Rd18: Parra v Penrith GAME DAY thread (11/9/20)

[Chipmunk]

In round one we scored a single try against the wooden spooners.

What's your point Pou Bear?

 

[Chipmunk]

We've been atrocious since 2014 in set situations.

I'd argue it's longer. Probably two decades

 

[Gazzamatta]

Lane needed a break 4 weeks ago. Hes played 80 mins every game. Madness. He was Origin quality earlier in the year. The same was being done with Mahoney. His minor injury is a blessing. Drown was another but unfortunately his injury is more severe. We have a squad of 30. Why bother. BA is certainly not the Bart Cummings of coaching.
Will Smith plays one game and did well. Look for him to be re signed shortly. Its how we roll like we did after Mennings disastrous 2018.
All that said Im convinced we have the players to achieve amazing things. Blind Freddy can see our attack is juvenile. It has no form, shape or skill. Yes our D is heaps better but out edges remain as brittle as a Violet Crumble Bar (yummo). Make no mistake. Our players are playing to the coaches plan and its boring, non productive and energy sapping. Its also known by every player and coach in the game.
Alana Ferguson was describing how Korisau was attacking from d/h before the game. How he was engaging the markers. Maybe she could be bought in to assist BA. Couldnt be any worse.
And finally. Fu*k of Joey Johns for all the good hes been. Interestingly though, when asked about Johns earlier this year, Moses said its the first time hes really been coached. Theres a red flag right there. They may love BA but how the fu*k do they continue to agree to play such a sh*t game plan. Hopefully that wasn't our GF tonight. I truly fear the next 2 games. Nothing would surprise and if the worst happens, next year could be an absolute disaster.
I only hope someone in our leadership group has the guts to tell BA they are sick to death of the sh*t he wants and they want to play some footy.
Viva La Revolution.

 

[eels_fan]

49 to 6 tackles in the opposition 20

42 to 21 minutes in possession

with stats like that there is no wonder we conceded a try in the last minute of each half, we were gassed.

we lose that game by 30 last year. Any other team, including the roosters and storm, lose the game with those stats.

I’d like to have seen some variation, risky or not, when coming out of our own end, especially late in the game. Moses has a massive boot, why not try a 20/40. What is there to lose? Worst case you miss it and they get a set 10m closer than they were every other set anyway...

Add Brown, Mahoney & Niukore come week 1 of the finals and I don’t think we really are as far away as people are making us out to be.

 

[hineyrulz]

What's your point Pou Bear?

Does he ever???

 

[Chipmunk]

49 to 6 tackles in the opposition 20

42 to 21 minutes in possession

with stats like that there is no wonder we conceded a try in the last minute of each half, we were gassed.

we lose that game by 30 last year. Any other team, including the roosters and storm, lose the game with those stats.

I’d like to have seen some variation, risky or not, when coming out of our own end, especially late in the game. Moses has a massive boot, why not try a 20/40. What is there to lose? Worst case you miss it and they get a set 10m closer than they were every other set anyway...

Add Brown, Mahoney & Niukore come week 1 of the finals and I don’t think we really are as far away as people are making us out to be.

If we can run 4th, on that performance the Panthers are ready to be beaten soon. Whoever runs 4th, whether it is us, Faids,Souths or Roosters I can see them getting the win.

 

[emjaycee]

It's been the same squad all year. We were never deserving of premiership favouritism. We always overrate our players and then blame the coach when they don't live up to expectations.

The posters on here who like to blame the coach are probably the same ones who expected us to win the comp when we were leading it after 9 rounds. IMO 2020 has never been our premiership window. We needed another year in the young bodies of Mahoney amd Drown before we can seriously think we are a chance at a premiership. Melbourne and Roosters have gotten away with having some of their spine inexperienced because of Smith, Cronk and Friend and the experience they have brung.

 

[Matty Bhoy]

Some wild takes in here as per usual after a loss. Superb effort, they tackled their hearts out. If you’ve even played thirsty thirds you know that saps you in attack. I’d almost argue we missed Niokore more than Reed/Rheed tonight. His punch off the bench was just what was needed.

Bring on Brisbane, the Tiges and hopefully Penriff again. I sense a fuggin ambush!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What's your point Pou Bear?

Some merkins have the idea that we were elite and then died in the arse. But we've always been a team that works hard and plays best when we hold the ball. If the opposition give up (weak teams) we can put a score on, or if good teams get frustrated we can jag a win. But our spine isn't smart enough to seriously threaten committed defences.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I truly fear the next 2 games. Nothing would surprise and if the worst happens, next year could be an absolute disaster.

I would've been surprised if we won tonight, and I expect us to win next week. I expect us to beat the Tigers as well, unless we already have top four sewn up. Then all bets are off. Except for the $35 (half of tonight's winnings) that I'll put on the Tigers.

