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
Yep, they do everything at speed with enthusiasm. If you don't match them, they'll run right through you
Maybe BA thinks that oppositions should slow down to suit his game plan! O wait he doesn't even have a game plan to start with so he blames the opposition for playing too fast for his liking 😂😂
I thought the first 25-30 minutes was quality both teams were even was quite fast for a trial. Once again when we go to our bench momentum is lost. Paulo, rcg and brown are key as well as gutho in terms of how far we go. Against the top teams i would put one of our gun forwards on the bench so when th bench comes on momentum isn't lost. Nikoure goes in starting side with Lane on bench or out of the squad. Papali and kuafusi both need to be on the bench when fit. Stone or Lane the other forward. Eels need a utility on the bench. After 30 minutes mahoney needs to come off and not get put in as another middle forward who just tackles while stone takes up hooking postion. Mahoney needs a spell and back on around the 55 minute mark to ad spark with his fellow gun forwards at the final quarter of the game. Don't know about Lussick. Hopefully Roache is a gun when fit. For the mean time Will Smith deserve that bench spot. Ads spark around the ruck. Good at sharp darts up the middle which is what we miss when our gun forwards come off. Smith can also cover in the backs if an injury occurs. We do have a good side that will push the top sides and may go deeper provided our wingers and waqa performs well consistantly. Only a trail last night. If our first 7-10 games are hopeless then bye bye Brad!
Was saying this on here a few weeks ago. We need another front rower.
At the risk of being too negative I have found Kaufusi to be another development dissapointment so far. He looked quite promising in 2019... Didnt add much in 2020 and we lost all momentum when the starting front rowers went off last night.
Brad, mate just stick to coaching will you ? Pretty dumb comment to soothe the nerves of the masses.
Other than maybe not handling the pace of the 6again rule why was nathan brown coming off with paulo and rcg lastnight and last year. Should of been lane all along. Magine nikoure coming on after 20 min mark for lane last year. He would of done a Dean Widders and destroy the side he was put on. Brad's rotation of the bench needs improvement or it is time to say good bye
Not much else he can say. But I believe he's just covering up for what he saw. Attack is woeful and one dimensional. Far too lateral as well. Players were positioned fine, it's just the structure is ordinary and the execution at times (particularly on our right) was downright disgraceful.
Mick, the aspect of him saying Match Fitness was needed is a fair call, what we saw last night was one team with better fitness and a couple of very big forwards that had fit power. The game overall was poorely refereed and the Riff got the rub mostly, we had 3 six again calls against us on the line, we had none. Likewise he allowed the Riff to be offside all night, and pinged the eels for offside plays We also had players that had not played at this level before and were gassed. The other aspect is that I don't see many of the one year deal players being signed again unless there is a big change in their abilities.
This game was a trial, we will know a lot more come the main comp, so the aspect of match fitness is correct but the other mob handled that better, don't forget also that we had 3 try's overturned.
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.
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