Are we up for a fight??

[eels_fan_01]

We haven't really changed the leadership culture of the club since 2001.

One reason I was disappointed with blokes like Riddell, Morrisson and Stringer was that I thought they would bring that hard nosed win at all costs attitude, but didn't.

I have in recent years attributed a lot of this to Nathan Cayless - not so much on the forums but as a personal opinion. Mind you he has been excellent this year and the tendency is still there.

Players have to take responsibility for it collectively. Not sure whether Tim Smith, who I think has all the football talent in the world, has the drive and leadership to provide it as the playmaker, as a opposed to the captain.

Guys like Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer, Paul Harragon, Ben Kennedy, Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley, Ray Price can make teams win matches with force of personality and determination.

Who in our side can do that?

You dont think Nathan Hindmarsh doesnt show the team how to win with determination? I do.

2007 is the time for someone to step up and answer that.

 

[sooperdooper]

we were pretty woeful on monday... i thought those sorts of displays were out of our system!
we looked flat... one thing i do realise we miss cayless

 

[Suitman]

You dont think Nathan Hindmarsh doesnt show the team how to win with determination?

His actions speak for themselves.
He needs to do more talking and lead the players verbally.

Have you ever seen Hindy give the team a spray?

Suity

 

[RalthFilthy]

BUt do you recall that match a few years ago against .. was it Norths at the Stadium, when we came our and tore them apart ?
Great memories. I know we cant win every game but we need to show some ticker.

I think that was a semi final in '97 at North Sydney Oval, Dean Pay leading them to one of the most dominate displays I've ever seen. Norths were too scared to run the ball because the Eels kept hammering them. With Dean Pay we had a hard pack and when he left I hoped Cayless would step into that sort of role but he hasn't got enough mongrel. If we had just 1 'Tallis' type player in the pack the difference would be huge.
When Cordoba or one of our young guys gets taken high Cayless, Wagon and/or the Hindmarsh's need to hit that bastard hard(it doesn't need to be an illegal hit) the next time he runs it, but they don't. They'll just keep plodding away and next thing you know the whole team is getting smashed.

 

[forward pass]

His actions speak for themselves.
He needs to do more talking and lead the players verbally.

Have you ever seen Hindy give the team a spray?

Suity

yeah - last year when it was caught on camera and he copped a pasting for it !!!!

He probably thought f**k that I won't do it again !!!

 

[Suitman]

yeah - last year when it was caught on camera and he copped a pasting for it !!!!

He probably thought f**k that I won't do it again !!!

That was only a spray at Riddell, not the whole team.

Suity

 

[carson]

I think that was a semi final in '97 at North Sydney Oval, Dean Pay leading them to one of the most dominate displays I've ever seen. Norths were too scared to run the ball because the Eels kept hammering them. With Dean Pay we had a hard pack and when he left I hoped Cayless would step into that sort of role but he hasn't got enough mongrel. If we had just 1 'Tallis' type player in the pack the difference would be huge.
When Cordoba or one of our young guys gets taken high Cayless, Wagon and/or the Hindmarsh's need to hit that bastard hard(it doesn't need to be an illegal hit) the next time he runs it, but they don't. They'll just keep plodding away and next thing you know the whole team is getting smashed.

Wasn't that the game where we redesigned JT's nose for him?

Broke it so bad he spent the night in hospital.

 

[Suitman]

Wasn't that the game where we redesigned JT's nose for him?

Broke it so bad he spent the night in hospital.

I thought that happened after he attended a rowdy Day/Nighter at the SCG? ;-)

Suity

 

[carson]

I thought that happened after he attended a rowdy Day/Nighter at the SCG? ;-)

Suity

When you consider what his nose looks like these days, we may both be right.

 

[T-BONE MCGRAW]

I have mentioned this earlier in the year in another thread. We do not have anyone in our side that other sides fear i.e. an enforcer. We are a pack of workers with no one in our forwards with that real aggression factor (besides FFMM who has had to tone his aggression down completely). This is why we should have chased a Luke O'Donnell or even O'Meley very hard. Sides know they can rough us up without fear of retribution.

