Time To Think About It

I just maybe considered the one biggest detractors of this Eels side and their performances on this site.But after I have had some time to think about and digest the events of the last fortnight I have changed my view of our side.Some of you may be thinking,' what, I didn't realise FrankTheTank had a brain and could think'. Regardless of the popular consensus on here, here is my latest line of thinking.First, Parra is a very young side with an ingrained fear if succeeding. Many of them don't know what it feels like to win, its been that long.Second, Parra have lost many of our better, more experienced players in Peats, Mau, Hoppa and Sio. If you take this experience and the calibre if these guys from any side and that side would struggle.Third, we played a Newcastle side who were on the bottom of the table before yesterday but they are much better than the table suggests. Realistically this is a side that made the 8 last year and they were pretty much at full strength. We did well to compete and keep the margin to 6 pts.Even though we were at home this game on paper was always tougher than we thought missing some of our key guys. If we were at full strength I dare say we win yesterday.I suppose what I'm trying to say is that we can't expect to win all of the time considering the current situation we find ourselves in regarding fit players etc. I'm not making excuses but you simply cant take out that much talent from any side expect the side to continue along the same lines.From now on its going to be a more compassionate, realistic and sympathetic FrankTheTank and I think its time maybe for me to just jump on the unicorn bandwagon.I hearby retire my number 10 Cave Dwellers jersey.

Wow frank good on you mate, it is easier once we calm down and I think that is pretty much spot on. I think some fans gave got a bit carried away this year and expected a minor premiership. Fact is we are much better than last year and at the start of the year we would have been very pleased to be where we are and to play as we did yesterday. Also good point re Newcastle making the 8 last year and not to mention that they are coached by probably the best coach ever and what no one has mentioned is how he out coached ba. No disrespect to ba but Bennetts players played a perfect game plan, all our fans see is that Tonga didn't pass much to semi, Paulo came on and stuffed everything etc etc, they didn't see that the winger was standing between semi and tonga even if it meant not making the tackle and leaving tonga for his inside men. Tonga was looking but smartly held the ball. They were so well prepared and they rattled our halves in particular sandow into making some really bad choices under pressure. The team and ba will learn from this, it's just another lesson as we continually improve.

"Yep Talking Parra had Tuilagi and Pezet at 9.5 and felt that was too high considering both had issues during the game, particularly the first 25 mins."

"With To'o and his comment of "Hard work beats talent" leans into what i suspect with my comments below as well. Discipline, ie hard work to get back in the line and move up when fatigued , the cover defending the fullback getting back in…"

Replies

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER June 30, 2014 at 1:25pm

If Hayne good as everybody say he is we would of beat Newcastle
- SuperEel 22 > ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER June 30, 2014 at 1:33pm
  
  Hayne only ran for 271 metres, 1 try and 1 line break. P!ss poor effort. Sack him, bring back Hunt.
  
  And for you people who don't understand sarcasm, an example is above. ^^^
FME June 30, 2014 at 1:26pm

Nice one tank and the fact we held them to zero in the 2nd half is a good sign as well. Hope thinking didnt hurt too much ;-).
Frank The Tank June 30, 2014 at 1:36pm

Sorry.
Sarcasm, what mean Sarcasm?
- This reply was deleted.
  - Frank The Tank June 30, 2014 at 10:02pm
    
    No I thought it was the first few minutes after you dump your load, fart and go to sleep.
Hamish June 30, 2014 at 1:56pm

Yeah I think we are missing a bit from that right side. We've pretty much decimated the whole right side with Ma'u, Hoppa and Sio out and we definitely lacked a bit of finish down that side. As BA said the halves need to work on their 5th tackle options, especially Norman. As I've said before he needs to work on his short kicking game. We tried to run the ball way too many times. A well placed bomb or grubba could have seen a try or at least a repeat set.
Bean June 30, 2014 at 1:57pm

Well said, Frank. We are definately missing those injured guys you mentioned. Newcastle played well yesterday and we probably thought they'd be an easier assignment then they were. We didn't play bad, just needed to have better last tackle options and get to our kick. I'm still happy with how they're going compared to the last few years. There is still plenty of room for improvement and things they can fix up. We'll get there.
- IH8Manly & IEspeciallyH8Qld > Bean June 30, 2014 at 3:48pm
  
  We're not playing bad, but we're not playing smart.
  
  Wrong options, spilled ball at crucial times, and discipline lapses.
  
  Maybe the return of key players will reduce this, but yesterday's team could have played smarter and won.
Frank The Tank June 30, 2014 at 2:42pm

Lol Brett.
I noticed that this comment isn't sarcastic but it has some patronising under tones.
Great post.
Xman June 30, 2014 at 3:20pm

Wow frank good on you mate, it is easier once we calm down and I think that is pretty much spot on. I think some fans gave got a bit carried away this year and expected a minor premiership. Fact is we are much better than last year and at the start of the year we would have been very pleased to be where we are and to play as we did yesterday. Also good point re Newcastle making the 8 last year and not to mention that they are coached by probably the best coach ever and what no one has mentioned is how he out coached ba. No disrespect to ba but Bennetts players played a perfect game plan, all our fans see is that Tonga didn't pass much to semi, Paulo came on and stuffed everything etc etc, they didn't see that the winger was standing between semi and tonga even if it meant not making the tackle and leaving tonga for his inside men. Tonga was looking but smartly held the ball. They were so well prepared and they rattled our halves in particular sandow into making some really bad choices under pressure. The team and ba will learn from this, it's just another lesson as we continually improve.