There has been a lot of media scrutiny on Parramatta's start to the year. Many saying the team is already on the way to the wooden spoon and that they aren't a threat to the competition's leading teams. Now, apart from the disaster against North Queensland we could've won both matches going into the final 10min. I have a number of issues with Parramatta being written off so early in the season.
1. The team is yet to play an entire match without a player being injured or unavailable. In both Round 1 and 3 Hayne wasn't available and in Round 2 he only played 16 minutes. Fui didn't play in Round 3, Hindy didn't play in Round 2 and wasn't at his best against the Cowboys and Tonga didn't play in Round 1. How can an accurate assessment of the team be made if it is yet to field a fully fit side? The main argument is that one player doesn't make a team. I agree with that statement but respond by saying one player can complete a team. Hayne is the extra ball player and attacking weapon in the team. He attracts attention whenever the ball is around him and as a result gives players such as Roberts and Sandow more room to work in. Hayne's ability to run the ball, kick and pass makes him one of the most dangerous players in the competition when fully fit. He can throw a no-look cut-out pass with ease, side step and accelerate through a defence or put in an accurate kick for his other backs to charge on to. Without Hayne our sweeping play is less effective as the defence can concentrate on shutting down either Sandow or Roberts without having to worry about Hayne receiving the ball in space. Whilst both Sio and Burt have done an admirable job at filling in for Hayne they each lack something that Hayne has. For Sio it's the passing game. Sio isn't a small player and can use his size and strength to break tackles, however he doesn't have a kicking or passing game so the defence can isolate him knowing he won't pass the ball. For Burt, he doesn't have the size to trouble the defence. The defence can easily slide knowing Burt will be more likely to either pass or kick than take the line on. Hayne is that extra link that the team needs.
2. My second grievance is that few realise that the Warriors started last season 0-3 yet made the Grand Final. No team is going to win or lose the Premiership with 23 Rounds to go. Just because Parramatta has had a so far winless start to the season does not mean they have no chance of making the Finals come September. Many upsets have already occurred this season, the most recent being the Sharks defeating Manly last Monday. With the competition so close all Parra has to do is stay within 2-6 points of the Top 8 just after the Origin period and there's always a chance they can force their way in. My point is writing a team off with 23 Rounds to go is a very short-sighted view. I know 2009 is 3 season to go but at the mid-way point of that year Parra was 100-1 to win the Premiership and we were within 7 points of beating a cheating team.
3. Kearney will be sacked this season. I disagree heavily with this statement. He's done a great job with setting up a junior system and sacking him will un-do a lot of that work. Parra has been accused of playing a boring style of play and that they are playing like "Robots". With Hayne and a number of other key players out during each match this year I believe this style has been adopted to compensate for it. You can't play expansive football if your best attacking player isn't playing, not to mention players such as Hindy or Fui missing from the line-up. I'm going to make this statement now. When Hayne is back you will see more adventurous plays and a more free-flowing attacking game. I believe sacking Kearney at this stage of his career at Parramatta will not benefit the team or the club. We'd be sacking him before we get to see the results of all the work he's put in so far.
4. Lastly, that players are lacking heart. While it seems that on Saturday night many of the players gave up I don't think that is an accurate depiction of what was happening on the field. Okay some soft tries were let in but the conditions in no way helped Parra. You may say that the Cowboys had to play in the same conditions but they live in the area. They train in that type of weather and are more accustomed to it than any other team in the comp. High levels of humidity are energy sapping and results in players fatiguing more quickly than normal. I can assure you the team will come out fired up and ready to play against the Panthers this Friday Night.
My simple message to the supporters is to hang in there. It's early in the season and there's plenty of room for improvement. With a fully fit team Parramatta can mix it with the best in the competition.
Replies
But Hayne is the crucial member in the spine and is a hugely talented player. He is used in the majority of our set plays and has an ability to make even the best defenders nervous. We covered decently for Hindy and Fui when they were out but to ask another player to step in and do Hayne's job is ludicrous. He attracts defenders even without the ball and is a menace with the ball. Burt and Sio just aren't as threatening as Hayne when it comes to attacking plays.
So going by the form shown by all teams over the first 3 rounds, who would you have as favourites to get the spoon?
And going by the form shown by the Eels over the first 3 rounds, what price do you think they should be to make the 8 and win the comp?
He's not a 5/8. For Hayne it's quality not quantity. When he's able to pick and choose when he gets involved is when he's at his most dangerous. Sterling said this a couple of years ago. He said Hayne is yet to master the fullback position. Until he does that he shouldn't be moved to the halves.
On point 3:
Thinking anything that Kearney has done thus far will fall apart (or, in fact, not be substantially improved upon) in his absence is as insulting to the next (almost certainly more qualified) coach as Kearney has been to his predecessors (of whom every last one is more credible, talented and respected for, you know, actually winning football games) in inferring in not so many words that he inherited a basket case with this club.
Kearney is unqualified for the task at hand and has underestimated the talent required to succeed as a coach at this level, whilst mistaking himself for one that has it. The coach we need will be able to do what Kearney is doing behind the scenes (whatever that is, given he seems incapable of outlining this for us) and doing everything he is failing to do, and is required of an NRL coach. I do, however, concede that if he stays here long enough something good will happen. For that he has the same laws of percentages in his favour as would a retard in his position.
As to if he will be sacked: that comes down to waiting patiently for more, equally unqualified, people to wade through the breadth and depth of their own incompetence and self interest to rectify a decision that should never have been made, which is becoming increasingly self-evident by the day.
On the subject of winning and losing though, the NRL competition, this club, the community (in as much as it cares) and rugby league intellect as a whole is the poorer for the half-baked "leadership" of Kearney in Parramatta. I cannot wait for this period of inanity and underachievement to come to a swift end so that logic, high-achievement, and, dare I say it, a better recognition of the most important constituency in rugby league - the fans - once again has its time in the sun.
Which coach is available and willing to come to Parra? The only coaches available for next season are the Sharks' Shane Flanagan who I don't think is any better than Kearney and the Rossters' Brian Smith who I believe will be re-signed by the Roosters or won't come back to Parra.
However, they way we list games 1 and 3 was not pretty at all
Think outside the square
Mate your saying the only coaches left to coach are current coaches in 1st grade?
i can suggest 2 but can you handle it?
Both have more experience than SK but give SK a few more weeks,
SK has changed some things this week it only took a tonne of pressure for him to realize
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