PP, still can't figure out why you were content with what the team achieved this year.
We all wanted it to work as he was a local, but be honest it was probably the most disappointing year sinnce the early 90s.
Rubbish, the most disappointing year was being cheated of the 2009 NRL GF.
Look at all the big-games that really mattered which we won.........
1. We routed the Dragons in the first semi. All kudos goes to DA for pulling off the Roper Doper. The Dragons were minor premiers.
2. We slaughtered the Titans who came 3rd in the minor premiership. All kudos to DA.
3. We blew away the dogs who came second in the minor premiership. All kudos to DA.
So, in the big-games that really mattered, from 8th position we easily beat the three top teams to get into the 2009 GF. All Kudos goes to the coach DA.
Then we get beat by the cheats (and dodgy ref decisions like the penalty against Fui, the slack policing of the 10 meters, more like 7 meters and allowing the cheats to continually slow down the Eels play the ball) who were well over the cap by more than 1 million $$$$$, meaning at least two of their top 4 players would not be in the squad and probably at least another two or three of their top 17 would not have played either.
It's very obvious that the 2009 season turned out to be the worst season we have had since we blew the 2001 GF and getting done over by the Cowgirls 29 nil in the 2005 semis.
All teams played the cheats during 2009. All teams played all the teams that made the top 8. All teams who played against the cheats also played against the Eels during 2009. Even the Broncos, Manly & Newcastle, all beaten by the top 3 teams would have been belted by the Eels if they came up against them during the 2009 semis or GF.
It is as clear as daylight, The Eels ARE the 2009 NRL Premiers and this was stolen from the fans, from the players and particularly from Daniel Anderson. This FACT makes it the most disappointing year for ages because we were let down by ALL the big-business manipulators involved in the management of the NRL, particularly all the deceivers working for News Limited who also had their hands in the pockets of the cheats, this includes the refs.
NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL DISAPPOINTING.
WE WERE CHEATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And 3P came along for the ride BUT THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EELS TRAIL BLAZING SUCCESS.
The real investigations by the fraud and corruption departments within the police force should be all centered on the crime syndicate operating as the controlling influence over the NRL. The recent gambling fiasco of some player agents and players etc is nothing compared to how this crime syndicate controls the NRL. Don't be fooled by all this distraction over gambling, the real wizards of crime are all still laughing at all of us league fans.