2017 Finals Wk2 - Eels v Cowboys (GAME DAY THREAD)

[Noise]

Concede the first try, get back in the game to go up 10-6 at half time. Something bad happens at half time. We shit the bed making stupid errors and concede tries to fall behind. Score one late but too little too late.

Story of both our semi final games. Whatever it is that causes us to shit the bed at half time needs to be fixed

 

[TheParraboy]

Remember when teams used to get done with interchanging incorrectly, having 14 on field and NRL would strip them of win? Wonder if they'd have balls in semi

Please leave any freudian comments about Semi out of this, he is probably in the sheds with Toulan at this minute....

 

[TheParraboy]

I think the Storm game knocked us around. Cowboys completion rate in the first half was 17 from 17. We made terrible unnecessary mistakes in this time, and more so in the 2nd half. Had we gone toe to toe with them or thereabouts in terms or errors we win the game.

I also had no doubt had luck gone our way a little in the Storm game and we had the week off, we belt the showponys again and make the GF. such is life.

Overall its been a great year considering what has happened over the last 8 years. Congratulations to everyone at the club, particularly BA and the playing group. The test now is to make top 4 again next year and win a finals game... or 3

Best wishes to Semi, hope he does well and can come back to Parra bigger and better

 

[The EELiminator]

Better go forward would make it easier to play low risk - look at how much time Morgan had to kick the ball in the second half. He was never under pressure.

nobody kicking against us is ever put under pressure because we never rush the kicker just another 1 percenter other teams do well that we do badly or not at all

 

[Gazzamatta]

It appears our tactics were to pound the middle in attack and the Cows would eventually submit. They didnt. High completion rate is mandatory with such tactics. It wasnt.
We needed to play some footy to open the compressed defence. We didnt. Im no great fan of Vave but if our tactics are to attack the middle then he has to play.
Playing Kaysa and Peni when they have had no recent footy was questionable.
Our second halfs have been poor all year. Need to get to the bottom of this.
All in all a great year. We definitely over achieved. Onwards and upwards. Players and coaches did well but there remains a need for improvement from all if we are to achieve our dream.

 

[TheParraboy]

It appears our tactics were to pound the middle in attack and the Cows would eventually submit. They didnt. High completion rate is mandatory with such tactics. It wasnt.
We needed to play some footy to open the compressed defence. We didnt. Im no great fan of Vave but if our tactics are to attack the middle then he has to play.
Playing Kaysa and Peni when they have had no recent footy was questionable.
Our second halfs have been poor all year. Need to get to the bottom of this.
All in all a great year. We definitely over achieved. Onwards and upwards. Players and coaches did well but there remains a need for improvement from all if we are to achieve our dream.

We made easy metres through the forwards first 60-65 minutes of the game, particularly coming out from our end. Forwards weren't a problem . Problem was our kicking game should have been better, we made simpleton errors 13 in total I think very poor for a finals game. Gower would have been a better option than Peni, Hindsight is a wonderful though

 

[ParraSteve]

Anti-climatic more than disappointing, even when we were up by 4 we never really felt comfortable and once they got to 18, i couldn't see us scoring another try let alone 8 points.

even with JT and scott out, Cowboys have a damn good team.

 

[EelsFan05]

We didn't lose a game all year after leading at half time. Then lost both our finals after leading at the break.

The moment Smith decided to let the ball bounce our fate was sealed. He's done a great job this year but was exposed with the physicality of the game last night. Pritchard and Peni in was a big mistake.

Kudos to BA and the team for instilling some belief in the fan base again. Big wraps to Browny who was our best all year. Between him and Gutho we are set for captains whenever the leadership is changed/handed over.

 

[TheParraboy]

Anti-climatic more than disappointing, even when we were up by 4 we never really felt comfortable and once they got to 18, i couldn't see us scoring another try let alone 8 points.

even with JT and scott out, Cowboys have a damn good team.

