Redback71
First Grade
- Messages
- 8,105
30 May 2004
Calls for Parramatta coach Brian Smith's sacking look set to reach a crescendo after the Eels were thrashed 33-6 by the West Tigers in front of a record Leichhardt Oval crowd today - their fifth straight National Rugby League defeat.
Fans and Parramatta great Brett Kenny had already been calling for Smith to go after the Eels were booed off their home ground following last week's 37-6 loss to a St George Illawarra side missing up to 12 regular first graders.
Eels CEO Denis Fitzgerald insisted then that the club would honour the remaining two years on Smith's contract, reportedly worth $375,000 a season.
But the fans are getting restless and have planned a rally at the Eels' next home game in a fortnight to call for Smith's removal.
The handful of Parramatta faithful who ventured to Leichhardt Oval today were brandishing positive banners.
But there were few positives today for Smith after the Tigers ran in six tries to one, including a hattrick to winger Luke Covell, to make their third straight win, the first time they have achieved this feat since the joint venture's inaugural season in 2000.
The win was the biggest by the West Tigers over the Eels - surpassing their 22-16 result in 2002.
And all in front of a ground-record 18,883-strong crowd.
Everything that could have gone wrong did for the Eels today - they lost the ball against the scrum feed, kicked the ball out on the full from the re-start after yet another Tigers try and bombed what looked like two certain four pointers.
Parramatta halfback Chris Thorman inexplicably dropped the ball over the line in the 43rd minute and winger Ash Graham bombed a certain Eels try when he dropped the ball with the line open a minute later.
The Tigers led 18-0 at the main break, scoring a try on the halftime siren to pivot Benji Marshall off a Scott Prince cross field kick.
The signs were ominous from the outset when Covell bagged a double by the ninth minute and Parramatta didn't touch the ball until the seventh minute when already trailing 8-0.
Covell notched his hattrick in the 48th minute while a Prince field goal and a Robert Mears try blew the deficit out to 29-0 before the Eels finally got on the board when Michael Witt crossed in the 67th minute.
The Eels' agony was extended by a try to centre Shane Elford in the 70th minute.
Calls for Parramatta coach Brian Smith's sacking look set to reach a crescendo after the Eels were thrashed 33-6 by the West Tigers in front of a record Leichhardt Oval crowd today - their fifth straight National Rugby League defeat.
Fans and Parramatta great Brett Kenny had already been calling for Smith to go after the Eels were booed off their home ground following last week's 37-6 loss to a St George Illawarra side missing up to 12 regular first graders.
Eels CEO Denis Fitzgerald insisted then that the club would honour the remaining two years on Smith's contract, reportedly worth $375,000 a season.
But the fans are getting restless and have planned a rally at the Eels' next home game in a fortnight to call for Smith's removal.
The handful of Parramatta faithful who ventured to Leichhardt Oval today were brandishing positive banners.
But there were few positives today for Smith after the Tigers ran in six tries to one, including a hattrick to winger Luke Covell, to make their third straight win, the first time they have achieved this feat since the joint venture's inaugural season in 2000.
The win was the biggest by the West Tigers over the Eels - surpassing their 22-16 result in 2002.
And all in front of a ground-record 18,883-strong crowd.
Everything that could have gone wrong did for the Eels today - they lost the ball against the scrum feed, kicked the ball out on the full from the re-start after yet another Tigers try and bombed what looked like two certain four pointers.
Parramatta halfback Chris Thorman inexplicably dropped the ball over the line in the 43rd minute and winger Ash Graham bombed a certain Eels try when he dropped the ball with the line open a minute later.
The Tigers led 18-0 at the main break, scoring a try on the halftime siren to pivot Benji Marshall off a Scott Prince cross field kick.
The signs were ominous from the outset when Covell bagged a double by the ninth minute and Parramatta didn't touch the ball until the seventh minute when already trailing 8-0.
Covell notched his hattrick in the 48th minute while a Prince field goal and a Robert Mears try blew the deficit out to 29-0 before the Eels finally got on the board when Michael Witt crossed in the 67th minute.
The Eels' agony was extended by a try to centre Shane Elford in the 70th minute.
