Why lock is key to Parramatta's season

His style is reminiscent of locks of old, and Feleti Mateo could be the crucial element to the Eels’ premiership charge. Joe Barton reports for Big League magazine...

Premiership favourites leading into Round 1, Parramatta were ambushed by a St George Illawarra side hell-bent on exacting revenge for their contribution in ruining the end of Wayne Bennett’s first season at the club.

It will not be enough to send fan expectation into a tailspin just yet – at least the sane ones who know competitions aren’t won in March – but they will be quietly wondering whether the “spark” that ignited them last season is still flickering somewhere.

The key to finding it could rest with the mature young bloke in the pack who will never get cornrows because his “mum would hate it”. A local junior and self-proclaimed hip-hop superstar of the NRL, Feleti Mateo is more than happy to proclaim he enjoys the added pressure.

“We have pressure when we’re under the pump and pressure when we’re going good,” Mateo laughs. “I don’t mind it either way – I’ve had pressure on me when we weren’t going well, so it goes both ways.”

http://www.nrl.com/news/news/newsarticle/tabid/10874/newsid/57926/why-lock-is-key-to-parramattas-season/default.aspx

This afternoon we see the boys up against the Storm for our annual magic round game. The Eels get ASI back in the halves with Cartwright making his return from injury also. The Storm will be displeased with their performance and result from last…

Replies

Normo March 18, 2010 at 5:58pm

Lock is the key. Gotta love the rl pun headlines.
RealEel March 18, 2010 at 9:05pm

I cant help but think that with Mateo in the side our defence suffers. I wouldn't pretend to have any inside information , but from a fans perspective Metaeo doesn't seem be as fit and strong as other players. With his skill level, it would be great to see him develp further physically, like Jared Hayne has.
Bourbon Man March 19, 2010 at 10:11am

It's true, his defence is his weakness, but you can't have everything! His capacity to attack is tremendous and is easily the most dangerous and skilful lock in the competition at the moment.

I wouldn't swap him for anybody!
- RealEel > Bourbon Man March 19, 2010 at 12:57pm
  
  Agree 100%, but I would be interested to know what kind of trainer he is. He is pretty big naturally, but doesn't seem "muscled" (for want of a better term) like other players. Maybe if he was more muscled it would help with his defense. Of course fitness has a lot to do with the players ability to dominate in defence. Pretty hard to hit hard when you are sucking in the big ones. Maybe this is also why he drifts in and out of games.
  
  Again, I am not pretending I know anything about how he trains, just an outsiders observation.
CMD & RSD March 19, 2010 at 10:20pm

Guys, maybe you can help me with why there is this perception of Mateo being poor in defence when the stats just don't support it. In 53 minutes against the Dragons he made 35 tackles for 4 missed. Cayless and Keating had 4 missed tackles, Fui and Poore had 3 . He was 4th in tackles made. Why do you perceive him as poor in this area cause I don't see it that way when I'm watching.
Normo March 19, 2010 at 10:41pm

In the past he has given up some cheap tries, not that many but a few to some poor on line one on one grabs. Incidentally I think last year when he played he was fitter and better in this area.