Parramatta have blown a golden opportunity to edge themselves into the top eight as they threw away a match-winning lead before eventually losing 28 to 22 to the Gold Coast Titans.
The match start ominously for the Eels when debutant Anthony Don scored, after the Eels failed to number up and left Don with acres of space to open the scoring.
However, that defensive lapse proved to be the exception rather than the rule for the next 40 minutes at least and the Eels started defending strongly and then soon hit back, when Darcy Lussick managed an offload to Matt Keating who scooped the ball out to Reni Maitua. Maitua brushed off former Eel Albert Kelly and then kicked inside to Jarryd Hayne who picked up and touched down.
The Eels got their noses in front when Chris Sandow darted across field and then fed Ryan Morgan, who ran a great line and then showed his usual strong evasiveness to score almost untouched. That converted try would see the Eels take a 16 to eight lead into half time and they looked the team with the most direction, as the Titans struggled in attack without their regular halves combination.
Still they needed a good start to the second half and they got it when Jarryd Hayne climbed above opposing fullback William Zillman to score what looked like it might be a definitive try.
However, Parramatta made life difficult for themselves throughout this match with moments of ill-discipline and they handed the Titans another golden opportunity to attack, and the Gold Coast proved good enough to make Parramatta pay when Ashley Harrison burrowed through the Eels ruck defence. The conversion and penalty made it a six-point ballgame and the Eels would face a nervous final 20 minutes.
Those nerves would soon turn to anguish when a mountain of possession finally got converted into points when Anthony Minichiello steamed onto a short ball and suddenly the scores were tied with just over ten minutes to go.
Ex-Eel Albert Kelly then did it all himself to give the Titans the lead, putting up a bomb, regathering a ball that bounced over Jarryd Hayne and touching down underneath the posts. The conversion left the Titans with a 28 to 22 lead as the clock ticked down.
The final minutes saw Parramatta gifted a number of chances in the Titans red-zone but they couldn’t come up with that killer blow and were left lamenting a match that they really should have closed out, particularly considering how many players Gold Coast were missing tonight.
Replies
We gave the came away, simple as that, shocking disipline, THATS A SEASON KILLER RIGHT THERE.
Maybe I'm biased, but I thought the ref crucified Parra with penalties.
It's not biased, the Titans had 14 players on the field.
Agree - not to mention the ref getting forward pass wrong again! which would have meant try under posts, 2 ref system just doesn't work certainly not for Parra.
Kicking out on the full after we score, stupid penalties by Mannah, Fui and Kelepi and Ben f*****g Roberts just being on the field lost us this game. If there aren't changes to the side this week starting with Ben Roberts I don't know what will happen. How can a team go from absolutely dominating the sharks pack to hardly making metres this week? If they could get up for the game last week they should be able to do it week in, week out.
Agreed. Roberts has got to go. First. Head. To. Roll. Go, NOW.
Hard to argue with many of those 8 fricken penalties in the second half. The difference in composure and leadership between this team and those top 4 sides is startling. I'm not talking about talent I'm merely talking about execution, direction, maturity etc. We are so far off the pace in these areas it's a joke. The Storm or Rabbitohs would have lapped us by 100 tonight.
Maybe it's confidence but I think it really is a leadership issue. We look like a team that is organised by committee. Too often we take the wrong option, players take matters into their own hands and far too often bugger it up. At this level you just cannot afford to go into every match and know without doubt that certain players WILL make errors at crucial times. At this level you just cannot afford to NOT get the repeat set when it's hugely obvious that a repeat is exactly what is required. At this level you cannot afford to have players in your side that consistently give away penalties every week.
Again I'm not talking about talent. I'm not asking for mass changes. What I am seeking is maturity and leadership. One man must take charge out there and make the correct calls every time. Who?
SPOT ON MUTT, we gave away 8 penalties all from ill disipline, eels fans are always looking for somebody else to blame, ITS NOT THE REFS FAULT, ITS OWN OWN, what a massive choke.
we just are not good enough to win without a fair shot.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 6 Next