Eels Blogs

As i said last week, it is ok to have a loss once in a while. After beating Penrith last week, we've shown we can match it, though there will be times where we lose where we shouldn't. Of course, losing is unaccaptable but The Roosters are a wonderfully coached team. Had it been the Warriors, Canberra, Gold Coast, Canterbury then that is embarrassing, but it was a genuine top 8 team. 52% possession, 88% completions and 33 missed tackles to their 43 missed are stats of a team who won. Not the case, similar offloads with 16, more penalties conceaded with 6 to their 3 but only 1 ruck infringement to their 6. Stats were very similar and suits the score of 31-24, but you should not lead most of the stats and come away with a loss. However, i will say that the come back was better and he did play some good footy, just got to a point where the lead was to far out of our grasp to regain it, we should not allow it and it is nice to see BA give it to them in the presser, setting the standard. 

Most Impressive:

Isaiah Papali'i: My man of the match, Ice had 2 tries, 178 metres running, 3 tackle breaks and 36 tackles. It is stats and consistency like this that make you think if the reported 600k that Wests paid Papa was a steal. I have always vouched that Papa would be better in the middle but he also makes for classy edge player also. Showing the club there is no Sophmore slump for him, he is the real deal. The tries he scored were exactly what we needed, especially the second try running a terrific line off a wonderful Moses ball. He will be a miss for us next year.

Mitchell Moses: He should be here for that try alone, but Moses ran the team around the park for our comeback nicely. His kicking was great and his direction showed experience. If there is blame set upon players for this loss, Moses should be immune from it. 2 try assists, 1 line break assist and 119 metres running, when Moses is running is when he is on.

Ryan Matterson: His current form has warranted people to even consider him for Origin I. Now i wouldn't go that far, however his form is amazing at the moment, it seems a confident Matto who is enjoying the game again. He warrants an extension and hope he stays he is proving to be a quality bench player, 55 minutes he played with 172 metres and 10 tackle breaks. I can even make an argument he can start over Nathan Brown, moving Matto to 13 or to the edge with Papa or Lane to 13.

Will Penisini: Just a nice string of games from Penisini. I talk about the game alot with my brother who played league at a high level with 20's and Ron Massey Cup, played alongside Makatoa. I really listen to his opinion due to his experience and who his played with and against, however his opinion on Peninisin is one area i disagree with. He sees Penisini as average, where i see him a steady first grader at 19 who will get better and better and eventually be a star. 107 metres running does not seem great but with Perham and Simonsson not doing too much to start our sets off, Penisini always on tackle 2 or 3 produces a run to get us moving, 17 tackles to non missed is what we expected earlier in the year based on 2021 where he shut out Olam, Best and Crichton. Slow start but is now starting to get comfortable with full-time NRL. 

Honorable mentions: Simonsson, Kaufusi and Makatoa.

Most Disappointing: 

Nathan Brown: Only 41 minutes, 9 runs for 79 metres and 26 tackles with 2 missed. That is it, for a starting Lock with Origin experience. Brown has not been himself, not sure if he is affected by the surgery he had to start the year or his body is feeling wear and tear. Brown used to be the player you say "That's Brown he is our enforcer" but now he is below RCG, Paulo, Matterson and even the last two weeks Kaufusi. Brown might be better suited coming off the bench for impact with Matto starting.

Hayze Perham: Not an awful game by any means, but had a nightmare of a time with Suaalii. Under the high ball Perham is fine, under pressue is where he struggles. He simply cannot jump for the high ball, now would Russell had done better on Sunday? i actually feel fine saying yes he would have. Wing is a specialist position today and Perham has shown he is not a winger, he can fill in but not full-time, Russell i feel is a better runner and leaper for the ball and should be considered for Manly.

Dylan Brown vision on break: My word what a bad miss from Dylan, Gutho on his right and by passes him to make a quick decision to kick to Perham who even if no Roosters players were there would still have not gotten to the ball. Did it lose us the game? well not sure as we were down by 7 so needed two scores anyway but would have made for a hell of a finish. Not what we needed at the time of the match.

Shaun Lane: Not the best game from Lane, his running metres have been low for most of the year but today just seemed he was out of it and couldn't quite get into the game. 12 runs for 86 metres, 24 tackles with 3 missed is not great for a starting edge, then went off with what seemed to be a niggle allowing Cartwright to come into the game. Not great from Lane.

Fox League camera angle: What was with that stupid overhead shot during the match, where it was on Dylan Brown when he made that break, like show it sometimes or in highlights but leave it out of the play by play, it was annoying. If others loved it then glad you did, for me though i just found it distracting to what was going on.

That is it for round 10, Manly next in what is shaping up as a terrific match up due to the rivalry but also both teams coming off loses, Manly worse then ours but BA gave us a bit of a spray over our defence, will we be smarting and ready to go back at home for first time since Easter Monday? Sure hope so, if not then it will be sevearly disappointing. As for team changes, it will be same 17 maybe only Russell or Sivo for Perham, Cartwright might miss out for JA or Rein or another player maybe Greig gets a run to make a big bench against Manly. Lane also went off late in the game, not sure if it was niggling injury, fatigue or something hurt him, he could be in doubt and if so Matto in and Greig to bench. Other than that i think Perham and Cartwright are the only two who could come out.