The thing is with JT and Scott, the best is past them. Great players true BUT with them in the side do the other players give that little bit extra as they have been? not sure

thanks for nothing dragqueens

 

[Eelementary]

Concede the first try, get back in the game to go up 10-6 at half time. Something bad happens at half time. We shit the bed making stupid errors and concede tries to fall behind. Score one late but too little too late.

Story of both our semi final games. Whatever it is that causes us to shit the bed at half time needs to be fixed

We scored first against the Cowboys, mate.

 

[Avenger]

We didn't lose a game all year after leading at half time. Then lost both our finals after leading at the break.

The moment Smith decided to let the ball bounce our fate was sealed. He's done a great job this year but was exposed with the physicality of the game last night. Pritchard and Peni in was a big mistake.

Kudos to BA and the team for instilling some belief in the fan base again. Big wraps to Browny who was our best all year. Between him and Gutho we are set for captains whenever the leadership is changed/handed over.

Great summary. I too knew we were gone as soon as Smith let that ball bounce. He has done a handy job but you don't get to Grand Finals with a player like that at fullback. I'll say it again but I think Norman was crap last night. Forget your appearances on the Professor Corey, you are our highest paid player and shit yourself last night. He is slowly becoming one of the games most overrated players.

And another thing I pledged last night that I will never be returning to that merkin of a ground again to watch us. Last time I held out for over 2 years but last night confirmed it for me. It is the worst abomination of a ground to watch any sport on.

 

[Gronk]

Great summary. I too knew we were gone as soon as Smith let that ball bounce. He has done a handy job but you don't get to Grand Finals with a player like that at fullback. I'll say it again but I think Norman was crap last night. Forget your appearances on the Professor Corey, you are our highest paid player and shit yourself last night. He is slowly becoming one of the games most overrated players.

And another thing I pledged last night that I will never be returning to that merkin of a ground again to watch us. Last time I held out for over 2 years but last night confirmed it for me. It is the worst abomination of a ground to watch any sport on.

Geez you pull no punches when we lose.

The reason the 6 & 7 struggled is bc they were rarely in the red zone. They played the entire 40 mins in our own half.

The cows (like storm last week) were excellent and almost mistake free in the second half.

I dont think we failed. Moreso the cows played almost the perfect half of footy.

 

[hineyrulz]

We scored first against the Cowboys, mate.

Think he was talking about the 2nd half champion.

 

[Eelementary]

Think he was talking about the 2nd half champion.

Ah. I see.

Carry on!

What the hell happened to us in that second half?

Credit to the Cowboys - they were gutsy, tough, and powerful -, but we really let the game slip...

 

[hineyrulz]

Ah. I see.

Carry on!

What the hell happened to us in that second half?

Credit to the Cowboys - they were gutsy, tough, and powerful -, but we really let the game slip...

We pooped our pants mate plain and simple.

 

[84 Baby]

Geez you pull no punches when we lose.

The reason the 6 & 7 struggled is bc they were rarely in the red zone. They played the entire 40 mins in our own half.

The cows (like storm last week) were excellent and almost mistake free in the second half.

I dont think we failed. Moreso the cows played almost the perfect half of footy.

I'd go further and say they played an almost perfect game. Near faultless. They would have contended with anyone last night. We just shit ourselves under the pressure they applied

 

[El Diablo]

the pricks have no ticker

 

[Avenger]

I think it's time to tap one or 2 players on the shoulder and make some crucial positional changes. Taka would never play centre again if I was in charge and Gutherson would be entrenched as the fullback.

 

[lucablight]

We didn't lose last night because we didn't have the talent. We lost because we made too many errors and lacked composure. We had actually made more metres than the cowboys in the first half.

 

[eel01s]

We made easy metres through the forwards first 60-65 minutes of the game, particularly coming out from our end. Forwards weren't a problem . Problem was our kicking game should have been better, we made simpleton errors 13 in total I think very poor for a finals game.

Agree with this. Not sure what the issue is, but both semi's we let in two quick tries after half time. We can't play for 80 minutes and it kills us. Thought we were a chance to get back into it with the repeat set in the second half but when Matagi lost the ball I knew it was over.