Parramatta Eels - Where are we on our journey? - Eels Blogs

Writing without emotion, without the frustration of following a team that has not succeeded for just on 30 years, I've decided to examine where the club is on its journey of rebuilding.Last year contained many positives. The club won more games than the previous 2 years combined and pushed to the fringe of the 8. Jarryd Hayne was in some of the best form of his career and after years of embarrassment it seemed that the platform had been set for future success.Then came the shock of Hayne's departure. After watching Hayne feature in so many of the Eel's tries and attacking raids I could not see where the points would come from. I was convinced that 2015 would present a challenge too difficult to overcome.As I had done in recent years, I attended pre-season training to satisfy my thirst for footy in the off season. What I witnessed this year led me to attend more training sessions and to write my series of blogs. There was a genuine positivity and enthusiasm at training and I observed the way that the squad responded to Brad Arthur. Players were working on attacking skills, everyone was expected to be able to ball play and aggression was demanded in defensive plays. The combinations looked strong. It was a difference to what I had viewed at pre-seasons past.We move into the Auckland Nines and Parramatta display this attacking attitude. Unfortunately it was the first instance of our injury toll.The first round victory over Manly left many of us overjoyed with our potential for the year. The loss to the Bulldogs included the loss of backline personnel and highlighted the imbalance in our backline stocks.Injuries began to have a significant impact on the side and questionable refereeing didn't help the cause. But above all else the team's inability to play out a full 80 minutes began to prove costly.What are our greatest issues?Firstly the loss of Hayne has proved as critical as many thought. However, the reason differs from the obvious. Hayne is a quality fullback. Parramatta have no fullback. We have tried to manufacture fullbacks in Hoppa and Robinson but their shortcomings have proved costly. How many close games this year would have been a different result with a capable first grade fullback? I'd suggest that our position on the NRL table would be much different. This is not an excuse, it's a reason that needs to be corrected.Secondly, it has now been well documented that Sandow has proven himself to be incapable of producing consistent performances. Now this, in combination with the lack of a recognised fullback, is crucial. Parramatta is functioning with only half of a spine. How significant is this when it relates to our inability to convert winning positions into victories? Ask any coach and I'm sure you'll get the same answer. This is not an excuse, it's a reason. A reason that will be remedied with the arrival of Foran in 2016.Finally, the salary cap. This is a mess. It's a bigger mess than we can comprehend. Our past management of this has been atrocious. The system itself is a basket case. When this is combined with a significant injury toll and players out of form, you have a recipe for disaster. The coach has his hands tied with who he can and who he can't select. As fans, we are left scratching our heads about why a contracted player cannot be selected in the NRL team. This again is not an excuse. It's a reason that should be corrected in 2016 with players at other clubs no longer being paid by Parramatta.What positives can we take from this year?Firstly, our forwards are much improved. In many of the matches this year, our forwards are winning the ruck. The defensive line speed has improved and we can thank Peats and Watmough for that. They are leading the way and the other forwards are following. The recruitment of Scott will add to this starch.Secondly, our attack is still capable of exhilarating tries. This is in spite of having half a spine. What a positive to have going forward when we know that a quality half will be joining the club next year!Finally, we are demonstrating the ability to match leading teams for most of a match. It is obviously a problem to be only 90% there. Winning is an attitude and a habit that we need to find. This is the most significant part of the journey for us to now navigate.As a Parramatta fan I hate the years of failure and the media bashing. I don't blame anyone for feeling negative or blasting our results. We have suffered more disappointments than any fan should deserve. Yet on reflection, I can find positives in this year. The challenges that we face this year will help our club on its journey. We are learning from the difficulties. We are learning about which players are made of the right stuff. Importantly we are finding out who isn't! Players will be shed. Players will be added. I don't expect miracles this year but we are heading to better times. Those times aren't far off!

Exactly right. Our past month has been excellent in terms of being competitive week in, week out. We wanted a side to turn up each week, this year it has been far more evident. The past month we have 1 win, 3 losses, yet the biggest loss is 6pts. Only a few games have we been outclassed or not turned up (NZ, Titans, Storm). The rest we have been in up to, and past the 70th min. Results are what we need, but it's important to look at effort, performance and attitude. As we are at the bottom, many fans have become so used to losing that they think we are the same as 2011-13. Not even close. But its impossible to convince anyone of that. We're used to losing, and we just don't want to look at the positives, and the difficulty of the situation we are in (lose Hayne, salary cap, huge injury toll). A few wins and we'd all be crowing about being in the 8. It's not all doom and gloom like many portray it to be!

