PARRAMATTA star Krisnan Inu has revealed the secret to the Eels late-season revival the team has finally embraced Daniel Andersons uncompromising style.
Inu said he and several teammates initially did not know what to make of the fiery former St Helens and Warriors boss but team and coach were now on the same page.
The Eels have strung together back-to-back wins against top-four sides the Bulldogs and Melbourne to keep their faint finals hopes alive. They play Cronulla at Toyota Stadium today.
For myself personally, Ive never had a tough coach, even when I was growing up, Inu said.
So it was something different for myself and a few of the boys a bit of a shock to the system.
His style was very different to previous coaches weve had, but weve got that sorted now.
Everyone knows whats expected from us and the coach knows who we are and what we can do. We all understand each other now and it makes things easier.
Its fun again.
Weve really adapted to his style in the last few weeks and thats why I think weve been playing good footy. Were all on the same page.
Were having fun on the field and that makes the hard stuff easier. We really want to win every game we play in and theres a feeling we can now.
Like the Eels, Inu has returned to form of late. Only weeks earlier the 22-year-old was at a crossroads when Parramatta told the former Kiwi international he was free to negotiate with other teams.
There were no takers.
Enter trainer Hayden Knowles.
About six weeks ago when everyone was bagging the team and getting in to me, I had a challenge from Hayden to show everyone else that I wanted to be out there, Inu said.
And the only way to do that was to really focus and train hard.
I didnt really take all the speculation about my future or form to heart, but it bothered a lot of people at the club and in my family and it got to me in the sense that I wanted to prove myself and show everyone that I could still play.
I think for me, we had a few problems at the start of the year with blokes getting injured, new positions and we didnt really have any chance to build combinations. It was pretty frustrating and I probably lost my spark a bit.
But Im loving my footy again.
And his greater involvement in games has not gone unrecognised by coach Daniel Anderson.
I think first and foremost, Krisnan has been more committed and a bit more confrontational in the way hes played, Anderson said.
He is getting more involved and saying Jarryd Haynes enthusiasm has started to rub off on him is a fair statement.
And Inu, who celebrates his 50th NRL game today, is adamant he will do whatever he can to in his beloved blue and gold colours.
I cant see myself at any other club, he declared.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/...nu-nick-of-time/2009/08/01/1248977235971.html
