Eels Blogs

And so it continues, for the second week. Next week it may be all over, and with it the immediate future of the game sinking into uncertain waters. Yet,  'tough times don't last, tough people do', applies to the game, as to us all, and it needs to find a way through the chaos.

For now, the show goes on, in eerily empty stadiums here and worldwide, staring into the impending abyss of rolling lockdowns. In the midst of understanding that ancient, supposedly Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times". In any event, thank you all for your kind comments with these reviews. 

All that aside, this Sunday night, at CBUS stadium against the Titans, current wooden spooners, we’re again heavy favourites at $1.42 to $3.00, just as we were the last time these two met at CBUS, R22, seven months ago ($1.36 to $3.08) when we were young. Overall, we have a poor record at CBUS, against the Titans, winning only 3 out of 10, but that was in different times.

Titans at their lowest point; we may have our equal best start in decades

Incredibly, if we win on Sunday, we would have started the season with two consecutive wins that would equal our 2017 and 2019 campaigns – with those years also marking our only final campaigns in the last ten years.

Before that, the last time we had two consecutive wins to start a season was in 1999 (we came second that year), in the last century. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Storm more often than not, starts its seasons off with consecutive wins.

Meanwhile, the Titans are in a muddied hole. They have lost their last 12 consecutive games: the worst in their fourteen year history, since 2007. In comparison, we have won the last 7 of 10 games. Let’s hope history maintains this trajectory and the Titans haven’t hit rock bottom yet.

Should be a high scoring affair, says history

History also points out this game should have points, unlike last week’s dour grind against the barking ones, unless further acts of God intercede.

Defensively last year, the Titans were the worst – both home and away. Meanwhile, our away defence wasn’t all that much better: only bettering the Titans, Warriors, Knights and Tigers.

Not surprisingly, the last five games between the Eels and Titans has seen an average of 42.8 points scored, with the Eels wining the last three consecutive matches (LLWWW).

The Titans will probably trouble our defence more than the Dogs – after all they did outscore the Dogs last year – and last week they showed a pulse. Though the Titans were put to the sword by the Raiders last  as week as expected, despite poorer completion rates and less possession than the Raiders, the Titans both passed the ball (245-191) and offloaded more (13-10). With Cartwright there for 80, and his five miracle offloads, it’s no surprise. Actually, the Titans 13 offloads was the equal of both us and the Dogs’ collectively (8-5) in last week’s grind.

They have other danger men as well. Sami is a somewhat underrated player, who at fullback last week, racked up 232m the most of any player, 80m of post contact metres and 10 tackle breaks. Impressive stats. Arrow is another key figure who was unwell last week and seemed a little under the weather. Ash Taylor also made a successful return. If his kicking game is on song, with the Titan’s hot potato play could pose a few issues along with Peachey, Don and company.

We’ll need to be on task, perhaps even more than the last year's R22 encounter that didn't impress Arthur despite the 36-12 winning scoreline flattering us.

The good news: hunger in defence

The one bright spot in our performance last week was our grit. It’s not something we’re synonymous with. We showed ticker and hunger in defence, especially on the try line, which was a place we struggled last year.

In last year's corresponding Thursday night game against the Dogs, despite their supposed pop gun attack, they still scored two tries with less possession that last week – where we kept them try less.

Indeed, it’s only the fourth time in Arthur’s reign over the last six years or so, we’ve kept a team try less, albeit all home games. The last time we’ve kept an team try-less ‘away’ was twenty years ago, in R11, 2000 defeating the Raiders 14-2 at Bruce Stadium.

The bad: night and away

We only won one night game away, last year : against wooden spooners Titans at CBUS in R22.

We lost 6 out of 7 away games at night. Conversely, we won 6 out of 9 night games at home. Last year’s stats isn't a pretty sight. And at CBUS, despite winning the last 3, we have actually have only won 3 out of 10 overall (30%).

The ugly: uptight, clunky and unconvincing

And last week, we looked tense, clumsy and sloth-like with the ball. Mostly conservative. Uptight. Ugly ducklings.

Somewhat out of character, we made zero line breaks last week (0-1 to Dogs). That only occurred once last year: In the forgettable final’s match against the Storm. On our best days last year, against say the Broncos and Tigers we managed 10 line breaks a game.

We need to be able to assert more pressure with the ball. Gutherson tried hard to straighten up play running over 200m, for a game high, but overall we need to play a little more direct and get cleaner ball to the outside men. Meanwhile, Moses and his supporting cast of playmakers need to be more creative and take on the line more. For mine, they looked constrained, tense and lacking in ideas, though full credit to the tough Dogs. 

Is this a sign of things to come, of issues with off season training, or deeper issues ? Time will tell. But, this week presents an opportunity to get into some form with the ball.

Bottom line

It’s way too early to make any profound statements in relation to our defence or improved mental toughness – which has been rightfully questioned by Phil Gould as the missing link, despite all our talent.

As Cooper Cronk correctly pointed out, we needed to fix our defence this year against quality opposition, and the attack will come. Arthur admitted as much during the press conference last week: that defence was the primary focus during the off-season.

The real test of our character will be away when facing high quality opposition, under pressure, heavyweights, such as the Storm, Raiders, Roosters or indeed of the top eight contenders – probably not this game. In this game we need to use the ball better.

In theory, everything points to an Eels victory. And we should win in a high scoring affair. Otherwise it will be a case of: One step forward, two steps backwards. Perhaps to be paused indefinitely, with questions unanswered.