Rd 2 2024: 8pm Penrith v Eels GAME DAY THREAD @ Bluebet Stadium March 15th

[Poupou Escobar]

I remain sceptical. Off the juice and he’s likely just another so-so footballer. Time will tell.

ffs

 

[Noise]

Cini was our best player in reserves yesterday. 164 metres, 7 tackle breaks, 3 offloads and a try. Defended at 85%

Defensive specialist Morgan Harper defended at just under 62%. That’s about as bad as it gets.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

If I recall he flagged in the pre-season that Tualagi was the centre option if anyone in the backs gets injured.

Just like Niukore. It's not ideal but it's the least disruptive option other than carrying a winger on the bench. Once you start shuffling merkins around you lose a whole bunch of other stuff.

In any case, we were up by two when Kelma Tuilagi got injured. The Panthers scored three tries after that, one with Tuilagi on the ground receiving treatment and two with Cartwright and Matterson out of their usual positions in both attack and defence. It wasn't Tuilagi's fault, it was all the disruption caused by the forced shuffling of players. Or maybe it was just BA's fault for being a bush coach.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

C’mon we were never supposed to get near them and we had a crack.

Yep, we were paying $3 on Sportsbet. We had them rattled until our second injured edge player.

Injuries cruel Eels in derby defeat

An injury-depleted Eels team went down 26-18 to the Panthers despite a gutsy effort in the Battle of the West.

www.parraeels.com.au

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Was there a hip drop by Harper late in the game ? He could be missing next week too

Always a grey area. It didn't look intentional, but maybe accidental hip drops still get suspended.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

No change to Kelma at halftime also baffling

We were winning at halftime.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The issue is Simmonson and Harper are our 5th and 6th best.

Those two and Russell are our 3rd, 4th and 5th best outside backs. Penisini and Sivo are our top two.

Penrith have Laurie,Peachey,Alamoti and young guns longhi, Jesse Mclean

Because their structure is built around outside backs. Ours is built around forwards.

 

[JokerEel]

Always a grey area. It didn't look intentional, but maybe accidental hip drops still get suspended.

Got a fine

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Penrith looked a bit cooked. Completed at 65%.
They also didn't score another point once Tulagi went off injured. Coincidence? Don't be a peanut.

Yes they did. Tuilagi got injured at 18-16:

NRL Match Highlights: Panthers v Eels | Eels

The Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels face off in Round 2 of the 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership

www.parraeels.com.au

Peanut

 

[JokerEel]

Yes they did. Tuilagi got injured at 18-16:

NRL Match Highlights: Panthers v Eels | Eels

The Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels face off in Round 2 of the 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership

www.parraeels.com.au

Peanut

Ffs I already answered this

 

[Poupou Escobar]

They scored the last try after he went off.

*two tries

Plus one while he was receiving treatment.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I don't think many have complained about Hands service from dummy half being average in 12 months since his debut.

Where did you come up with that conclusion.

It's his decision making. We need a smart hooker, not a nippy one. Look at last year's grand final sides. Both 9s were plodders.

If you saw our 2 x attacking set with 7-8 mins to go. Lussick burnt about 3 plays one of them he was exhausted and took the tackle.

He took the tackle because the shift wasn't on. That's the decision making I'm talking about. The alternative is to see the play isn't on and decide to throw the pass anyway.

I thought Joey had a decent game other then 1 or 2 miss tackles with the leota try but Hands should have been on a lot earlier to give us some fresh spark around the ruck.

Spark around the ruck isn't what we need, especially against Penrith's busy middle defenders. We need to use our big forwards and wear them down, which is what has worked for us in the past. Nippy runners up the middle don't work against Penrith. They need to be overpowered and worn down, to drain their energy. That's the only way you can create space on the edges.

Didnt BA say at halftime we still need to chase points and be attacking while in front.

I would have thought bringing on Hands and adding some spark around the ruck would help that.

Hands is an ordinary player mate. I don't understand where people get the idea he is some sort of attacking weapon. We have enough of those in our team already. Every run Hands takes is one less for the likes of Paulo, Moses and Brown.

 

[JokerEel]

*two tries

Plus one while he was receiving treatment.

One try!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Ffs I already answered this

Well you can answer it again ffs! I've been busy.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

One try!

Oh yeah, you're right ffs

 

[JokerEel]

Oh yeah, you're right ffs

Ffs!

 

[Gary Gutful]

Armchair experts are at it again.

 

[JokerEel]

Armchair experts are at it again.

My chair doesn't have arms

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Imagine if Penrith actually played good and didn’t bomb 4 tries.

Imagine if they didn't attack the head of our winger four minutes in

 

[hindy111]

Coaches will stay up until 4 in the morning working on ways to cheat that.

You jig them so they can't. Do you understand a good jig?