Rd8: Eels v Cowboys GAME DAY THREAD in Darwin 30/4/22

[Poupou Escobar]

Definitely. We were very predictable and slow and far too sideways.

Would you say we didn't earn the right to go sideways?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I thought last week against the Knights was a mirage because we overpowered them and score off a lot of crash plays but that isn’t going to cut it against the top sides.

Do you think we threw a lot of passes when we beat the Storm?

 

[Eelectrica]

We could still make the top 4 if the NRL will let us play just Newcastle, the Titans and Dragons the rest of the year

 

[Gary Gutful]

Would you say we didn't earn the right to go sideways?

Players weren't squaring up the line when we were doing it to make the defenders guess.

Had a mate that used to play touch footy like that. Gave me the shits.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yes 6 tries were scored down our left hand side but the problem is our halfback over on the right that doesn’t run enough (who by the way actually ran more times than our half on the left).
Who was this legend? Steve Sharp?

One of Moses' strengths is his running game so you'd f**king hope he ran more than the backup on the other side. The problem was Moses (and Arthur) got the ball too early and too often, with the Cowboys defence ready to get up out wide. Where were our middle forwards ffs? Gassed from not running the ball?

Paulo 8 runs for 86m
Taumalolo 15 runs for 187m

But let's single out the rookie halfback. Was obviously his fault.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

lol Arthur didn't play the Tigers game because he'd only just came back from having his appendix out. He waited a whole game for that to happen lol. Nepotism Gnome to the rescue!!!!

Wow, do you reckon Arthur told Niukore to lie about the other seven games he's been unavailable to play this year so Jake could get a run?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I feel like we need to stagger interchanges of rcg and junior because when they both come off we lose a lot.

They made 20 runs between them. Matterson made 21 by himself.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

All fairness to hayze perham he isn't a winger why couldn't we blood one of the juniors?

Injury list is massive in the outside backs. You have to play who's available.

 

[Noise]

One of Moses' strengths is his running game so you'd f**king hope he ran more than the backup on the other side. The problem was Moses (and Arthur) got the ball too early and too often, with the Cowboys defence ready to get up out wide. Where were our middle forwards ffs? Gassed from not running the ball?

Paulo 8 runs for 86m
Taumalolo 15 runs for 187m

But let's single out the rookie halfback. Was obviously his fault.

Some ‘legend’ of the club apparently singled out Moses as the problem.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I really feel sorry for Jake Arthur it’s not his fault that he gets picked. I’ve said this before that BA is ruining his development by selecting him in first grade. His skill level, physical side - you can tell he’s not ready. Mentally though, this is where the damage can be done when the fans turn on him because he gets treated favourably. If Jake was there on his own merits due to an injury to the halves then put him in that’s totally fine. But to take out one of the form 5/8 and put your son in is a joke! It’s just poor coaching.

Jake Arthur would not make any other first grade team in the NRL. Not even the Dogs who are coming last.

We have to move Drown because we are out of wingers and centres.

 

[hineyrulz]

Wow, do you reckon Arthur told Niukore to lie about the other seven games he's been unavailable to play this year so Jake could get a run?

I would put nothing past the evil f**king genius!! FFS!!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

…and we’ve hit you with the Hiroshima of truth bombs that the halfback we’ve used and forced our form 5/8 into the centres for 5 halves of footy has achieved exactly 0 try assists, 0 tries, 0 line breaks and 0 LBAs in 200 minutes of football. He also has 8 missed tackles in 2 1/2 games, which isn’t great either. No obfuscating on your part will change that.

I also forgot to add 0 tackle busts and he has only run 15 times for 79m.

He's not in the team to run the ball. As for his defence, you're being very selective and dare I say disingenuous with your choice of stats. He is defending at 86.7% effectiveness, which is better than big money halves Moses, Moylan, Walker and Munster, who are all defending at about 80%. No he isn't a threat in attack but that's not why backup halves are brought into the team.

And merkins were whinging about Drown's lack of output prior to this year when after a couple of games he's suddenly a must have in the halves. There's no guarantee he would've done anything at 6 last night. He did f**k all at centre. Our forwards gave us no room to move. The proof is in how little Moses did with the ball.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yep. I only watched for about 10 mins until they scored their 3rd try. It was obvious that we were well and truly f**ked, some merkins looked like they were about to f**king faint. Turned it off again, it was obvious we weren’t going to win.

I said before the game that we looked fingered. Sweat was pissing off our players as they ran onto the field.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Well you typed that this legend said our problem is we have a halfback that doesn’t run the ball. This legend is talking out of his ass. Moses has averaged 8.25 runs per game this season. Whilst I would like him to run more, he certainly does run. He also has the most try assists in the comp by far and was sitting 2nd on the Dally M ladder. He is the least of our problems.

But still did nothing last night. Maybe the forwards were the problem?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

why haven’t we promoted a winger or centre to our top 30 since our injury crisis.

Because then when Blake, Sivo, Russell, Opacic, Niukore and Naiduki all come back from injury we'll have too many wingers/centres.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What is ridiculous is we take a game to Darwin against the Cowboys who are suited to humid conditions......Take the Warriors or Raiders there.

And one year we even took our blockbuster game of the year against the PANTHERS there.
Ridiculous choices by the club

Probably Brad Arthur's decision, on advice from Jake.

 

[Jake the snake]

We have to move Drown because we are out of wingers and centres.

we didn’t have to. I don’t imagine Craig Bellamy moving Munster to the the centres should they have a shortage. Only Boring Brad does such an idiotic move.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

My official review was 10th I adjust weekly power rankings and will be doing one after rounds done. We will fall.

Anyhows I have cleary stated that we have extended the wrong men and for far to long. 4yr deals shouldn't be handed out unless it's a guy who is a special talent and not to old.
Gutherson is not a special talent. Rcg and Jnr are old beat up props. Watch what they deliver in 2025 and 2026.

I saw what those two delivered last night. f**k all. But these three players are experienced members of our leadership group, which is obviously important to any team. Even the Storm have forwards contracted into their early 30s, and they can pick and choose who they keep and for how long and at what price. Is Bennett stupid for signing Kaufusi and the Bromwich brothers or do most clubs need to take their experience where they can get it?

 

[strider]

A gentle breeze could knock him off ffs!

You think he has flatulence also?

 

[lucablight]

Do you think we threw a lot of passes when we beat the Storm?

All of our tries were scored through the individual brilliance of Dylan Brown/Waqa Blake or relying on being at the right place at the right time through Ray Stone. You’re literally proving my point.