https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ev...dud-buy-for-winless-eels-20180420-p4zav1.html
Evans admits he's been a dud buy for winless Eels
Parramatta recruit Kane Evans has described his form this year as “crap”, but the assessment would likely be harsher still if it was coming from his father.
Evans is yet to sing the team song after the Eels opened their season with six straight losses.
“No, I don’t know the words yet,” Evans said. “I haven’t sung the team song, I’m still waiting.”
The blue and golds are seeking to get their first win against Manly, a side that trounced them 54-0 just a month ago.
Along with Jarryd Hayne, Evans was Parramatta’s big off-season recruit. By his own admission, the former Roosters has made an underwhelming start at his new club.
“I’ve been going crap,” Evans said. “I don’t think I’ve been up to standard coming off injury from the World Cup and a few little injuries in pre-season. I definitely need to work on my fitness and I’ll be doing that in the next couple of weeks.
“It’s the truth, my game doesn’t hide anything.
“You can think what you want, but I haven’t been performing. You can see that in my stats and how I’ve been going.”
It is a brutal appraisal, but it would be harsher still if coming from his father, Peter Davies. Davies – himself a first-grader with the Rabbitohs, Tigers and the Bulldogs – earned a reputation as a hot head during a career that included 12 top-grade appearances.
“I don’t let him watch my games,” Evans said.
“I don’t carry his last name because when he played he always got suspended.
“He got suspended a lot for fighting, he was a real rough head. He gets real aggressive with me and can’t come to my games because he always screams out.”
Asked what Davies would make of his form, Evans said: “He’s not happy. I feel sorry for him, I’m embarrassed for him. I have to lift my game for him as well.”
While it has been a horror start to his Eels career, Evans has no regrets about his decision to make the switch from the Roosters.
“I’m happy to be here,” he said.
“It’s not supposed to be just good seasons and have no troubles, you know what I mean? It was comfy at Roosters, but being here, I love the staff and Brad [Arthur] as well, especially as a coach. He’s a good mentor and everyone buys into how he’s been coaching us.
“He’s a great bloke. I’m looking to get through this and come over the top of it.”
Arthur has made a series of changes for the ANZ Stadium encounter against Manly on Sunday. Co-captain Beau Scott and winger Bevan French have been dropped and Evans conceded he would suffer a similar fate if he didn’t lift his game. The Fijian Test prop will have further competition for spots next season with Canberra prop Junior Paulo expected to return to the Eels.
“It will be good for him to come back,” Evans said.
“He’s a true leader and a big bopper, that would be good to add to our game.
“We need some boys with some weight on them and it would be mad to have him.”