I expect us to be at least as good next year, hopefully better. But then I expected the same in 2018.

 

[Kilkenny]

Who is elite in Penrith? Nobody is there. I mean JFH is a east but not a game breaker. Perhaps Kikau coukd be called elite

I was at the game this evening and frankly the score line flattered your team.

I’m not trying to be a smart arse or whatever but the Panthers were far superior in every aspect of the game and really should have won by a much bigger margin.

I’m not sure where the issues lay with your team which looks strong on paper but seriously, again I’m not being smug here, but you basically offered nothing in attack and our defence was more than capable of dealing with what you threw at us.

You suggest we have no elite, fair call I guess, but we should or could have been up 24-0 at half time had we have finished the opportunities we created.

You mentioned JFH not being a game breaker. No he’s not but ran for 200 metres along with his 40 odd tackles while RCG did f**k all. RCG in the first half of this season was a beast and I was so happy for him. Sadly he appears to have regressed back to his Panthers form of 18/19 because tonight he offered nothing.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I was at the game this evening and frankly the score line flattered your team.

I’m not trying to be a smart arse or whatever but the Panthers were far superior in every aspect of the game and really should have won by a much bigger margin.

I’m not sure where the issues lay with your team which looks strong on paper but seriously, again I’m not being smug here, but you basically offered nothing in attack and our defence was more than capable of dealing with what you threw at us.

You suggest we have no elite, fair call I guess, but we should or could have been up 24-0 at half time had we have finished the opportunities we created.

You mentioned JFH not being a game breaker. No he’s not but ran for 200 metres along with his 40 odd tackles while RCG did f**k all. RCG in the first half of this season was a beast and I was so happy for him. Sadly he appears to have regressed back to his Panthers form of 18/19 because tonight he offered nothing.

Mate it's easy for your players to look good when they have all the ball. That's true for any player in any team. But Penrith are the best team in the comp at controlling the ball, averaging 56% possession. Melbourne and the Eels are next best with 52%

The reason Penrith dropped so much ball in the first half is because they got frustrated and went away from their game plan. If they stuck to their game plan they wouldn't have dropped so much ball but also wouldn't have looked as threatening. Swings and roundabouts. You can't say coulda woulda shoulda. You only ever would've put a cricket score on us if we gave up, like we did against Souths.

Campbell-Gillard only got 12 runs and 35 tackles (about 1:3 ratio and 0.71 tackles per minute). Fisher-Harris got 24 runs and 44 tackles, which is better than 1:2 ratio and only 0.57 tackles per minute, meaning a lot more recovery time between tackles.

In round 5 when we won RCG made 14 runs and only 20 tackles (about 2:3) while JFH had 15 and 31. Especially in the forwards it's all about who gets the most possession. Don't come in here crowing about RCG when he spent the whole game defending.

 

[Kilkenny]

Mate it's easy for your players to look good when they have all the ball. That's true for any player in any team. But Penrith are the best team in the comp at controlling the ball, averaging 56% possession. Melbourne and the Eels are next best with 52%

The reason Penrith dropped so much ball in the first half is because they got frustrated and went away from their game plan. If they stuck to their game plan they wouldn't have dropped so much ball but also wouldn't have looked as threatening. Swings and roundabouts. You can't say coulda woulda shoulda. You only ever would've put a cricket score on us if we gave up, like we did against Souths.

Campbell-Gillard only got 12 runs and 35 tackles (about 1:3 ratio and 0.71 tackles per minute). Fisher-Harris got 24 runs and 44 tackles, which is better than 1:2 ratio and only 0.57 tackles per minute, meaning a lot more recovery time between tackles.

In round 5 when we won RCG made 14 runs and only 20 tackles (about 2:3) while JFH had 15 and 31. Especially in the forwards it's all about who gets the most possession. Don't come in here crowing about RCG when he spent the whole game defending.

Look the ideal scenario for me would be to see an Eels v Panthers GF.

If I had to put my hard earned cash on the sides competing for the big prize I think I would be backing a Roosters v Storm they are clearly still the benchmarks.

Leaving aside the RCG v JFH debate, I was ecstatic with the win tonight but at the same time I am a realist and recognise it was the sort of performance likely to be good enough to beat the Storm or Roosters when it really counts.

So where does tonight leave you guys? There is going to be some soul searching to do, post game. We clearly won the battle up front which is concerning for you guys given your promising early form was on the back of winning the forwards battle.

It’s not for me to dissect where it is going wrong for your team but I make one observation and that is the fact your key man in Moses was underwhelming tonight whereas Cleary while not one of his better games was always in the thick of the action.