As other people have also said it is a culture thing until we try and change our culture. Also as much as I love Hages relaxed nature I believe he may nearly be too relaxed. When we lose, him or the players don't really seem to care too much. Maybe they keep it in house but I believe it comes out in games as well where we don't seem to hate losing say like a broncos or dogs.

 

[hineyrulz]

I think that Semi was in 98, and i'm pretty sure it was Dennis Moran that smashed JT. It was one of my most fav Parra victories. We we're just brutal in that game.

 

[eels_fan_01]

His actions speak for themselves.
He needs to do more talking and lead the players verbally.

Have you ever seen Hindy give the team a spray?

Suity

No i havent and thats one of the reasons i like him. I mean im not saying im agaisnt players giving their team a spray but they have to be playing well themselves which Hindy is so i think he could but as a person i respect him for not doing it. Actions speak louder than words.

One problem ive had with Tim Smith is when he gives someone a spray and hes playing the same as them or worse.

 

[spiderdan]

I think that Semi was in 98, and i'm pretty sure it was Dennis Moran that smashed JT. It was one of my most fav Parra victories. We we're just brutal in that game.

yep. trailing 12-6 at h/t. the commentators had us gone. then we smashed norths when they had the ball and won 27-12 i think it was.

blocker described it as brutal and claimed that parra were the only side in the comp that could make ground in defence.

it was one of not all that many where we've won when the opposition put the first try on us. would be great to see the side that aggressive again, not that all is lost this year. i just think that that type of defence has been lost a little in the game over the years.

 

[lucablight]

Just out of curiosity how many times have we won a game this year after being down at halftime? The only one I can recall is the Dragons game and that was only a scoreline of 2-0.

 

[sportsmad]

Bit harsh on Hindy, that bloke gives 100% from start to finish, regardless of score but playing aggressive doesn't suit everyone.
Take Bryce Gibbs, everytime i see him be aggressive he gets smashed himself, wants to be the enforcer but can't back it up, as someone said FFMM was our hard man but look where it got him, and Omeley too, watching from the side lines. i too am at a loss as to what happens in some games even 20 in front i'm still nervous, but this is why we have a coaching staff to work it out. most of the losses have come with bad starts and disruptions to preparation etc, i know myself after a weeks holiday i don't hit the ground running and ease in to work with a cuppa or two, just part of being an Eels supporter, if you want to be able to come from behind, then go support the dogs - me, i'll keep taking asparin and scratching my head in disbelief after the losses.

 

[TheRam]

We basically haven't had that real mongrel attitude consistantly since R.Price retired, and only had it for a short period when we got the Bulldogs 4. The difference though when we won GF's back in Price's day, was we had a couple of great halves (Sterlo & Kenny).

Unfortunaltely we haven't had the fortune of having a great half since they retired. The closest we got was when Jason Taylor came to town, but we stumbled at the last herdle because again he was a great playmaker, but not someone you could take to war, he craps himself when you really need him to make that great play(the same great play that Parra always seem to be lacking when the game is at a cross road).

Hence why Norths also had great forward packs at different times and got very close, but never won it.

 

[forward pass]

I think my fears were confirmed last night.

When the going gets tough - we fall apart. Had Nick Kenny not dropped that ball were gone for all money. Nice win for sure, but we don't like those battles !!

 

[eels_fan_01]

I think my fears were confirmed last night.

When the going gets tough - we fall apart. Had Nick Kenny not dropped that ball were gone for all money. Nice win for sure, but we don't like those battles !!

How many trys did we save on the line though? I dont think you can say we fell apart no matter what team Brisbane fielded we hung in there again.

 

[Jake the snake]

We need these Battles. it's better than winning by 50 and then getting flogged in the GF..... 2001

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Unseen, Unheard, we live. . . . .