Round 23 Game Day Thread: Eels v Knights

[Eelementary]

The loss we needed before finals i think, time for BA to kick them in the arse and get them back focused.
take nothing from the knights they were very commited and played some great footy and really have turned themselves around in the last month, well done to them and coach Brown.

But with all due respect, what more do they need to be focussed?

We were playing for Mannah's 200th game, and a win would have put us firmly in the top 4; if that is not enough to motivate the team and keep them focussed, I don't know what is, tbh...

 

[Eelementary]

If you refer the player votes thread all the points have been given to mostly forwards and rightly so

So I have to ask, why were our halves so useless last night ? We offered f**k all in attack.

Excellent point.

Our halves had enough opportunities to create something.

Moses and Norman were MIA last night.

 

[Bazal]

But with all due respect, what more do they need to be focussed?

We were playing for Mannah's 200th game, and a win would have put us firmly in the top 4; if that is not enough to motivate the team and keep them focussed, I don't know what is, tbh...

If we play Brisbane last night I believe we win. We were slack because of our opponent...

 

[strider]

Excellent point.

Our halves had enough opportunities to create something.

Moses and Norman were MIA last night.

Their heads were elsewhere

It was obvious from our first f**king kick where Moses ran into f**king King while he was trying to kick the ball .... WT f**king F?

 

[Eelementary]

If we play Brisbane last night I believe we win. We were slack because of our opponent...

You know, I think you're right - and that concerns me.

Top sides will lose the occasional game, of course - but the top sides do not show such disrespect to their opposition.

That sort of attitude has plagued Parramatta for more than a decade...

 

[Eelementary]

Their heads were elsewhere

It was obvious from our first f**king kick where Moses ran into f**king King while he was trying to kick the ball .... WT f**king F?

Absolutely.

And I love BA, but that rests on his shoulders, imo - the team was clearly not focused last night.

 

[strider]

You know, I think you're right - and that concerns me.

Top sides will lose the occasional game, of course - but the top sides do not show such disrespect to their opposition.

That sort of attitude has plagued Parramatta for more than a decade...

agree .... melbourne don't "not turn up" .... they might be a little down occaisionally, but they still do what is required to win nearly all the time

we have a never ending history of being dumb complacent f**k sticks

 

[Bazal]

Absolutely.

And I love BA, but that rests on his shoulders, imo - the team was clearly not focused last night.

I reckon that's one of the biggest myths in the game tbh.

The coach can't control his players attitude once they step onto the field. If they're sitting in the sheds pre-game thinking they've got it in the bag, nothing he can say will change that mindset. The key players weren't willing to work hard because they took Newcastle for granted. That's not on the coach

 

[Eelementary]

I reckon that's one of the biggest myths in the game tbh.

The coach can't control his players attitude once they step onto the field. If they're sitting in the sheds pre-game thinking they've got it in the bag, nothing he can say will change that mindset. The key players weren't willing to work hard because they took Newcastle for granted. That's not on the coach

Sports psychologist, then?

Seriously - this club has been doing this for 17 years...it's almost like there's something in the water at Parramatta, or something...

There's gotta be an investigation!!!

 

[Bazal]

Sports psychologist, then?

Seriously - this club has been doing this for 17 years...it's almost like there's something in the water at Parramatta, or something...

There's gotta be an investigation!!!

I should clarify I think one instance of complacency is down to the players. And I do think we have a few who are prone to it...Sides with mental weakness can often be put down to coaching but I don't think we're mentally weak. We just read the press about ourselves and bought into the hype, so to speak

 

[Eelementary]

I should clarify I think one instance of complacency is down to the players. And I do think we have a few who are prone to it...Sides with mental weakness can often be put down to coaching but I don't think we're mentally weak. We just read the press about ourselves and bought into the hype, so to speak

Fair points.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

agree .... melbourne don't "not turn up" .... they might be a little down occaisionally, but they still do what is required to win nearly all the time

we have a never ending history of being dumb complacent f**k sticks

Newcastle's last away win was in Melbourne in round 24, 2015. The Storm were at full strength (albeit with Munster in for Slater) and lost 20-6. Here's how the rest of Melbourne's season unfolded: http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-2015/melbourne/summary.html

They did indeed 'not turn up' and in the long run it made f**k all difference. They went on to beat both eventual grand final teams in the next two weeks, before beating the minor premiers in Sydney the week after that (in week one of the finals).

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I reckon that's one of the biggest myths in the game tbh.

The coach can't control his players attitude once they step onto the field. If they're sitting in the sheds pre-game thinking they've got it in the bag, nothing he can say will change that mindset. The key players weren't willing to work hard because they took Newcastle for granted. That's not on the coach

Not only that, but telling merkins not to be complacent reinforces that they have reason to be complacent. None of them were worried about complacency before they beat the Broncos.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Sometimes, a team just plays shit. And its more likely to happen against a team at the bottom of the ladder. If we do it the next few weeks then we have real reason to jump up and down. And IMO, Newcastle are very much on the rise. I'd rather be a supporter of them ATM than the Dogs, Titans, Warriors Tigers or Souths.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

And anyone who says we don't respect our captain because of last night's performance should ask if Cronulla also don't respect Paul Gallen.

 

[hybrideel]

I think they bulldogs game was what caused last night's effort. It all came so easy due to the dogs being utter shit and they looked at Newcastle's ladder position and expected the same without having to work for it

 

[Bazal]

And anyone who says we don't respect our captain because of last night's performance should ask if Cronulla also don't respect Paul Gallen.

Should they respect Gallen?

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Should they respect Gallen?

I'm not going there. But I think they do respect Gallen.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Actually, I will go there. Yes they should.

 

[Bazal]

I'm not going there. But I think they do respect Gallen.

Yeah I was being a twat again

I think they do too. And I also think our boys respect Timmy a lot more than a certain Fijian-hating local resident would like to think, for example.

That said I would respect Mannah a lot more than Gallen as a player, I feel. One comes across as a pretty selfless and humble dude. The other comes across as being all about himself when it comes to footy.