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GRAND FINAL: Parramatta v Penrith GAME DAY THREAD at Accor 2/10/22

King-Gutho94

Coach
Messages
11,669
Mahoney was a speed hump last night, i was pissed when i heard we lost Greed money but the more the season has gone on the more i think he won't be the big loss i thought he'd be. That said i'm not inspired by his replacement, a 35 year old pensioner with no knee cartildge.
Reed isn't worth the money the dogs paid him.

Your right though the replacement and options if that fails is more the worry then losing Reed.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
59,225
Mahoney was a speed hump last night, i was pissed when i heard we lost Greed money but the more the season has gone on the more i think he won't be the big loss i thought he'd be. That said i'm not inspired by his replacement, a 35 year old pensioner with no knee cartildge.

Yeah even when he does make tackles they just aren't dominant.
I think Cowboys Hooker made 60 against sharks for no misses while Brailey made about the same for 1 miss.
Mahoney has short arms and isn't very strong. In big games smart sides go straight for him. He is an ok player but in 2021 we compared him close to Api,Grant,Cook or just behind them.
Fast forward a year and there is another 3 or 4 guys infront of him now in my eyes. Both the Brailey brothers along with Robson.
I'm not fussed he is leaving. We got maybe a dozen good kicks out of him this season. Barely runs, defense average. Solid player but 650k? No thanks
 

Unlimitedpower

Juniors
Messages
2
I really feel for the longer term fans. I have only been following this club since 2011 and have seen plenty lows and not many highs. I was naive when I first followed Parra. I had high hopes for the team week after week, even during the spoon years. I can't imagine those following Parra since the 90s and never seen a premiership. The pain of last night must be tenfold. I will say though, I am not buying the doom and gloom story for 2023. Most of our squad remains the same. Sometimes fresh faces can do good. Maybe it's the hope. But this is not a one-off grand final like 09. I think we will get another red hot crack in the next couple years. Hopefully there were plenty of lessons learned last night.
 

Eelectrica

Referee
Messages
21,003
Next gf we make this is what we have to deal with from the media.
I just hope a few of the guys in the team are around to deal with those questions and are there to provide a solution to our lack of first half points. Other than that kick we barely fired a shot in the first half.

Penrith were playing a couple of gears above us.
 

Eelectrica

Referee
Messages
21,003
I really feel for the longer term fans. I have only been following this club since 2011 and have seen plenty lows and not many highs. I was naive when I first followed Parra. I had high hopes for the team week after week, even during the spoon years. I can't imagine those following Parra since the 90s and never seen a premiership. The pain of last night must be tenfold. I will say though, I am not buying the doom and gloom story for 2023. Most of our squad remains the same. Sometimes fresh faces can do good. Maybe it's the hope. But this is not a one-off grand final like 09. I think we will get another red hot crack in the next couple years. Hopefully there were plenty of lessons learned last night.
I can only speak for myself, but for me, the 2001 loss was the worse. That's a game we were expected to win. We were the dominant team that season. I just remember being shell shocked at half time wondering what the hell just happened. At the end of the game I thought next year, next year for sure. Well we know how that turned out.

The prelim loss in 2005 is up there with that 2001 GF loss as well. The night before the Tigers eliminated the biggest threat. We owned the Tigers, just win that prelim and this time for sure. Enough players still in the team from 2001 to carry those lessons forward but same damn result. Just got flattened by a Cowboys who went out and grabbed it.

This year, I was hoping we'd win, but didn't really expect too so the disappointment isn't quite the same. Biggest disappointment with this was the game being pretty much over after 30 minutes. I thought we had the team to compete with Penrith and at least give them a hell of a game and maybe get the win.
 

Angry_eel

First Grade
Messages
8,565
I really feel for the longer term fans. I have only been following this club since 2011 and have seen plenty lows and not many highs. I was naive when I first followed Parra. I had high hopes for the team week after week, even during the spoon years. I can't imagine those following Parra since the 90s and never seen a premiership. The pain of last night must be tenfold. I will say though, I am not buying the doom and gloom story for 2023. Most of our squad remains the same. Sometimes fresh faces can do good. Maybe it's the hope. But this is not a one-off grand final like 09. I think we will get another red hot crack in the next couple years. Hopefully there were plenty of lessons learned last night.
You're more optimistic than us mate. Tbh, you could be right. In 2002 and 2010 we didn't lose many players but still ended up crap.
 

Suitman

Post Whore
Messages
55,040
Glad you enjoyed your day. I don’t go to many games these days cause I don't like hearing people scream and swear in public. Carrying on like peanuts. I understand it's a good atmosphere but it isn't for me. I like it quiet and chilled.
I preferred games when the crowd would be around 12,000. Sit where I wanted, not have someone's legs rubbed up against me, no spilling drinks, no queuing up and easy to move around.
And I don't get as a good feel for the game when no commentators plus the view is never as good.

For these reasons I wish we won a premiership when I was in my 20s. I had more fire and wanted to cheer and scream. I just couldn't imagine going to one ever again.

Mate, I don't go to many games either these days. Maybe I am what is popularly called a "bandwagoner"
But yesterday was different. We were in a Grand Final ffs.
It wasn't just about the game, but the day as a whole.

I will more remember yesterday for the occasion, rather than the result. That is the best thing.
Yes sure, we lost a game that I thought and hoped we might win, but I didn't leave the stadium feeling glum.
I left there heading back to Parra to have a few condolence beers and a feed with friends. I'll never forget the time spent in Parra before the game and the excitement and anticipation.
If someone wants to swear or yell or rub their fat legs against me at the game, that's a small price to pay for what is ultimately a great day. Win or lose.
I now get to reminisce in future years what a fun, exciting day I had, and about a day I will never forget, just like '01 and '09.
And one day I hope, I'll be able to reminisce about a Premiership win to put the icing on the cake. For a 5th time.
 
