Rd16: Parra v Penrith GAME DAY THREAD @ Bluebet Stadium 2/7/21

[eel01s]

The seven tackle set rule needs to be adjusted. I can understand it remaining if the ball is kicked dead from further than halfway (or hell, even from more than twenty out). Fair. Though any kick from inside the oppositions half that goes dead or out in goal, a catch in the in goal or an error in the same results in a penalty that doesn’t fit the crime.

There were three incidents benefiting Penrith last night that I can recall:

- Blake attempting to ground the ball off a grubber,
- Sivo attempting a miraculous put down, and;
- A booming 45 metre field goal attempt from Moses.

Penrith went on to put points on the board off the back of two of these. Why should teams be rewarded for likely errors that otherwise result in brilliant play?

Six tackles with a free twenty metres and often momentum (that if you now try halt results in additional tackles) is good enough. The rule was brought in to penalise negative play when attempting to nullify fullbacks. We are going to see more and more star players in our game hold back and take the ‘safe’ option if an alteration isn’t made!

Yes times a million! Worst rule in the game. The rule was brought in to deter deliberately kicking the ball dead to nullify the kick return (Slater, Hayne etc.) All the scenarios above are from good attacking play.

 

[lingard]

I would like to see Blake on the wing too, but Niukore would be badly exposed against the good teams, even without Drown on his inside. Hopefully Penisini is ready for 20+ games next year.

I'm only talking about this year. Penisini might be the answer next year, sure. Or another good centre (whom we may have to purchase). And I'm not sure that Niukore would be the liability, against the best teams, that you seem to think he would be. My understanding is that, although playing as a middle forward right now, he actually has a lot of experience playing as a centre. I mean, BA wouldn't have just picked any old prop forward and put him in the centres, unless he thought he had experience or ability there, would he?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He was obviously the best stopgap available, largely due to his junior experience as well as his strength and speed. But his lateral movement just isn't good enough. Likewise his experience defending at centre in the NRL (or even in reserve grade) is extremely limited. Penisini obviously has zero NRL experience but he's played half a season in reserve grade, and his lateral movement is vastly superior to Niukore's. Blake is better than both of them though. Opacic is better again. An awesome defender out wide.

 

[lingard]

Does anyone know what happened to Tom Opacec's father?

 

[yy_cheng]

What about marata at left centre? And blake on the wing?

 

[strider]

Does anyone know what happened to Tom Opacec's father?

you mean his brother? ... killed in a motorbike accident

 

[Bandwagon]

Not interested. Go Away.

Ok.

Nah on second thoughts, f**k it, I'll hang around.

 

[The Predictor]

Technically, one could argue that Moses not having his kicking boots on cost us the game - the missed conversion means that the field goal would have been out of play.

But I'm not going to do that - 2 tries apiece, and we took it to the wire against a team that never loses at home.

I'm a proud Eels fan after Friday, tbh. I think we showed the world that we are not ready to be a Grand Final threat yet, but we will be an almighty pain in the arse for those who are.

No offence, I want my team being a contender and as opposed to novelty value, I don’t understand that train of thought, so very typical of many Parra fans, when do we exactly want to contend for a premiership????

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

It’s not white anting if I’ve been openly critical in a public forum.

Well, you having a go at him isn't. Are you saying that you've never reported the opinion of insiders critical of the coach? Not so much this year, but 2018/19?

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

They were there to be beaten, without their best player and leader. Add in 5 players backing up from origin and they also had an off night with their hands. We won't get a better chance to beat them but it was the same old same old in attack and when it really mattered we wilted.


What's really hilarious is how Steve Murphy still has a job after being shown time and time again he is not good enough.


But we front loaded our effort area's and chased the collision so thats all that really matters.

We played straight and hard in slippery conditions, controlled where Panthers started their sets of 6 pretty well and took it down to the wire. You win some you lose some.

 

[Eelementary]

No offence, I want my team being a contender and as opposed to novelty value, I don’t understand that train of thought, so very typical of many Parra fans, when do we exactly want to contend for a premiership????

When we have the team to actually do so?

This team is not a genuine title threat in 2021 - this is hardly a secret...

It's unrealistic to expect a serious title threat team every year (unless you're Melbourne, and that's a whole other story).

Even Penrith took a few years to build, before becoming a genuine title threat.

I don't think it's a controversial statement, tbh.

 

[Noise]

When we have the team to actually do so?

This team is not a genuine title threat in 2021 - this is hardly a secret...

It's unrealistic to expect a serious title threat team every year (unless you're Melbourne, and that's a whole other story).

Even Penrith took a few years to build, before becoming a genuine title threat.

I don't think it's a controversial statement, tbh.

The team on paper is a contender. Come Monday we could have three quarters of our spine as origin players in the last 12 months.

If we aren't a contender how long is long enough for a coach to build a team that is a contender?

 

[Eelementary]

The team on paper is a contender. Come Monday we could have three quarters of our spine as origin players in the last 12 months.

If we aren't a contender how long is long enough for a coach to build a team that is a contender?

I don't think we can be classed as genuine contenders, until we've:

(1) had more Finals experience
(2) steadily climbed up the ladder for a few seasons, consistently (which we are well on our way to doing)

 

[Noise]

I don't think we can be classed as genuine contenders, until we've:

(1) had more Finals experience
(2) steadily climbed up the ladder for a few seasons, consistently (which we are well on our way to doing)

So how long do you give a coach to achieve these goals?

 

[IFR33K]

I don't think we can be classed as genuine contenders, until we've:

(1) had more Finals experience
(2) steadily climbed up the ladder for a few seasons, consistently (which we are well on our way to doing)

We’ve played finals in 17, 19 and 20. Many teams window would close after that. I agree on paper we’re contenders and won’t get a better opportunity than this season to potentially get it done.

 

[Avenger]

Well, you having a go at him isn't. Are you saying that you've never reported the opinion of insiders critical of the coach? Not so much this year, but 2018/19?

You mean the fact that he wanted to do everything himself and the reason O’Neill was appointed. I didn’t know that it was going to be him but it was common knowledge that he was biting off more than he could chew. I also was privy to some information about him boning either or both of his halves after the wooden spoon. Norman eventually left and Moses stayed.

What’s wrong with me writing that and my opinion on his performance? How is that white anting? I thought that’s why we come on here or are you just going to play it safe and stay on the fence all your life? I couldn’t give a f**k. He was a plodder and now is above average but I still think after 8 years he should be better. I give him a pass so far but I have always maintained my stance that if he doesn’t at least make the preliminary final this year he would have underachieved and if there is no GF appearance by next year he should move on.

 

[Eelementary]

So how long do you give a coach to achieve these goals?

If it was up to me, next year would be his last.

However, I'm not informed of the Juniors system, pathways, etc.

Assuming this was all at an acceptable level, then the missing piece would be the First Grade side's performance.

 

[Eelementary]

We’ve played finals in 17, 19 and 20. Many teams window would close after that. I agree on paper we’re contenders and won’t get a better opportunity than this season to potentially get it done.

How many Finals games have we won, though?

We've played in a few, but we probably need to find ways to more Finals.

 

[crocodile]

Moses is in I see.

 

[crocodile]

Moses is in I see.

Whoops, wrong fred