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
Shades of SK, nothing ever seems to worry BA and thats half the problem.
Im convinved hes delusional and getting worse.
It’s very worrying snake. I’ll say this if we lose our first couple then we are in for a long season. Hopefully that’s not the case.
Coz he doesnt have the answers.
Watched an interview with Brett Finch and Craig Bellamy this week.
In around 2015, after they had 2 early finals exits in a row (despite finishing in the top 5) , Ballamy asked the senior players if his message was no longer getting through to them and was contemplating standing down. Said he was seeing things in their game which indicated his message was becomming a bit stale. He ended up changing a lot of things going into 2016/2017 and the rest is hostory.
The other thing I found very interesting was CB is in charge of defence at the Storm while delegating attack to other coaches , he just oversees the operation. The Storm defence was loose back end of 2020.. but he worked out they were using so much energy into their attack it was taking away from some of their defence and accepted it. Our bald headed numb nuts is trying to make a team with an attacking 7 a grind it out game managing team. We need an identity to our strengths, not to spend a whole season working on what we arent as good at. He dead set sucks. Yes, last night was just a trial and isn't being read into... its the fact hes had no answers for years.
Lol is this bloke serious???
Fucking donkey, how does a bloke this clueless still have a job after 7 years??? Only @ Parra.
As opposed to you where he can't do a thing wrong and nothing is ever his fault.
He's had 8 seasons, he has the team he wants, and it's time for the excuses to end. This should be the time when we are seriously challenging for a title and from what I saw last night we are light years away from the top sides. But you go on and defend him no matter what and the reckon the Nile is just a river in Eygpt.
Mate, i have to agree that we should be in a premiership window. Going into 2020 we were among the top 2 or 3 premiership fancies. regardless of the fact we finished 3rd on the regualr ladder (which in itself is a good result).. a few things went our way we will never get again. By my reasoning last season , you can group the players like this:
Improved: Gutho, RCG, Paulo
Regressed : Sivo, Waqa, Ferguson, Moses, Mahoney, Lane, Evans, Kaufusi
Fairly consistent week to week: D Brown, N Brown, Matterson
Alledgedly needed help to improve: M Jennings
Improved out of sight at another club: G Jennings, Alvaro
We have guys in our roster going backwards who are in their early- mid 20's. I'm not sure you would call that season a success. Ive sort've discussed with you in other blogs, I think everyone is a little of edge with how we're going because we're seeing us going backwards since about round 7 last season and last night and BA's above comments give indications not a lot has been answered in the off season. It is a trial and the team and BA should be given the chance to develop into and through the season. We're all hoping things start going the right way.
From your list GW, agree with the first 3 in the improved line, disagree with some in the second line. Kaufusi did not have a lot of game time but was ok in each of his games though, he's still learning and has a future, Mahoney needs bench time as he's not an 80 minute player, thus a utility or another 9 on the bench. Moses was affected by injuries last year and was doing all he could. Fergo, Blake & Evans, totally agree but not the coaches fault rather the lack of effort from those 3. Sivo, improved with his defence and high ball catches, but not a try scorer outside the 20 metre line. Lane was not the same player as he was in his first year, so for me the regression was not across the board with the list.
Agree re the Brown Brothers and Matto, although I believe they are capable of better games.
George Jennings he improved when he left in his car. Alvaro was mostly out of the main squad until he went to the warriors on loan and was 1% better, when he came back, well the club let him go pretty quick which improved his running. In the end though Alvaro really did not improve in the last couple of years at the club, he signed a contract that would have had him stay this year, but he will be a smash at the drags.
Thats fair too. I think theres reasons for a lack of improvement like youve listed , and I havent written off some of the guys on the list who didnt improve as bad players. I just think with excuses and other reasons thrown in we still didnt get improvement from those players. Kaufusi is a prime example of a player BA hasn't got year on year development from.
The improved ladder position was more of a result of an easy first two rounds and a fast start after covid. 2nd half of the season we played like a 6th-12th team consistently. In fairness I should add Marata to the improved list, i forgot him and he has improved .
What you say GW&F is a complete lack of objectivity, if the coach had said what you had said the knives would be out immediately. Improved out of sight ...Alvaro
Now singly that stands out as saying this guy just has an "invective" to destroy and undermine the coach and the club...... CREDIBILITY ZERO
You are not a person with statements like that will make anyone read you objectively as a balanced poster!
I watched every titans game last year. If they play this year like they did in the back half of last year, they are certain to make the 8.
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