Eels in the media

[King-Gutho94]

Our best defensive year in recent times was 2020 (third best), where we had these four on the field nearly every week:

2. Sivo
3. Jennings
4. Blake
5. Ferguson

This lineup took the field together in 19 of 22 games. The exceptions were a round 10 loss to Manly (no Ferguson), round 20 narrow win over the Tigers (no Jennings) and the preliminary final loss to Souths (no Sivo, Jennings or Ferguson). Sivo and Ferguson were injured the week before against Melbourne, where Sivo lasted 11 minutes, at which point we were up 6-0. You can't help bad luck.

Attack was average in 2020.

Moses had a poor year and we were ranked 10th behind the wests tigers of all teams.

 

[bazza]

When you have dangerous playmakers with space in front of them the outside defenders are f**ked whatever they do. If they stay out the playmaker will beat his defender one-on-one, and if they come in he will just pass. It's up to the playmaker to murder the play. At least if the defenders come in they're a chance of forcing a bad pass.

if only we got a point for excuses

 

[bazza]

Our best defensive year in recent times was 2020 (third best), where we had these four on the field nearly every week:

2. Sivo
3. Jennings
4. Blake
5. Ferguson

This lineup took the field together in 19 of 22 games. The exceptions were a round 10 loss to Manly (no Ferguson), round 20 narrow win over the Tigers (no Jennings) and the preliminary final loss to Souths (no Sivo, Jennings or Ferguson). Sivo and Ferguson were injured the week before against Melbourne, where Sivo lasted 11 minutes, at which point we were up 6-0. You can't help bad luck.

I would rate Ferguson and Jennings as top tier positional players
We looked better also with Opacic in the centres even though he wasn't an attacking dynamo

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Attack was average in 2020.

Moses had a poor year and we were ranked 10th behind the wests tigers of all teams.

It’s interesting how the team has evolved over the years.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

if only we got a point for excuses

It’s not an excuse. Reece Walsh has set up plenty of tries this year. It’s why he’s on huge money, though not necessarily all under the cap.

 

[hineyrulz]

if only we got a point for excuses

Pou would be Parra’s all time leading points scorer. Micheal Cronin who???

 

[bazza]

It’s not an excuse. Reece Walsh has set up plenty of tries this year. It’s why he’s on huge money, though not necessarily all under the cap.

and repeated the next week by the Roosters who Reece wasn't playing for

 

[Poupou Escobar]

and repeated the next week by the Roosters who Reece wasn't playing for

They have Luke Keary who would also be on some decent coin. He has over 140 career try assists and won three premierships ffs.

 

[bazza]

They have Luke Keary who would also be on some decent coin. He has over 140 career try assists and won three premierships ffs.

yes - all teams score from scrums 10m out ffs

 

[Poupou Escobar]

yes - all teams score from scrums 10m out ffs

Are you kidding? It's a great place to attack from. I remember Sivo scoring from a few of them.

 

[bazza]

Are you kidding? It's a great place to attack from. I remember Sivo scoring from a few of them.

they should just give the team 4 points if they get a scrum within 20 metres

 

[TheRam]

It’s not an excuse. Reece Walsh has set up plenty of tries this year. It’s why he’s on huge money, though not necessarily all under the cap.

Apparently he is on $450K.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

they should just give the team 4 points if they get a scrum within 20 metres

I think it’s fine how it is.

 

[hineyrulz]

I think it’s fine how it is.

Our defence against scrums??? I bet you do.

 

[Soto]

If we waste more salary cap space on Papalii then we deserve what we get.

I'm talking about Isaiah not Josh who is on way down and out and Isiah is on the way up. He is truckloads better than what we have and he will be in the backrow. To win comps you need quality. So this has proven the quality isn't there and we have failed miserably. Injuries suspensions etc yes and yes but we haven't looked good except for about 4 weeks of the 26 to date.
It's been an epic shit show

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'm talking about Isaiah not Josh who is on way down and out and Isiah is on the way up. He is truckloads better than what we have and he will be in the backrow. To win comps you need quality. So this has proven the quality isn't there and we have failed miserably. Injuries suspensions etc yes and yes but we haven't looked good except for about 4 weeks of the 26 to date.
It's been an epic shit show

Our defence is the problem and Papali'i wouldn't do enough to help fix it. In fact, he is not a good edge defender and would likely make it worse. He would offer plenty as a middle forward but to get our money's worth we would need to take carries away from our existing middles, reducing the value proposition for them. We need better defenders, not more expensive attacking players.

 

[the phantom menace]

Our defensive system is the problem. The players - any players, old or new - are just pawns in it.

Because the system is failing us - including players who had previously succeeded under the system - this year, the only way to fix it is to get some new blood in the coaching ranks.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Our defensive system is the problem. The players - any players, old or new - are just pawns in it.

Because the system is failing us - including players who had previously succeeded under the system - this year, the only way to fix it is to get some new blood in the coaching ranks.

I think its also about attitude. Our attitude towards the end of the year has stunk to high hell.

Look at our finals in past 2 seasons. We have proven in big games we can defend. We seem to pick and choose when to bring our D mentality and attitude.

2021 we come up against the premiers who like us scored a flukey try off a grubber kick and then went 65 mins without scoring with a dumb penalty on halftime the difference.

Penrith in that game had a shit load more then us in great field position. I reckon we spent 10 mins straight in that 2nd half defending them due to a few Ray stone errors coming out of our end and repelled them. We just didnt have enough quality ball or skill to score a try.

Last year we go to Townsville spend the whole game on the back foot & last 15 mins hanging on for dear life and scramble like our lives depended on it. Some of the best scramble & goal line defence i have seen from a parra fan in my life. I am sure most expected the cowboys to crack through in that last 15 mins to win the game.

 

[the phantom menace]

Unfortunately nothing much to celebrate about our D this year, compared to what the side could bring at times last year.

Once other teams work out your defensive structures and how to break them, the system (and effort) is useless unless changed (through coaching) or bolstered (through stronger recruitment) - neither of which happened for the start of of during this season.

If neither happens for next season, then we're on a hiding to nothing in 2024.

 

[TheRam]

Apparently he is on $450K.

Don't laugh people, the joke is on us.