FUIFUI_MOIMOI
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No way will I settle for mediocrity, says Anderson
Adrian Proszenko | April 11, 2009
Daniel Anderson put a few noses out of joint last week but at least he gained one fan.
Moments after the Dragons defeated Parramatta, Wayne Bennett sauntered over for a chat with his Eels' counterpart.
"Wayne thanked me for dominating the newspaper space and looked forward to me doing it a bit more during the year to keep everyone off his back," Anderson quipped. "He said: 'Any time you want to do that, I'm happy'."
The Eels have endured a week from hell following the Brett Finch affair, with another loss and the revelation of a worse-than-expected leagues club deficit compounding the drama.
"It's been a very difficult couple of days," Anderson said of Finch's walk-out and the subsequent criticism levelled at him. "I know how it goes, it's my turn [to cop it]."
Despite back-to-back losses, the former St Helens' and Warriors' coach was pleased with his team's efforts after a diabolical performance against an understrength Roosters in their previous outing.
"What we don't want to settle on is mediocrity as a club," Anderson said. "I don't think we did [on Friday night]. I saw a game that was in the balance for the whole time. I feel for the team because I firmly believe you are rewarded for your efforts. They put in a huge effort.
"We're a long way from being a contender. But it doesn't take much in this game to get on a roll. The Dragons have won four in a row. You win three or four in a row and you're right back in the mix."
The new-look halves pairing of Jeff Robson and Feleti Mateo will be given further opportunities in the short term, although the club is yet to decide whether to recruit a replacement for Finch.
"We're going to take a breath," Anderson said. "I don't know the financial and cap implications, I'll leave that to [football manager] Andrew Hill. Then we'll see where we are. "Jeff did a solid job and he'll settle in as we go on. Kris Keating [who spent time in the halves against the Dragons] has tremendous ability. With experience will come percentage plays. I love the instinctive things he does."
Anderson revealed he gave Nathan Hindmarsh a rare breather in the second half against the Dragons because the workaholic forward had shifted to the front row. He said he may use the tactic again.
"It depends on the balance of our team," Anderson said. "[Hindmarsh] played in the front row with Joe Galavao and Tim Mannah. They swapped around when Nathan Cayless and Fuifui [Moimoi] were off. If [Hindmarsh] plays there for extended periods it knocks you about. If he plays as a back-rower, he can easily play 80 minutes."
The Eels responded to a week of drama with an improved performance against the Dragons, playing with the aggression that was sorely missing against the Roosters. Even the normally mild-mannered Eric Grothe, given a chance to revive his career under Anderson, became involved in a fight with Dragons firebrand Neville Costigan.
"I'll probably watch it and get embarrassed," Grothe said afterwards. "I dived on him when he was on the ground. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have done it, I just got caught in the moment.
"He reacted and I reacted back. It was heat-of-the-moment stuff but I shook his hand after the game and he was fine. He had a sore shoulder, I think he did it when he threw a punch at me."
Anderson said the Eels would go into next Sunday's game against the Bulldogs with confidence.
"This week I feel I can work technically with the players because there's no need to find a spark for attitude, because their attitude was great," he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/...y-says-anderson/2009/04/11/1239223100604.html
Adrian Proszenko | April 11, 2009
Daniel Anderson put a few noses out of joint last week but at least he gained one fan.
Moments after the Dragons defeated Parramatta, Wayne Bennett sauntered over for a chat with his Eels' counterpart.
"Wayne thanked me for dominating the newspaper space and looked forward to me doing it a bit more during the year to keep everyone off his back," Anderson quipped. "He said: 'Any time you want to do that, I'm happy'."
The Eels have endured a week from hell following the Brett Finch affair, with another loss and the revelation of a worse-than-expected leagues club deficit compounding the drama.
"It's been a very difficult couple of days," Anderson said of Finch's walk-out and the subsequent criticism levelled at him. "I know how it goes, it's my turn [to cop it]."
Despite back-to-back losses, the former St Helens' and Warriors' coach was pleased with his team's efforts after a diabolical performance against an understrength Roosters in their previous outing.
"What we don't want to settle on is mediocrity as a club," Anderson said. "I don't think we did [on Friday night]. I saw a game that was in the balance for the whole time. I feel for the team because I firmly believe you are rewarded for your efforts. They put in a huge effort.
"We're a long way from being a contender. But it doesn't take much in this game to get on a roll. The Dragons have won four in a row. You win three or four in a row and you're right back in the mix."
The new-look halves pairing of Jeff Robson and Feleti Mateo will be given further opportunities in the short term, although the club is yet to decide whether to recruit a replacement for Finch.
"We're going to take a breath," Anderson said. "I don't know the financial and cap implications, I'll leave that to [football manager] Andrew Hill. Then we'll see where we are. "Jeff did a solid job and he'll settle in as we go on. Kris Keating [who spent time in the halves against the Dragons] has tremendous ability. With experience will come percentage plays. I love the instinctive things he does."
Anderson revealed he gave Nathan Hindmarsh a rare breather in the second half against the Dragons because the workaholic forward had shifted to the front row. He said he may use the tactic again.
"It depends on the balance of our team," Anderson said. "[Hindmarsh] played in the front row with Joe Galavao and Tim Mannah. They swapped around when Nathan Cayless and Fuifui [Moimoi] were off. If [Hindmarsh] plays there for extended periods it knocks you about. If he plays as a back-rower, he can easily play 80 minutes."
The Eels responded to a week of drama with an improved performance against the Dragons, playing with the aggression that was sorely missing against the Roosters. Even the normally mild-mannered Eric Grothe, given a chance to revive his career under Anderson, became involved in a fight with Dragons firebrand Neville Costigan.
"I'll probably watch it and get embarrassed," Grothe said afterwards. "I dived on him when he was on the ground. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have done it, I just got caught in the moment.
"He reacted and I reacted back. It was heat-of-the-moment stuff but I shook his hand after the game and he was fine. He had a sore shoulder, I think he did it when he threw a punch at me."
Anderson said the Eels would go into next Sunday's game against the Bulldogs with confidence.
"This week I feel I can work technically with the players because there's no need to find a spark for attitude, because their attitude was great," he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/...y-says-anderson/2009/04/11/1239223100604.html