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Eelectrica

Referee
Messages
21,003
I don't know why so many people are surprised by "more of the same". Its what Arthur said in his grand final week presser.

Maybe his concern was that the big event might overwhelm the team. It worked opposite, the team was underwhelmed.
Probably needed to have a real good look at the way Penrith played the second half against Souths in the prelim. They'd dusted off the first half cobwebs and went on a rampage in the second half. They stepped it up again in the first half of the grand final. Only letting up with about 10 to go really with the game well in the bag.
 

Suitman

Post Whore
Messages
55,040
I might be an outlier here, but I really don't get the Reed hate.
He works his f**king arse off for the team. Not always as effective as it could be, but I'm disappointed that people can question his desire or passion for the Eels, even after he decided to jump to the dark side.
 

JokerEel

Coach
Messages
10,369
I really feel for the longer term fans. I have only been following this club since 2011 and have seen plenty lows and not many highs. I was naive when I first followed Parra. I had high hopes for the team week after week, even during the spoon years. I can't imagine those following Parra since the 90s and never seen a premiership. The pain of last night must be tenfold. I will say though, I am not buying the doom and gloom story for 2023. Most of our squad remains the same. Sometimes fresh faces can do good. Maybe it's the hope. But this is not a one-off grand final like 09. I think we will get another red hot crack in the next couple years. Hopefully there were plenty of lessons learned last night.

I have been on the ride for 40 years we are nearly there we just are missing some peice of the puzzle.

Last night sucked but so did 2021 and 2020 36 years or 1 year I want a win every season.
 

the phantom menace

First Grade
Messages
8,840
Probably needed to have a real good look at the way Penrith played the second half against Souths in the prelim. They'd dusted off the first half cobwebs and went on a rampage in the second half. They stepped it up again in the first half of the grand final. Only letting up with about 10 to go really with the game well in the bag.
Agree. But I think Penrith were in 3rd gear in the whole second half, and still too good.
 

JokerEel

Coach
Messages
10,369
I might be an outlier here, but I really don't get the Reed hate.
He works his f**king arse off for the team. Not always as effective as it could be, but I'm disappointed that people can question his desire or passion for the Eels, even after he decided to jump to the dark side.

I am in the same mindset as you Reed would be even better if we had a half decent 14 on the bench that could come on at the 30 minute mark and run a lot out of dummy half then bring reed back on with 20 to go.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
59,225
Mate, I don't go to many games either these days. Maybe I am what is popularly called a "bandwagoner"
But yesterday was different. We were in a Grand Final ffs.
It wasn't just about the game, but the day as a whole.

I will more remember yesterday for the occasion, rather than the result. That is the best thing.
Yes sure, we lost a game that I thought and hoped we might win, but I didn't leave the stadium feeling glum.
I left there heading back to Parra to have a few condolence beers and a feed with friends. I'll never forget the time spent in Parra before the game and the excitement and anticipation.
If someone wants to swear or yell or rub their fat legs against me at the game, that's a small price to pay for what is ultimately a great day. Win or lose.
I now get to reminisce in future years what a fun, exciting day I had, and about a day I will never forget, just like '01 and '09.
And one day I hope, I'll be able to reminisce about a Premiership win to put the icing on the cake. For a 5th time.

Not a Bandwagon supporter at all. Some people love the atmosphere and large crowds and being part of it. Other find it hard to handle. I am one of them. A true introvert who finds that kind of atmosphere draining.
Unfortunately we didn't win a grand final when I was in my 20s and would or partied all night and enjoyed that. If we ever win one in my lifetime it will be nice but I just don't feel it would be the same experience had it been for examplemin 2009.
 
Messages
17,229
I can only speak for myself, but for me, the 2001 loss was the worse. That's a game we were expected to win. We were the dominant team that season. I just remember being shell shocked at half time wondering what the hell just happened. At the end of the game I thought next year, next year for sure. Well we know how that turned out.

The prelim loss in 2005 is up there with that 2001 GF loss as well. The night before the Tigers eliminated the biggest threat. We owned the Tigers, just win that prelim and this time for sure. Enough players still in the team from 2001 to carry those lessons forward but same damn result. Just got flattened by a Cowboys who went out and grabbed it.

This year, I was hoping we'd win, but didn't really expect too so the disappointment isn't quite the same. Biggest disappointment with this was the game being pretty much over after 30 minutes. I thought we had the team to compete with Penrith and at least give them a hell of a game and maybe get the win.

Exactly this. I was Devo after 01, as for yesterday I was expecting us to lose but for the game to be over after 15 mins was the bigger disappointment.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
59,225
Exactly this. I was Devo after 01, as for yesterday I was expecting us to lose but for the game to be over after 15 mins was the bigger disappointment.

I was the same. I wasn't gutted as I didn't expect to win. 2009 I had more hope as we where a great footy side. This year we where just up and down and inconsistent.
But like you it would of been nice to atleast stick with them like in the semi final. We where ahead after 50 odd.
To me it looked over within 8mins tbh.
 

Joshuatheeel

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
19,611
Hope everyone is feeling ok today and not to crap (mentally), must admit was ok last night / this morning, but struggling a bit this afo…gee it’s an emotional roller coaster, love the eels, and knowing how hard it is to make GF, makes it hard….knowing it may not happen for a while……

ah hope everyone is good…
 
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