Tokyo_Raider
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Seems reasonable to me:
Eels expose weakness in Raiders' script
Greg Prichard
July 3, 2006
SATURDAY ANALYSIS
CANBERRA play the percentages more than any other team in the NRL. Sometimes it works for them and sometimes it doesn't. Against an improved Parramatta at Canberra Stadium, it didn't.
The Raiders had the job of trying to reel in the Eels during the second half, when the Eels led 16-12 and then 18-12, but they weren't prepared to take many chances along the way. They relied on trying to punch their way up the field through their forwards and hoping for either a penalty or a Parramatta mistake to give them good field position.
Had they achieved that, playmaker Jason Smith would have tried to make something happen inside the opposition's 20m area, but over the critical closing stages the Eels kept the discipline up and the errors down and Canberra never got into position to take a decent shot at them. The Raiders could have chanced their arm from a lot further out and given the ball more air if they had wished, but that isn't the way they play. They don't have the most dazzling player roster. They mostly rely on persistence, commitment, dogged forward play and the other team's mistakes. Overall, it works for them.
It was harder for Canberra on Saturday night, with fullback Clinton Schifcofske, centre Adam Mogg and hooker Simon Woolford - three of their most dangerous players - all unavailable. Parramatta were missing several stars as well, but they still had a few others they could count on to do the business.
The Raiders play to their strengths and are well coached by Matthew Elliott and that is why they were in the top eight going into the weekend, ahead of a number of teams that have better-looking rosters on paper. If they were to start pushing the envelope too hard, they would come unstuck.
Maybe they would have at least forced extra time had they taken more chances against Parramatta, but we shouldn't criticise them for sticking to their proven formula. It will continue to get them more wins than trying to cut loose beyond their limitations will.
The Eels will continue to use the possibility of making a late charge at a finals berth as motivation, but they are going to have to improve significantly to get there.
Eels expose weakness in Raiders' script
Greg Prichard
July 3, 2006
SATURDAY ANALYSIS
CANBERRA play the percentages more than any other team in the NRL. Sometimes it works for them and sometimes it doesn't. Against an improved Parramatta at Canberra Stadium, it didn't.
The Raiders had the job of trying to reel in the Eels during the second half, when the Eels led 16-12 and then 18-12, but they weren't prepared to take many chances along the way. They relied on trying to punch their way up the field through their forwards and hoping for either a penalty or a Parramatta mistake to give them good field position.
Had they achieved that, playmaker Jason Smith would have tried to make something happen inside the opposition's 20m area, but over the critical closing stages the Eels kept the discipline up and the errors down and Canberra never got into position to take a decent shot at them. The Raiders could have chanced their arm from a lot further out and given the ball more air if they had wished, but that isn't the way they play. They don't have the most dazzling player roster. They mostly rely on persistence, commitment, dogged forward play and the other team's mistakes. Overall, it works for them.
It was harder for Canberra on Saturday night, with fullback Clinton Schifcofske, centre Adam Mogg and hooker Simon Woolford - three of their most dangerous players - all unavailable. Parramatta were missing several stars as well, but they still had a few others they could count on to do the business.
The Raiders play to their strengths and are well coached by Matthew Elliott and that is why they were in the top eight going into the weekend, ahead of a number of teams that have better-looking rosters on paper. If they were to start pushing the envelope too hard, they would come unstuck.
Maybe they would have at least forced extra time had they taken more chances against Parramatta, but we shouldn't criticise them for sticking to their proven formula. It will continue to get them more wins than trying to cut loose beyond their limitations will.
The Eels will continue to use the possibility of making a late charge at a finals berth as motivation, but they are going to have to improve significantly to get there.
![TiTTieS_[CNTDN]](/data/avatars/m/5/5289.jpg?1151924577){kind=avatar}
