The Greatest Challenge

The Parramatta Club and its fans currently face the greatest challenge of their recent history. Perhaps it is even their greatest challenge ever.Why would I make such a statement?It is because the club is under such pressure, such a barrage of criticism, such difficulties for the playing group, that it now involves a massive test of faith for all stakeholders in our club.We can't ignore the obvious. The team is sitting on the bottom of the table, on its own. It is a position far too familiar for the club and the fans. The list of unavailable players is longer than any other club. This must challenge the faith of the players. It must challenge the faith of the coaching staff. "What am I doing wrong?" would be the question spinning in their minds. Yet if you take out the missing players factor, if you take out some poor play and form, the goal kicking problem has impacted the Eels' losses quite significantly. The challenge for the football group is to have the mental strength, the faith, to stay within each game for 80 minutes and to not think about what should have been.The salary cap is a huge issue for our administration. Although primarily brought about by previous administration and largely rectified by the current regime, I have no doubt that our administration are still reflecting upon what they could have done better. The light is at the end of the tunnel. In 2016 the club will not be paying for players who are with other clubs. Yet the administration must keep the faith and hold their ground against any inaccurate rulings by the NRL in this issue. They must have faith that they did the right thing in self reporting. My belief is that the NRL does not preside over an even playing field and that their decision making only helps to maintain such inequities. I know that our board will challenge certain salary cap rulings.The media are perhaps one of the greatest challenges that our club must deal with. Is there a week, is there a day that goes by without some public criticism of the club? We know who the major players in the "trial by media" are. We know their personal links and agendas. They do have an impact on how some Eels fans view our club. They fuel the ideas of other supporters, even the NRL themselves. These media types and their attacks on our club should instead galvanise us, as fans, to recognise the agendas. It's not a matter of blindly ignoring any valid question or criticism but rather recognising bias reporting when it's there.So the challenge is enormous. I know how proud I will be of the playing group if they can lift themselves up the ladder in the wake of the injury toll and salary cap mandated team selections.The players, the club, the fans must all keep the faith in these challenging times. We all have an important part to play. Things should be done better. Things can be done better. Things will be done better.

Is it?

I'm not saying that each of the points put forward aren't true, but is this 'catastrophe' or "greatest challenge" just in the minds of Eels supporters?

Do other teams and fans really care or are the media just selling these stories to the Eels fans, knowing we will lap it up as we have for years.

There's no denying we fans love controversy and it's almost a challenge to find anything Eels (good or bad) and be the first to put it up here for discussion.

Tell me, do you really care how other teams are going and if not, wouldn't it stand to reason that they don't really care about us. I can't see a broncos fan buying a paper based on a story on the Eels. In fact in Brisbane it's hard to find any eels info locally.

So, sometimes we think that the whole world is against us, but maybe it's our slightly schizophrenic nature that's the problem.

I'm sure each game we have, there are fans who hope we win but secretly hope a "certain" player has a shocker so their negative thoughts on that player are proven correct. And given the amount of negative stuff written here on 80% of the team, there's always something negative that can be written after a game, especially after a loss.

By the sounds of it the players are keeping the faith, the club is also. But are we the fans keeping the faith?

There's no doubt after 30yrs a bit of luck and some changes are needed, but does that include changes in the mindset of fans? How many other fans who support the same team, also have factions with such hatred for each other?

We're a crazy bunch, but maybe we need to look inwardly before looking out, and I'm including myself in that.

"If Ryles had the players he wanted we would have been firing on all cylinders. But since we can't sign anyone to improve the other players around them, stick around for more false flags like this."

