The Colonel
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2001. What was going to be the first of many premierships that Brian Smith and the Mighty Riverslugs were going to bring back to Parramatta since the last one in 1986.
We had the emergence of Lyon, Hodgson, The Hindmarsh brothers, Vella, Cayless, Drew and Marsh. The best attack. The best defence. We were the benchmark.
For one reason or another it didn't happen. The issue is how do we compete with the top teams again like we did in 2001. How do we run with the Roosters and the Panthers when only two seasons ago everyone wanted to run with us.
Behind the scenes in 2001 the envelope called defence and flat line attack were being pushed by clubs like Melbourne and Chris Anderson. The NRL looked at the rules and responded by changing the play the ball rule so the attack was not as dominant as it once was.
Quick play the balls were turning the game of RL into a game of touch football. The quick Parramatta forwards were combining well with the acting half to get over the advantage line and set the backline in motion. The ten metre rule allowed the halves the room to move. Defence was brutal. It was North Sydney 1998 all over again but it wasn't one game it was every game. The quick forwards were able to adapt where bigger forwards were on the back step.
The gang tackle put into play by the Roosters under new coach Ricky Stuart changed the face of the game. They were able to stop players from hitting the advantage line as the referee did not have to move the defence back when the person playing the ball stepped forward. Ten metres became six or seven. Small quick and skillful forwards were pushed back towards their goalline. The sound of "dominant tackle" became common place from the mouths of the referees.
The Eels have since lost one of the Hindmarsh brothers. Probably the key loss in the Parramatta line up. Chased hard by the Raiders, Ian moved closer to his new farm in Cowra. Hodgson was not the force he was a in 2001 and the lack of quality in the halves was hurting Parramatta. McFadden, Green, Kusto, Drew etc have all been tried in the halves.
Smith had failed to adapt to the new face of the game. The smaller forwards were not competing with the new crash and barge style of the game. Injuries to our smaller more mobile forwards have been commonplace. Dominating the ruck which in 2001 was commonplace only happened at different times through the year. The fact new hooker Morris had found his way to the role he was purchased for only half way through the year did not help. Our better performed players were those seeking new contracts. Lyon, our most potent attacking weapon did not see the bal until late in the year busting his way to 14 tackles which should have been close to double that tally.
The key to going forward and competing at the top again comes down to a more dominant and bigger forward pack and a settled halves combination. That and the arrival of possible x-factors in Aaron Cannings, Chris Muckert and Chris Thorman should lead to Parramatta bringing some pride back to the blue and gold.
New buy Corey Pearson, Vella and Cayless will shoulder much of the go forward burden and should be ably supported by Muckert and Cannings. Hopkins, Morris and Wagon will need to work hard on their already good defence next year. Should the forward pack gel as above Hindmarsh will be able to revert to a role as a gamebreaker in a similar mould to Brad Clyde in the early nineties.
The backline will be remodelled. Stalwart Moodie will not be returning and with the wing and fullback spots up for grabs the only guaranteed positions 1-5 will be Lyon and Vaealiki. The number seven jersey however looks set to become the sole property of one M. Witt for quite some time provided injury and poor form are averted. The last half of the season saw Dykes find the form he was signed for. Waiting in the wings however is the young London Broncos half, Chris Thorman.
Competition for positions, which has not been seen since 2001, will be unrivalled. New signings will be keen to impress, youngsters keen to shine and take the next step and regulars will be looking over their shoulders for the first time in a long time.
This combined with a new logo and more importantly a new jersey where the old has only seen one year of triumph will bring new luck and hope to the Blue and Gold Army busting at the thought of 2004.
We had the emergence of Lyon, Hodgson, The Hindmarsh brothers, Vella, Cayless, Drew and Marsh. The best attack. The best defence. We were the benchmark.
For one reason or another it didn't happen. The issue is how do we compete with the top teams again like we did in 2001. How do we run with the Roosters and the Panthers when only two seasons ago everyone wanted to run with us.
Behind the scenes in 2001 the envelope called defence and flat line attack were being pushed by clubs like Melbourne and Chris Anderson. The NRL looked at the rules and responded by changing the play the ball rule so the attack was not as dominant as it once was.
Quick play the balls were turning the game of RL into a game of touch football. The quick Parramatta forwards were combining well with the acting half to get over the advantage line and set the backline in motion. The ten metre rule allowed the halves the room to move. Defence was brutal. It was North Sydney 1998 all over again but it wasn't one game it was every game. The quick forwards were able to adapt where bigger forwards were on the back step.
The gang tackle put into play by the Roosters under new coach Ricky Stuart changed the face of the game. They were able to stop players from hitting the advantage line as the referee did not have to move the defence back when the person playing the ball stepped forward. Ten metres became six or seven. Small quick and skillful forwards were pushed back towards their goalline. The sound of "dominant tackle" became common place from the mouths of the referees.
The Eels have since lost one of the Hindmarsh brothers. Probably the key loss in the Parramatta line up. Chased hard by the Raiders, Ian moved closer to his new farm in Cowra. Hodgson was not the force he was a in 2001 and the lack of quality in the halves was hurting Parramatta. McFadden, Green, Kusto, Drew etc have all been tried in the halves.
Smith had failed to adapt to the new face of the game. The smaller forwards were not competing with the new crash and barge style of the game. Injuries to our smaller more mobile forwards have been commonplace. Dominating the ruck which in 2001 was commonplace only happened at different times through the year. The fact new hooker Morris had found his way to the role he was purchased for only half way through the year did not help. Our better performed players were those seeking new contracts. Lyon, our most potent attacking weapon did not see the bal until late in the year busting his way to 14 tackles which should have been close to double that tally.
The key to going forward and competing at the top again comes down to a more dominant and bigger forward pack and a settled halves combination. That and the arrival of possible x-factors in Aaron Cannings, Chris Muckert and Chris Thorman should lead to Parramatta bringing some pride back to the blue and gold.
New buy Corey Pearson, Vella and Cayless will shoulder much of the go forward burden and should be ably supported by Muckert and Cannings. Hopkins, Morris and Wagon will need to work hard on their already good defence next year. Should the forward pack gel as above Hindmarsh will be able to revert to a role as a gamebreaker in a similar mould to Brad Clyde in the early nineties.
The backline will be remodelled. Stalwart Moodie will not be returning and with the wing and fullback spots up for grabs the only guaranteed positions 1-5 will be Lyon and Vaealiki. The number seven jersey however looks set to become the sole property of one M. Witt for quite some time provided injury and poor form are averted. The last half of the season saw Dykes find the form he was signed for. Waiting in the wings however is the young London Broncos half, Chris Thorman.
Competition for positions, which has not been seen since 2001, will be unrivalled. New signings will be keen to impress, youngsters keen to shine and take the next step and regulars will be looking over their shoulders for the first time in a long time.
This combined with a new logo and more importantly a new jersey where the old has only seen one year of triumph will bring new luck and hope to the Blue and Gold Army busting at the thought of 2004.
