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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...-bad-year-rising/story-fnca0von-1226422005659Parramatta sees a bad year rising
- From:The Australian
- July 10, 2012 12:00AM
A BAD year at Parramatta. The worst year for Willie Tonga. Tonga, one of the Eels' big-name recruits, admits 2012 has been a career low point as he has struggled with injury and the club has battled a string of poor results.
Things don't get any easier either. On Friday night, Tonga and his teammates take on the
in-form Canterbury at ANZ Stadium.
"It's the hardest year of my career by far, with injuries and the results," Tonga said.
"But in saying that, we're all going through it and we have to look to each other for confidence and to get out of it. It's just not happening. It's one of those years."
Asked specifically why it had been so difficult, Tonga said: "Injuries -- I have never gone through a year like this. (I am) frustrated more than anything.
"The body is coming along. I am trying to work as hard as I can to be right every week. Under the circumstances, I have pushed hard to get back to where I am."
Tonga's continuing comeback was one of the few highlights of the club's last-start loss to Manly at Brookvale Oval. The Eels trailed 34-0 at halftime and concede a repeat performance against Canterbury could result in even more disastrous consequences.
"They have been playing some great footy, the Dogs," prop Tim Mannah said.
"It's just a matter of us preparing the best we can and turning up with the right attitude. We have to come out from the start and play with that confidence.
"No one is throwing in the white flag. Everyone is ripping in at training, training the house down. The coaching staff are putting in so many hours in the office.
"In that sense we're heading in the right direction. Everyone is working their butts off to get where we need to get to. It's just a matter now of turning up on game day and getting results for our hard work."
Tonga said: "It's more embarrassing than anything, when you're playing the way you are in the first half. The 'Dogs are on fire at the moment.
"You definitely need to turn things around during the week if we're any chance of beating them."
The challenge isn't restricted to beating the Bulldogs. The Eels need to find an antidote for their season quickly if they're to have any hope of avoiding the wooden spoon.
The loss to Manly left the club at the bottom, two points behind Penrith. Time is fast running out to avoid an inauspicious end to the career of club legend Nathan Hindmarsh.
"It is a hard situation when we're travelling as we are but at the same time we have to make sure we don't put more pressure on ourselves by believing what people are saying," Mannah said.