Parramatta - Under achievers or just an ordinary side??

[Iafeta]

Its round 3 people.

But in fairness to Parramatta fans, the sh!t has hit the fan since 2001 in reality. And the man I would hold responsible is Brian Smith. Some of the recruitments/player releases he made c 2002 were baffling. Look at the players they've had that are elsewhere or who have been elsewhere and are now back; Scott Donald, PJ Marsh, Ian Hindmarsh, Adam Mogg, Casey McGuire, Daniel Heckenberg, Shayne Dunley, Pat Richards, Chad Robinson, Jason Cayless and there's a load of others I just can't remember. Compare that to the fact he started bringing in the likes of Andrew McFadden for crying out loud. Granted, we all know there were salary cap pressures, but some of the decisions made haven't been the best, and its shown up by the fact Robinson and Marsh have returned. Why not work hard to retain them in the first place?

I had an impression in terms of McFadden and a couple of others that Brian Smith wanted to make something out of them that they just weren't. Like it was some sort of major goal to turn also rans into great players when in the case of McFadden etc., it just wasn't there in the first place. But it was like a mission to show off his coaching skills in some bizarre manner. Thats the impression I got.

And the story we've heard a few times is how often relationships with the players/coach haven't been the best. You can look at a show on NRL on Fox a couple of years ago where he measured the width of Melbourne's home ground, and while it probably does have tactical truths to it, the way he delivered the message was such a boring, mono-toned, mundane style. You have to find a way to motivate people, get them to understand, if he delivers messages in that style to me I'd be clocking off pretty early.

I'd give him until round 6, I know nothing will happen because Dennis Fitzgerald is there but from a fan's perspective I've give him until round 6. Not necessarily for a drastic improvement in results, but a change in style - a change in intensity - a change in rythym.

 

[parra_princess]

I'm just hoping that our team is taking a month or so to click into gear.

At the moment, i'm in a bit of denial I havn't started full on panicking because we are only 3 rounds in. However, the games only get harder from here on in as other teams begin to "click" also. I just think the quality of our some players in our side (don't kid yourselves here we do have some great talent) should hit top gear soon.

Wade McKinnon has been a huge loss at the back he'll be back next week thankfully. As much as I like to remain positive Luke Burt is Woeful first grader, started his career with much promise but like much of this great club, his talent has somewhat diminished.

I put Parramatta's suprising poor form down to a mental problem. The boys just don't know how to win and they have no confidence. They need to sort this out pronto because the next few weeks are bloody tough.

 

[KFC]

No disrespect to Parramatta or their fans but Raymond's comments that they are a top 2 team on paper are absurd.

If we give the reigning Premiers the no1 spot then the no2 would be filled by Penrith, Broncos, Cowboys and Melbourne way before the Eels.

As mentioned many times in this thread the best thing the Eels could do is get a new coach.

I reckon a bloke like Shane Flanagan would do wonders.

 

[eelsta]

No disrespect to Parramatta or their fans but Raymond's comments that they are a top 2 team on paper are absurd.

If we give the reigning Premiers the no1 spot then the no2 would be filled by Penrith, Broncos, Cowboys and Melbourne way before the Eels.

As mentioned many times in this thread the best thing the Eels could do is get a new coach.

I reckon a bloke like Shane Flanagan would do wonders.

no disrepect taken and i have to agree with you 100%

 

[Bazal]

I think our major problem at the moment is that the team isn't gelling at all. One side of our defence seems to go one way, and the other side goes another way. There is very little fluency in our attack except when Tim Smith has the ball, he seems to be the only player offering any direction. Cayless is out of form, Stringer was but had a blinder on saturday. Morrison is being penalised out of games a little bit, he's only been half as involved as he could have been. Burt is a stop gap fullback, he goes ok there but can come up with some shockers, he needs to move back to the wing. Wagon at centre hasn't worked and I think he needs to go back to lock or the bench, with either a junior centre like Ben Smith coming up, or Burt being moved to centre to make way for John Williams on the wing. Grothe is continually being shunted to the wrong side of the field. Morris has been good, but seems to be trying too hard to take the pressure off Timmy Smith, and so Smith isn't touching the ball often enough in a set play situation. Cannings is still finding his feet, he'll be a game breaker for us if he stays fit and learns when to offload and when to hold it.

Mobility seems to be a problem at the moment as well. Our forwards seem to be lacking a bit in lateral mobility and aren't moving well enough to dominate tackles once a team starts to get a bit of a roll on. Hindy, Morro, and Perenara have been good in that department but the rest seem to be a little lacking. It should come with fitness, however, as Cayless, Cannings, and Stringer are returning from long stints on the sidelines and Robinson has been carrying a knee injury. Widders has been improperly used IMO, although not much could be done about that Saturday as we were down to a bench of zero at one point, with Petersen and Burt playing injured.

