Parramatta coach Brad Arthur labelled the side's attack "clunky" in their 16-6 trial loss to the Panthers but was not concerned overall leading into round one after a high-intensity contest.
Tries to Panthers halves Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary upstaged the Eels in the pre-season clash that produced a free-flowing game.
The Eels' only try of the match came from a Dylan Edwards error in the air that landed in the hands of Tom Opacic, while they were denied tries on three occasions due to gritty goal-line Panthers defence.
Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown looked sharp for the blue and gold in the opening stages but fell away as the match progressed before Arthur gave the pair an early spell with 15 minutes to go.
"It [the attack] was clunky but they were just tired getting into position," Arthur said.
"It [the trial] was just about making sure there were no injuries and getting some match fitness – get used to the speed of the game because it was fast.
"The speed of the first half they reckoned it was around 95 metres per minute which is pretty high.
"Gutho [Clint Gutherson] was 120 metres per minute in the first 20 minutes so it was very fast.
"I think both teams were real tired at stages and the quality of the shape was off at times but I think that was because of the speed of the game. It's just going to take a bit of getting used to.
"We had a plan to get the players off a lot earlier than we did but I thought they needed the match fitness."
Arthur said his starting 13 was all but settled with Opacic doing enough to earn the vacant right centre spot ahead of their round one clash against the Broncos on March 12.
The make-up of the bench appears to be the only area which Arthur will need to finalise before the season opener.
Eels forward Marata Niukore took part in the trial but is suspended for the first round, while Arthur will need to decide whether to run with a bench utility or four forwards.
"There's probably one or two spots on offer," he said.
"Everyone was just looking to get their second wind and some took longer than others to get it.
"There were some good patches and there were some patches where we've got to get a bit better especially trying to absorb on the back of an error, penalty or six-again."
Replies
My view is simple, just as I am & have said. The match was a trial, it revealed some positives in the first 20 odd minutes, but from then on not a lot. As such I treat it as a trial and the hope is that there are no serious injuries, in saying that a couple of them would be better for the team if that was correct.
If we look back in the years we have not had many succeses in the trial games, last years a draw, but this year was a real kleiner of a loss.
He knows what the bench is going to be like, if anything it will refer to the first round primarilly as Marata is still out suspended but will be back round two. The first game against the mules in their territory will be different, I expect that there will some different players on the bench for round 1, than we have seen yet. BA is giving the new players a chance to demonstrate what if any skills they have in order to play top grade. With the reserves starting again they will also be under the coaches attention allowing for players to get some opposition and play, something that was not there last year.
Thank God you are here to add some commonsense Wongy.......sack BA calls after one trial.....no doubt Parramate 2 sees himself as management material..... another one that should be in politics.....the left will love him!
I think our halves need the ball in hand more not less.
I'd love to see our fowards go to the line in numbers.
Was at the trial game last night what really stood out is how lazy our players are at doing the little things our attack is all one out no options and when we do offload it's to a player that is basically standing in the defensive line instead of hitting through a hole at speed .Our attacking shapes are so flat and messy just pure laziness our edges are so lazy getting into position lane and matterson Blake Ferguson and sivo walk 90% of the time never hitting holes at speed.It's easy to blame mosses for our attack but the real problems start at dummy half and fullback we have zero speed or variation both Mahoney and gutherson can never be knocked for effort but in attack gutherson likes to sit in the attacking line and is not an option out the back and when he does play out behind he lacks speed to scare good opposition defences which causes our attack to go sideways .As for our juniors coming through we're all out played by the Penrith next lot of juniors Arthur struggled against a more aggressive opposition long way from being a 1st grade half back penisini on the other hand looks all class and would play him in 1st grade now moves and looks like a young m Jennings
I can't wait to see Cartwright play. from TCT reports he seems to be setting up alot of tries in scrimmages,etc. Hopefully be the x-factor we need in attack.
Electric, it seems a measure of our desperation for any kind of attacking spark that Cartwright and Hope could ever appear in the same sentence. LOL.
We need something though. Anything.
If you rely on TCT info you'll think we're about to win 11 straight premierships. Jakob Arthur is a combination of Andrew and Matthew Johns.
Mate I read TCT and here, and i cannot agree with your comments. I did read he was v fit etc. as per newspapers, but i do not recall the 11 premierships....must have missed that report.
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