Arthur and the team remain defiant.
Despite everyone else outside a handful of the most optimistic, having given up on them. Despite being ripped to shreds and minced into left-over roadkill against the Broncos 54-10 last week to record the biggest loss all season, and in the last two years.
“It makes it tough (the loss) but we’re not giving up. We’re still fighting until it’s over", Arthur declared in the Broncos' press conference.
"We’ve got two games and we’re going to fight on. This team has been fighting all year and we’ll continue fighting.”
A despondent Arthur looks on as the Broncos demolish the Eels. Getty Images
It doesn't get any easier losing Mitchell Moses for the season, with Brown and Asi expected to the halves. It also appears starting edge backrower Davies is also out this week with a concussion. But the Eels will welcome back reinforcements against the Roosters this week in RCG and Sivo. It will be interesting to see the makeup of the Roosters' team as Sam Walker might be available.
In Freefall
Round 24's Black Friday loss keeps the Eels falling further into the abyss.
After a season-high sixth place in R18 rising from fourteenth, bottom four, the Eels have again now nose-dived to tenth.
The Warriors’ R19 game, following the bye, marked the beginning of the nosedive that hit new lows last week.
They now look down and out for the count.
On the contrary, Roosters have had a mini late-season revival recently, and have almost had the mirror reverse season of the Eels.
However, they have not though faced the calibre of opposition in the last month other than the Broncos.
So, it’s difficult to tell if they are really back. With the calibre of their roster, one of the best in the league, this year has fallen way below expectations.
If overall season performances and stats count for anything, we might see a closer game this week.
The Eels though have struggled against the Roosters in recent seasons.
The Roosters, have been mid-range all year and have struggled for a large bulk of the season, especially with their renowned attack that has failed to click.
In the last meet, back in round five, won by the Roosters, 28-20 at Allianz, the Roosters still found plenty of space out wide - both out on the right (above) and left edge (below). And will look to take advantage of the Eels' poor defence this week.
Even though the Eels have slumped to the eleventh-best defensive team, overall, the last six weeks (above) tell the real story. Statistically, the Eels’ have been a bottom-two team. The second worst attack. The second worst defence.
The magnitude of the Eels’ free fall has been stark.
Between rounds R12-R18 during a seven-week revival (includes two byes) that catapulted the Eels into sixth and seemingly set for a finals berth. During this period, the Eels had the best attack (35.2ppg) and the best defence (13.6ppg, just edging out the Panthers 13.8ppg) in the competition.
So, what happened?
Why?
You could reason that the easier draw during that seven-week period was a factor but the Eels did play Souths, the Cowboys, Manly, as well as the Dolphins, and Dogs.
Another argument which seems plausible is that the Eels’ just collapsed into a heap, of mental and emotional exhaustion - after fighting all year.
And perhaps, the inconsistency that plagues the Eels for years - the off-on switch - is a symptom of some cultural issues behind the scenes.
When asked to explain the free-fall in the Broncos press conference, in comparison to last year's late-season surge, Arthur was quick to return.
I just think it's personnel. We've lost some quality players over the last eight weeks. Blokes in and out. It's sort of bumped us around a bit.
Arthur, Broncos R24 post-game presser
He also saw a few silver linings.
“But the guys that have come in have gained valuable experience, moving forward.”
“There's a bit of carnage here in terms of some injuries, but we get Reg (Reagan Campbell Gillard) back and Maika (Sivo) next week, and we're just going to fight on.
Attitude on?
Arthur also pointed out that the Eels’ attitude was “on” as evidenced by Mitch’s bravery and the first quarter of the game against the second-best team in the competition.
A despondent Arthur and Moses looked on as the Broncos obliterated the Eels. Getty Images
“I think it was the third or fourth minute of the game where [the injury] happened, so extremely tough [of Moses] to play on until halftime," Arthur noted.
"We had to make the decision that he didn't go back out in the second half, he wanted to go back on,”
It just shows you a lot about the whole team; I know it wasn't a great night for us, but it's not like we didn't come here to try and our attitude was off, the attitude was on, you could see that in the first 20 minutes
Arthur, Broncos R24 post-game pressor
“We were just beaten by a team that was too good for us, as simple as that."
Reece Walsh was constantly a threat against the Eels. Getty.
The Eels had no answers last week against the Broncos. Getty.
Moses tried valiantly to stop Farnsworth from scoring this highlight-reel try (Instagram).
Just as Kevin Waters noted, Arthur reinforced, "We had some carnage and they were just too good.”
The Eels' Gutherson down for the count last week. Getty.