"Yeah 100%
I meant more of 'if we didnt push from the start' type of thing. Yeah Lomax would have played against us, but maybe some of the suspect calls wouldnt have happened.
All speculation and hindsight really. Im sure there would have been…"

"It's time to start bringing in some young blokes. They did well towards the end of last year Guymer,Moretti etc. TDS needs time in reserve grade have papa as utility. Hopgood offers very little. Get rid of Brian Kelly. Need to ask everyone was Dylan…"

Fui and Captain Cayless were the winners earning the spots at front row for the team.Now onto Hookers, a position that had limited options.Anyway not long now til our starting 13 is settled.https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3Q9GTXJ1. Hayne2. Radradra3.…

Replies

Prof. Daz June 14, 2015 at 12:57pm

So what you're saying is, nothing has changed? We are inconsistent but have hope for what amounts to vague reasons. There, I captured the gist of stuff in one and half sentences. If only our playmakers and some serial bloggers had such precision!
- sixtiesboy > Prof. Daz June 14, 2015 at 1:04pm
  
  I don't think you have but I respect your right to feel the way you do.
The French Fullback #1 June 14, 2015 at 1:02pm

Exactly right. Our past month has been excellent in terms of being competitive week in, week out. We wanted a side to turn up each week, this year it has been far more evident. The past month we have 1 win, 3 losses, yet the biggest loss is 6pts. Only a few games have we been outclassed or not turned up (NZ, Titans, Storm). The rest we have been in up to, and past the 70th min. Results are what we need, but it's important to look at effort, performance and attitude. As we are at the bottom, many fans have become so used to losing that they think we are the same as 2011-13. Not even close. But its impossible to convince anyone of that. We're used to losing, and we just don't want to look at the positives, and the difficulty of the situation we are in (lose Hayne, salary cap, huge injury toll). A few wins and we'd all be crowing about being in the 8. It's not all doom and gloom like many portray it to be!
- sixtiesboy > The French Fullback #1 June 14, 2015 at 1:20pm
  
  Thanks for your comment. We aren't where we want to be. Far from it. I'll admit to having far better expectations. I was emotional after the last loss. I found it hard to get over. But what I take from it is that the team is competing far better in spite of some obstacles.
slip June 14, 2015 at 1:13pm

Maybe call Brian "choker" Smith and get him back from England. He was the only guy who rebuilt Parra after the glory days.
Hell On Eels June 14, 2015 at 1:15pm

Hallelujah ! Thanks Sixties for a six course, five star meal of a blog. Over the 'sack this, sack that, we're cr*p, fast food cr*p served'.

If we had the composure to win those 3 matches we were in a position to win we'd be in a far different position looking at being in the top eight right now.

The leadership of Foran and Scott will help that. Hope we can now pick up a genuine fullback and a bit of extra speed & strickpower out wide next year.
- sixtiesboy > Hell On Eels June 14, 2015 at 1:27pm
  
  Cheers mate. My blog wasn't precise enough for someone but I genuinely accept that people have a right to be pi...d off with our table position. I was swearing and cursing after the Cowboys loss. But we know that we have a high quality half joining us next year. We know that we will sign a fullback. Who that will be is part of the unknown in that journey.
- Hell On Eels > Hell On Eels June 14, 2015 at 4:53pm
  
  Yeah me too buddy. I'm still not over the Cowboys game to be honest. It still haunts me.
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐 June 14, 2015 at 1:24pm

Worst defensive team in the comp is still the biggest issue. Only our very improved pack has kept us in many games, with Wicks, Peats, Mau, Watmough and Mannah holding up the fort.

Only the departure of Sandow will fix that problem as our right side defence is virtually non existent. If it's not Sandow, it's other players around him trying to compinsate for his lack of efforts.

Sorry to pick out one player, but that's the way it has been for 4 years.

Sixties you are correct - Without Hayne we wouldn't have won half as many games last season.
- sixtiesboy > Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐 June 14, 2015 at 1:36pm
  
  Aha Chief, a little reinterpretation of what I actually said. The "without ..." could be used with many teams. Without Thurston, without Smith, without Burgess (notice that this year?) etc. We are without a fullback. We've tried to manufacture one. It hasn't worked. It's been an error of this year.
  Defence - you picked Sandow. He's gone for next year. Foran will be here. Defence relates to that side of the ruck. Again playing without a consistent NRL half. Problem should be solved for next year. I know it's something we shouldn't have to keep saying, but the "next year" statement is true.

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