benoir91
Juniors
- Messages
- 1,584
IF YOU don't win the battle of the hitting, chances are you won't win any of the other battles either. Never was this more evident than in the emphatic victory by Parramatta over Newcastle yesterday.
In big games, collisions count. The Eels won all the collisions in this one. From the opening minute of the contest they ran harder, tackled harder and competed harder than their opponents. When the Eels forwards ran the ball they consistently pushed defenders out of their way with bull-like charges. They stood in tackles or dragged defenders a couple of metres refusing to be put to ground.
When the time came for the Eels to defend, the ferocity of their impact was there for all to see. They launched themselves at the Newcastle ball runners and feverishly gang-tackled in numbers as though every inch of territory on the field counted. This is a great attitude to have and it will win them plenty of matches if they can maintain the rage in the lead up to September football.
In yesterday's Sun-Herald I wrote that this match was a chance for the Eels to make a statement about themselves. Up until this point in the season they have been inconsistent and disappointing.
The past month, however, has seen a reawakening of their desire and intensity. There is a real togetherness about this team.
They look more organised. They are paying greater attention to detail in the all-important basics. Gone are the unforced errors and undisciplined penalties.
In the past, where others have described this team as flamboyant, I've seen them more as careless or even irresponsible. They were regularly guilty of taking the easy option rather than the right one. Now there is a real intent in their play. They've knuckled down and are now playing a much tougher brand of football. This will serve them well as the bigger games come around.
The foundation for this triumph was established by their forwards. Led by the ''Wild Thing'', Fuifui Moimoi, the Eels pack totally outmuscled and dominated their Newcastle opponents.
Moimoi has grown in stature over the years. Always a crowd favourite, the big man used to struggle to play extended periods in matches. He used to give in to fatigue too easily and was essentially used as a short-term shock tactic off the interchange bench. These days his motor is running on high-octane fuel and he regularly puts effort on top of effort in both attack and defence.
When he revved up and charged with the ball yesterday the Knights retreated.
I was also impressed with the aggressive defence from the Parramatta outside backs. Centres Krisnan Inu and Joel Reddy both raced up quickly to pressure the Knights' playmakers and both came up with big hits on the Knights' back-rowers who were looking for smaller targets in the Parramatta defensive line.
Fullback Jarryd Hayne was again brilliant. Some of his touches were world class.
The Knights were awful. They turned up with a soft attitude and it never improved at any stage of the contest. Physically they were never in the game. Their forwards had no presence whatsoever and were virtually manhandled by their opposite numbers.
Unable to make ground over the advantage line in the first half, the Knights tried a different tact in the second period. They shifted the ball wide at every opportunity hoping their speed men out wide could make the metres for them. It took Parramatta only a short while to adjust their defensive style to accommodate the change in play. As soon as they did they managed to force the Knights sideways towards the sidelines and into repeated errors.
Twenty minutes from full-time and the visitors were a beaten lot. They mentally lost contact with the contest and their heads were already on the bus back to the coalfields. They had no fight in them at all. The pleasing part of this match for Parramatta fans was the way their team maintained their intensity and fine standards until the full-time siren.
They had this game won a long way from home but their 80-minute discipline suggests they believe they have bigger victories in mind before this season is over. I have to admit, they were impressive.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhq...1249756210505.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
In big games, collisions count. The Eels won all the collisions in this one. From the opening minute of the contest they ran harder, tackled harder and competed harder than their opponents. When the Eels forwards ran the ball they consistently pushed defenders out of their way with bull-like charges. They stood in tackles or dragged defenders a couple of metres refusing to be put to ground.
When the time came for the Eels to defend, the ferocity of their impact was there for all to see. They launched themselves at the Newcastle ball runners and feverishly gang-tackled in numbers as though every inch of territory on the field counted. This is a great attitude to have and it will win them plenty of matches if they can maintain the rage in the lead up to September football.
In yesterday's Sun-Herald I wrote that this match was a chance for the Eels to make a statement about themselves. Up until this point in the season they have been inconsistent and disappointing.
The past month, however, has seen a reawakening of their desire and intensity. There is a real togetherness about this team.
They look more organised. They are paying greater attention to detail in the all-important basics. Gone are the unforced errors and undisciplined penalties.
In the past, where others have described this team as flamboyant, I've seen them more as careless or even irresponsible. They were regularly guilty of taking the easy option rather than the right one. Now there is a real intent in their play. They've knuckled down and are now playing a much tougher brand of football. This will serve them well as the bigger games come around.
The foundation for this triumph was established by their forwards. Led by the ''Wild Thing'', Fuifui Moimoi, the Eels pack totally outmuscled and dominated their Newcastle opponents.
Moimoi has grown in stature over the years. Always a crowd favourite, the big man used to struggle to play extended periods in matches. He used to give in to fatigue too easily and was essentially used as a short-term shock tactic off the interchange bench. These days his motor is running on high-octane fuel and he regularly puts effort on top of effort in both attack and defence.
When he revved up and charged with the ball yesterday the Knights retreated.
I was also impressed with the aggressive defence from the Parramatta outside backs. Centres Krisnan Inu and Joel Reddy both raced up quickly to pressure the Knights' playmakers and both came up with big hits on the Knights' back-rowers who were looking for smaller targets in the Parramatta defensive line.
Fullback Jarryd Hayne was again brilliant. Some of his touches were world class.
The Knights were awful. They turned up with a soft attitude and it never improved at any stage of the contest. Physically they were never in the game. Their forwards had no presence whatsoever and were virtually manhandled by their opposite numbers.
Unable to make ground over the advantage line in the first half, the Knights tried a different tact in the second period. They shifted the ball wide at every opportunity hoping their speed men out wide could make the metres for them. It took Parramatta only a short while to adjust their defensive style to accommodate the change in play. As soon as they did they managed to force the Knights sideways towards the sidelines and into repeated errors.
Twenty minutes from full-time and the visitors were a beaten lot. They mentally lost contact with the contest and their heads were already on the bus back to the coalfields. They had no fight in them at all. The pleasing part of this match for Parramatta fans was the way their team maintained their intensity and fine standards until the full-time siren.
They had this game won a long way from home but their 80-minute discipline suggests they believe they have bigger victories in mind before this season is over. I have to admit, they were impressive.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhq...1249756210505.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
