the siren sounded.
You couldn’t blame the folk who walked out of the ground with 25 mins to go. The Eels had been abysmal up until that point. It started at the 12 minute mark, when Matt Ryan, promoted into the starting side for the first time over-committed to an outside defender and a simple inside ball from Robbie Farrah saw Chris Lawrence slide through the subsequent hold to score untouched. At 20 minutes, the Eels had a simple three on three, but Beau Ryan grubbered behind his opposite flanker and was first to pick up the ball, in what displayed a distrurbing lack of desire from the Eels. Liam Fulton scored the Tigers third try for the half when he simply brushed off Ben Roberts one-on-one, and then Benji Marshall finished the half with a field-goal to make it 19 to nil. The Eels finished the half with no points, but they blew a couple of golden opportunities most notably when Reni Maitua failed to pass in the early minutes when the Eels had a massive overlap on his lap.
If the Eels were going to get back into the contest, they needed to come out firing and they almost got one when Fuifui Moimoi fell just short, mostly courtest of the goal post. Not impressed with the defensive effort from the upright, Moimoi decided to get up and put the ball down anyway, but it was ruled a no-try and instead the Tigers got the first points of the second stanza when Ben Murdoch-Masila pulled a bomb out of the air. Murdoch-Masila got another
However, with not much more than 20 minutes, the Eels suddenly clicked into action. Matt Ryan, who had a great game after his first defensive fluff, brushed away a couple of defenders to score. Then Willie Tonga was the recipient of a nice Jarryd Hayne pass to make it tow in three minutes, before Ken Sio scored down the same side following a great Casey McGuire cut-out pass. Sio also had a touch-and-go try disallowed after just failing to make a touch-down but it still left the Eels 13 adrift with 5 to go. It became seven behind when Jarryd Hayne cut-through the Tigers defence with one of this trademark tries in traffic before Cheyse Blair cut down the left-side and palmed off Moltzen to bring the Eels agonisingly close. With Burt hitting all five conversions, four of them from touch, the Eels went down 31 to 30.
If the Eels were looking for something to galvanise them, and give them their confidence back, this just could be it. Sure, the Tigers took the foot off the pedal, but the Eels will believe they have points in them again, and it was nice to see the squad huddled together on the field long after the match. If they can take something from that last 20 minutes, and carry it through to next week’s crunch match against the Bulldogs, a win there could just spark something through the middle part of the season.
Those people who did leave early missed some thrilling entertainment. Did they miss the Eel's 2012 revival? I'd suggest next week will tell.
Replies
umm..... reality check
down 31-0 at home is utterly disgraceful and unacceptable as usual
because the tigers clock off with 15 to go, lets not make it out as any more than it was
Confidence is everything in Rugby League, when your not confident you get the ball in half a hole and you shit yourself and drop it. When you are confident you get the ball in half a hole and you say you bloody beauty and you bust through it. They were playing without any confidence in that first half, then with nothing to lose and a few things actually going their way, they found it again. That's how I'm going to choose to look at it, anyway, it'll get me through the next seven days.
Agree, Tigers showed the difference between putting in 100% to 90% in the NRL today. They clocked off and Parra scored some tries, big deal.
The real question which should be asked is how does a team score 31 points against you in 60min?
Have to be digging deep to see positives out of today.
I am completely confused with $K's rotation.
Hindy comes off after 15 minutes and we don't see him until the 60th minute.
McGuire by far our best on the day with a FULL 80 minute effort and asking questions of the Tiger's defence.
Poore was strong.
Lasalo finding form in the second half.
Matt Ryan had a blinder for his 2nd appearance.
McGuire was the one to get that right hand side going.
Blair is definitely a better centre than winger.
Burt should remain in FG - but I am sure $K won't allow that. Perhaps 2 more appearances to allow him to rack up 250 games, but I won't be holding my breath on that one.
I was ready to turn the TV off before 1/2 time but like all Parra supporters there is that Masochistic streak that says - "NO!! Stay and feel the pain"
20 minutes of the sort of footy we have been looking for when the Eels really looked like a winning team - let's see what happens next week.
If we play like how we did in the last 15 minutes for the rest of the season without making the 8, I will still be happy.
I want to see them play like that at the START of the game.
Amazing what an exciting 15 minutes of footy can do to change the mood of the stadium! I'm pretty sure at the 60 minute mark the fans were about to riot. Hell I wanted to start a riot myself. Then 15 minutes of miracle play that was like watching the whole second half of 2009 in 15 minutes. Wonderful to see them back themselves!!!
Agreed Muttman, after 65 mins I was furious with our play.
I'm just hoping that with the last 15 mins the boys realise that they can score points if they go about it the right way...hopefully it's a turning point.
Its hard not to feel even a LITTLE optimism after a rousing 14, yep FOURTEEN minutes of footy in garbage time - against an opponent that played with Parra like a cat does to a mouse. I can't tell you just how bad Parra played, how lost Parra were, how awful and non commited Parra's defense was for most of the game and how poorly designed (or total lack of) the Parra RED ZONE attacking game was. And nearly ZERO kicks applied any pressure and just how much of an impostor Ben Roberts really is
How much did the Tigers lack of focus and determination contribute towards Parra's 30 points is an issue that requires further examination - as opposed the the Eels unlikely try fest - albeit - when the contest was well and truly over
Let's not forget, at 31-0 with 14 minutes to go - was anybody REALLY surprised at the scoreline based on what Parra has spewed out so far in 2012 ?
And so begs the question that 1eyedeel quite rightly asks. Is today's performance ENOUGH to act as a fire starter to build from ? I hope so, but do I believe it, not really
I could only admire the Parra team at the end of the game all huddled together as a UNIT - trying DESPERATELY to savor the moment.....all 14 minutes of it.........yet I felt sad at the same time as the desperation of their situation was there for all to see - their season that appears to have fallen completely apart, yet huddled together - desperately trying to grasp what appears to be a final shred of hope
So good luck boys - I hope the Parra players can take something out of today's game and turn it into winning some games. But I fear that's about it - there is certainly enough evidence to suggest that there is still a long long way to go and plenty of heartache still left to burdon
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