 

[Eelementary]

The 2nd tackle of the match set the tone for me. We had them trapped in their 10 and lane just lies there. The next 10 or so minutes we were starting every set inside our 10. Some good points made about our backs not getting our sets off to a good start but it’s never easy inside your own 10. A set restart or two was deserved but not given in these circumstances. To much one out from our middle. We need bodies in motion to attract defenders. The amount of times penrith got 4 in a tackle was ridiculous.

The first time we attack the king is waving to the camera when Moses hits him on the chest with the ball. Someone said Moses shouldn’t have thrown it. Why not? He was in a little space, I agree it didn’t look like much was on but it was a better option than Moses getting tackled.

Kane f*ck off to Warriors already Evans thinks he is such a tough man. He stands over the tackled player with a minute to go and gives up a set restart. For his size he is actually a pussy. We go in leading bar that. Penrith would have been down on confidence but right on half time they get a boost.

We get into an arm wrestle in the second half and Lane drops the ball. For pretty much the rest of the half we were on the back foot. It’s only one of many mistakes but it was the one that gave penrith the momentum.

To many stupid mistakes that good teams don’t make or at least limit. Like gutho not bothering to attempt to catch the kick for the second try. We cut them out and we get more attacking opportunities. We may not have used them but I’d rather be shitty of our attack being inept then not getting enough chances to try.

Once they score that second try we we no chance. To much energy expended defending. Having said that why would you not take a short drop out with just over 3 minutes to go? I know we were not going to go the length of the field but you got to at least try. Then off the kick off after the penalty goal. Why no short kick off? They were playing for a 12 point loss, not good enough.

People bagging Moses, I get it. Cleary is clearly a better half and I thought this at the start of the season when most were bagging him and blowing Moses. If you swap them tonight and we would be saying Cleary is a downhill skier and how good was Moses. He copped some shit for his kicking game I thought was unfair. He was on the back foot most of the time deep in his own half. Most of the time the only reason we had some field position was how deep he kicked it. Hard to find touch in those situations. Better kick chase would help also. He certainly needs to take a few more risks, especially towards the back of the game. He has gone from trying to score off every play to not trying anything.

Lastly what the f*ck is the go with Sutton? I have no issue with any restart calls against us bar the first one he gave in the second half. However I seen plenty he should have given us. Luai spent the whole game tackling around the head, not one penalty. We had a lot of bad luck with some of the six to go calls but I have no problem that they were the right calls. But we got none of the 50/50 calls while defending our line, or at least that’s how it felt.

That was me, mate, and I stand by it; there was no room for Gutherson to do anything, even if he caught the ball.

Gutherson should have beeb paying attention, but Moses should have just taken the tackle.

That sort of play is typical from Moses, tbh - silly, bone-headed, and thoughtless.

 

[Pugzley]

I’m sorry guys.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Look the ideal scenario for me would be to see an Eels v Panthers GF.

If I had to put my hard earned cash on the sides competing for the big prize I think I would be backing a Roosters v Storm they are clearly still the benchmarks.

Leaving aside the RCG v JFH debate, I was ecstatic with the win tonight but at the same time I am a realist and recognise it was the sort of performance likely to be good enough to beat the Storm or Roosters when it really counts.

They do pip the Panthers for class but not by much. If you can control the ball you'll match both of those teams. Your defence tonight was incredible.

So where does tonight leave you guys? There is going to be some soul searching to do, post game. We clearly won the battle up front which is concerning for you guys given your promising early form was on the back of winning the forwards battle.

It’s not for me to dissect where it is going wrong for your team but I make one observation and that is the fact your key man in Moses was underwhelming tonight whereas Cleary while not one of his better games was always in the thick of the action.

What killed us tonight was Mansour and To'o (and Edwards) up the guts. It was a lot like round 11 last year where those two just killed us through the middle. Our big boys struggle against that, especially Paulo. Moses was in great form last year and deserved his Dally M. This year he is carrying a calf injury that has seen him take a back seat to Dylan Brown. If we had another general play kicker I reckon he would've sat out a lot more than three games.

 

[lucablight]

Some merkins have the idea that we were elite and then died in the arse. But we've always been a team that works hard and plays best when we hold the ball. If the opposition give up (weak teams) we can put a score on, or if good teams get frustrated we can jag a win. But our spine isn't smart enough to seriously threaten committed defences.

Why was it good enough to have the third best attack last season?

 

[hineyrulz]

Why was it good enough to have the third best attack last season?

Having the worst attack the last couple of months is considered good enough as well, any season where don't get the spoon is considered a good one for Mr Mediocre.

 

[Jake the snake]

I thought young Kafusi played better than Junior and RCG last night. Really made some good post contact yards. He’s coming along well. That’s one positive in a shit night

 

[IFR33K]

And they have won 1 and 0 games each to us winning 5 in that same period.
I know what I would rather.

Great spin mate. That wasn’t my point. We’re struggling hugely in attack. Actually can I say that? We have no actual attack!!!!