Gutherson too echoed Arthur’s thoughts.
“We've just got to keep fighting that’s what we've done," Gutherson added.
"We've got a really tight-knit group here and we're not going go into the next two games just playing them, we're going to go out to win and that's what we've done all year.”
“Obviously, tonight didn't go our way and we've lost Mitch and it looks like AD [Andrew Davey] as well, so we just have to keep fighting; whoever steps in will do a job and see what we can do in the last two weeks.”
Closing thoughts
If Arthur and Gutherson are correct, perhaps we will see a revival of sorts starting this week.
Although the season hangs by a thread, and it’s unlikely the Eels will figure in the finals pending a Jeckly-Hyde about face deep fried in luck, there are still plenty of questions surrounding the Eels.
Do we have the personel and depth to be a finals’ contender again in the foreseeable future? Do we have a cultural issues? Was last week rock bottom? Can we start building a platform towards something moving forward?
Replies
Thanks for the write-up HOE.
For us to play semis this year, we will obviously need to beat the Roosters and Panthers as well as rely on the Raiders, Cowboys and Knights to loose the majorityy of their remaining games - a very unlikely scenario.
BA is clutching at straws here and should be made to pay the price for his failure yet again......after 10 years as head coach.
Hi Hoe,
Me thinks the absence of Moses is one straw to many for that very sensitive camel.
My main criticism of BA is his stubborness, it seems that Davey will be out, so that one goes away, the other is playing outside Brown.....a situation that concerns me greatly with our defensive woes. I feel if Matto could play 5/8 and Sivo back on the wing and Simmo in the centre we can put up a good show and be a chance.
I just think he probably won't do it and that disappoints me again, notwithstanding me making excuses in every other article I have written about the current situation.
PS I understand we shared something lately, is that public? I am still mystified but delighted to be doing what Super has suggested.
I'm afraid BA is not a very intelligent person which makes him look stubborn; but in reality he is one dimensional and lacks lateral thinking skills. He must have the IQ of a tadpol.
Haha Axel mate I agree tadpoles turn into frogs. Also slow and a dieing species who can,t adapt to the new changes in today's environment.
That's my experience
Haha, Pops. Super mentioned that but not sure it's public yet. I like his idea about the charity! He's a good egg.
Not sure what else is left to say about this year that hasn't already been said.
Moses is a huge loss. Ironically, he's become one of our tougher leaders. And that's saying something.
I do feel we have cultural issues which partly explains the off-on switch we see with the team. And that's a difficult thing to change.
As a club, despite having a decent four-year run from 2019-2022 we do need to become a lot more innovative, mentally tougher, hungrier and more expansive on every front - top to bottom.
Perhaps, this year will motivate and inspire some changes moving forward.
Thanks, Axel. That's kind of you.
It sure is looking grim, at the moment!
Good write up HOE as usual. The way Arthur selects his team this week will be huge. Asi And Dylan in the halves, or does he use Hands who played NSW cup last week at 5/8m then filled in at half for Mitch.
Asi played brillant scoring a treble last week in NSW cup from Fullback. He is a different player when at the back. Is it time to put him at fullback and move Gutho to centre to shore up that crappy defence out wide. My guess is he wont, and probably rightly so. Our defense at centre/wing has been atrocious for a long time and where we leak so many points. Who ever gets selected there really needs to stand up.
Thanks, Bluey.
Honestly mate, I wouldn't care whichever option he went with from the ones you mentioned.
I just want to see real fight and hunger this week; win, lose or draw.
PS: I'm expecting Asi-Dylan in the halves. BA seemed to lean that way immediately after last Friday's game. He's not one to change his mind quickly once it's set. He moves slowly and doesn't like to alter course unless it's a complete disaster, there are injuries or things beyond his control. But, we'll see.
Good summary HOE You mentioned attitude.I have been very impressed with The. Panthers last 2 wins.Attitude is not a problem for them and a few other sides.I have accepted that living on hope is a fruitless exercise for me. I will simply try and enjoy good football. I have really enjoyed coming back to watching soccer with the women's Matilda team. Attitude very similar to Panthers.
The stats for last 6 weeks are appalling. We are the worst team in the competition right now. Simple as that!
Scraped thru with lucky wins against also rans, score flattered by late tries against Cowboys and absolutely flogged by top 4 teams.
Something has manifestly changed within the squad. What is it? Only those inside it can tell us.
I can only speculate that with all our other suspensions and injuries there are others carrying niggles (or more) that mean we are both slow and sloppy in execution of basic skills of the game.
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