"Cmon brother. Do you expect us to be in the contest with that amount of handing errors
People shouldn't be talking about referees or anything else until the team fix up.the total bs we saw on Friday
Wake up to yourselves everyone who thinks…"

Replies

T-REX May 29, 2015 at 8:52am

*Stands & applauds*
- BiG G > T-REX May 29, 2015 at 10:21am
  
  I'm standing right next to you and applauding mate
Sir Penny Wong May 29, 2015 at 8:55am

We keep hearing excuse after excuse blah blah, I do like your blog though 60, when are us fans going to accept the club stinks. Are we going to make more excuses next t year when we are sitting stone cold last.? I really hope this club is doing everything in their power to dig us out of this squalor. Parra are always in the media because they allow them selves to be. We dont have a staunch figure head to stand up for the club.
- sixtiesboy > Sir Penny Wong May 29, 2015 at 9:03am
  
  I could have substituted the word strength here. We need strength from the players and coaches, we need strength from the club, we need strength from the fans. Hell I know that so many fans have had great strength to keep the faith for so long. We are right in the darkest part of that tunnel. I can see where we are heading but no doubt i not only expect, I demand improvement next year.
Bup May 29, 2015 at 8:59am

We should blacklist any media organisation who continue with sustained attacks on our organisation. I realise we have basic media commitments and we are not immune to questions regarding the clubs failures, and some criticisms are warranted , this systematic degradation of the club by certain individuals and outlets needs to be met with a stern recourse. Ban them from the clubs facilities ,access to players, coaching staff and administration. Offer no answers to questions . I'm sure they'll sink the boot in further. When the club turns things around they'll still be banned. We need to send a message if you intend to report vitriol about our club you'll have nothing to do with it.With our large base of supporters, we make them aware of the reasons and the individuals involved so we can do our bit to boycott their various interests. They'll soon get the picture not to mess with the club ,as it brings down their almighty profit margin.Money talks.
- sixtiesboy > Bup May 29, 2015 at 9:08am
  
  Bup there are certain media people that the club knows will always look for a negative. They know who they are, they expect it from them. We're last, we didn't get there through outstanding play! you correctly say that valid criticism is warranted. It's the agendas that we need to be wary of.
This reply was deleted.
- Josh May 29, 2015 at 12:50pm
  
  Even though the cowboys were missing a lot of stars they have still won 8 in a row. With that comes confidence & the ability to find a way to win.
- The Schueb is back May 29, 2015 at 6:01pm
  
  Mate towards the end of the stuart experiment i was actually happy we started to get the seige mentality - thats gone again with the dopey tim shrug and acceptance
- Craig Bridger May 30, 2015 at 2:40am
  
  How was that brissy? - backs to the wall or what?? - We could easily have won another 2-3 games & be right up there. This is a good team, that will only be better next year. Have faith young grasshopper!!
RIDER May 29, 2015 at 9:18am

Is it?

I'm not saying that each of the points put forward aren't true, but is this 'catastrophe' or "greatest challenge" just in the minds of Eels supporters?

Do other teams and fans really care or are the media just selling these stories to the Eels fans, knowing we will lap it up as we have for years.

There's no denying we fans love controversy and it's almost a challenge to find anything Eels (good or bad) and be the first to put it up here for discussion.

Tell me, do you really care how other teams are going and if not, wouldn't it stand to reason that they don't really care about us. I can't see a broncos fan buying a paper based on a story on the Eels. In fact in Brisbane it's hard to find any eels info locally.

So, sometimes we think that the whole world is against us, but maybe it's our slightly schizophrenic nature that's the problem.

I'm sure each game we have, there are fans who hope we win but secretly hope a "certain" player has a shocker so their negative thoughts on that player are proven correct. And given the amount of negative stuff written here on 80% of the team, there's always something negative that can be written after a game, especially after a loss.

By the sounds of it the players are keeping the faith, the club is also. But are we the fans keeping the faith?

There's no doubt after 30yrs a bit of luck and some changes are needed, but does that include changes in the mindset of fans? How many other fans who support the same team, also have factions with such hatred for each other?

We're a crazy bunch, but maybe we need to look inwardly before looking out, and I'm including myself in that.

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This reply was deleted.

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