Again, we've been hit by injuries a little, it's affected us a bit but not too much. The only major one has been McKinnon, I think the defence has missed him shouting orders from the back. Henderson was a bad one because it threw our game plan and rotation to the winds.

We're creating some good opportunities with the football but not finishing them off. Saturday we had a good dozen chances to score, and only came away with two tries, and one certain try disallowed. Tim Smith basically created all but one or two of those opportunites, so I don't know how people can knock him. I think that the ability to finish should come once the team gels, and the players get used to what Timmy wants them to do.

All in all I'm not too worried as a fan yet, the signs have been there, we started the Sharks game well and probably outplayed them all night, we just couldn't land the punches when they counted. We were worse than ordinary against Souths but Tim Smith was a shining light as he has been in all the games. I can't agree with Andy Raymond, maybe next year could be a chance to push for top 2, but this year I reckon 5th is the highest we can hope for. I'd still be happy with that, but realistically I reckon we'll finish 7th.

As for sacking the coach, well, if the club is going to do that they should wait til the end of the year. How many clubs that have sacked coaches mid season have actually done any good that year?

 

[brenno]

I think Parra fans are in for another frustrating year personally. They could well make the 8 and have a strong finish to the backend of the season like last year. However, i really believe the club needs a fresh start moreso in the coaching department and front office. The player roster has improved and parra's junior system is one of the best in the NRL. Although, the eels just don't really seem to be going anywhere with Smith. Every season since 2001 it seems like the Eels have constantly had to rebuild and have never really found solidarity in keys positions. From what i've heard from people in the know at parra is that Smith will more than likely coach out the season regardless of whether parra make the 8 or not and will not have his contract renewed. Smith probably would have been sacked a couple of seasons ago if Parra weren't so against paying out Smith's hefty contract and having to refill several coaching assistant positions as Smith has an extensive team that works around him.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Parra's problem is that there are way too many players there on reputation alone. Guys like Cayless, Wagon, PJ Marsh have all been top class footballers at one point but they've either been out of form or injured for years. Only Morrison, Hindmarsh and maybe Ridell have looked like much in the last season or so.

 

[aqua_duck]

I think if Smith picked the team properly and stopped mucking around they could be a real smokey especially if they get a few wins on the board and some momentum going.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Parra's problem is that there are way too many players there on reputation alone. Guys like Cayless, Wagon, PJ Marsh have all been top class footballers at one point but they've either been out of form or injured for years. Only Morrison, Hindmarsh and maybe Ridell have looked like much in the last season or so.

Spot on!

Wagon is a real mystery... what is he doing in the team???

Cayless and PJ MArsh are a different story - they've been out a while with injuries and are finding their way back, so don't lump them in with the one dimensional players like Wagon/ Burt/ Widders - who all survive on what they could do, and what they might do.

 

[eloquentEEL]

funny how this thread suddenly died in the arse on Friday.

 

[slava]

parra's shit

 

[gregstar]

it took every ounce of brain cell for that insight didn't it slobba?
i bet you're sweating profusely

 

[Stagger eel]

parra's sh*t

OVP's right about you! your an ansolute phuckwit of a moron!

 

[slava]

what? it's true

 

[Stagger eel]

what? it's true

Melbourne 50 Brisbane 4....does that make you morons shitt??

 

[slava]

I don't think so. Parra's shit through and through. I thought the would be on top with them players they got but they are just shit. CAn't wait till the game. Brisbane are gonna flog them. Cos Parra is coming of a win against the PANTHERS andd Brisbane are coming of a BIG loss to Storm. ANd they'll be pissed. Feel sorry for the Parra players. They are gonna get pumped, but that's good.

 

[Stagger eel]

I don't think so. Parra's sh*t through and through. I thought the would be on top with them players they got but they are just sh*t. CAn't wait till the game. Brisbane are gonna flog them. Cos Parra is coming of a win against the PANTHERS andd Brisbane are coming of a BIG loss to Storm. ANd they'll be pissed. Feel sorry for the Parra players. They are gonna get pumped, but that's good.

so how much will you pump us by???

 

[slava]

oh I reckon by about 30 points

 

[eels_fan]

i reckon your gonna be eating your words come 6pm sunday .. if anyones team is SHIT its yours .. but you dont see other people running on and making posts about it..

I think your forgetting Parra's record of killing you guys up in QLD .. Suncorp to parra is like a second home ground ..

The game will be very close .. but there is a blow out in the score it will be in Parra's favour.. believe me..

 

[slava]

i reckon your gonna be eating your words come 6pm sunday .. if anyones team is sh*t its yours .. but you dont see other people running on and making posts about it..

I think your forgetting Parra's record of killing you guys up in QLD .. Suncorp to parra is like a second home ground ..

The game will be very close .. but there is a blow out in the score it will be in Parra's favour.. believe me..

STOP SPEAKING SHIT!