SPOILERS: Eels vs Roosters Match Thread

[Maroubra Eel]

I don't know why people assume this indicates an advantage.

It usually means we were unduly held down or spoiled inside the opposition 20, because teams know this is an easy way to nullify our attack.

I put it to you that of the 8+ penalties we might receive in a game like this, there are probably another 20 the refs didn't want to blow.

In short, if penalty counts were supposed to be even, we may as well do away with them.

Spot on.

 

[oldmancraigy]

I think Mitchell is a better dummy half than Keating....Just because he couldnt get much of a run at Parra ahead of Keating, doesnt mean Keating is a better player.

No it doesn't

Of course the fact that he's not doing much at the Chooks either might start to be a hint?

He was pretty ordinary last night, much worse than Keating was. Mitchell has an annoying habit of standing up and shuffling out of dummy half - you might have noticed one of our players (Horo?) whacked his arm before he managed to pass it when they were on attack - this happened twice last night. Once is too many times.

Once Friend came on, he started getting the forwards momentum over the ad line and the Chooks looked more dangerous (with less possession/ worse field position)

Don't get me wrong, I think Keating is hopeless, he's my biggest worry for next season - what's the point in having attacking halves when they're catching the ball at the shoelaces all the time...
Makes me pretty happy McGuire inked on for another season.

The last 2 weeks I've been trying to watch Keating in the wrestle to see if perhaps he's the master wrestler and that's why Kearney values him so highly.
So far, not too much to report there... Has anyone else noticed anything positive in his wrestling?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Nothing special as a wrestler but his first contact is excellent for a little bloke and he is always there.

He also doesn't slow down late in the game; he works the whole 80 minutes.

I agree he's nothing special in attack but next year we won't need him to be.

 

[parra pete]

We must have walked under every ladder, broken every mirror and killed every black cat this season. Absolutely NOTHING has gone our way this year. Nothing. We will not beat the titans next week because the gods are against us - pure and simple.

If we are leading 50 nil next week, we will still find a way to lose. It is just not going to happen no matter what and I have accepted the fact finally.

The Parra Bears - that's us. Oh well. Bring on the cricket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsg1kam30hc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5E357PzecQ

 

[Chipmunk]

No it doesn't

Of course the fact that he's not doing much at the Chooks either might start to be a hint?

He was pretty ordinary last night, much worse than Keating was. Mitchell has an annoying habit of standing up and shuffling out of dummy half - you might have noticed one of our players (Horo?) whacked his arm before he managed to pass it when they were on attack - this happened twice last night. Once is too many times.

Once Friend came on, he started getting the forwards momentum over the ad line and the Chooks looked more dangerous (with less possession/ worse field position)

Don't get me wrong, I think Keating is hopeless, he's my biggest worry for next season - what's the point in having attacking halves when they're catching the ball at the shoelaces all the time...
Makes me pretty happy McGuire inked on for another season.

The last 2 weeks I've been trying to watch Keating in the wrestle to see if perhaps he's the master wrestler and that's why Kearney values him so highly.
So far, not too much to report there... Has anyone else noticed anything positive in his wrestling?

I certainly dont think he offers value as an 80 minutes player. With better halves I think he can keep his spot as a starting dummy half (not a great one, but I dont see us with any better option for 2012). I think next year we are better served with McGuire at 14 next year and coming on after 25-30 minutes and Keating sitting on the bench for the rest of the game in only if some injuries occur.

 

[Parramatta1947]

The match last night was as bad as Jon English's 'fake band' playing the Parra song. We have reached a new low......

 

[Maroubra Eel]

The match last night was as bad as Jon English's 'fake band' playing the Parra song. We have reached a new low......

So at the stadium the entertainments shithouse, the ground announcer is shithouse, the food and beer is shithouse, and the team is shithouse. Boards are shithouse, coaches are shithouse, our juniors are shithouse. Actually even the shithouses are shithouse.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That's why I watch them on the tv.

We always win on tv.

 

[Tin Man 4.24]

So at the stadium the entertainments shithouse, the ground announcer is shithouse, the food and beer is shithouse, and the team is shithouse. Boards are shithouse, coaches are shithouse, our juniors are shithouse. Actually even the shithouses are shithouse.

The blow-up Eel castle out the front looked like fun, though.

 

[lingard]

Mark, mental fitness has been an ongoing issue for 25 years as far as Parra is concerned. It's nothing new, nor is it confined to the Eels. Whether it's been more mental for the fans or the team as a whole is yet to be debated.

Our recruitment and retention has been diabolical for 25 years. With the exception of that short period where we signed the 'Canterbury Four', we haven`t had a team that remotely resembled a premiership-winning side. even next year it aint great, but it`s a start. I`m hoping that we consolidate (i.e: make some more big signings) in 2012 so that by 2013 we resemble teams like Melbourne, Manly, and the Tigers. Neither mental nor physical toughness has anything to do with our fortunes over the last 25 years. It`s been our personel. That`s all.

 

[Eels Dude]

Our recruitment and retention has been diabolical for 25 years. With the exception of that short period where we signed the 'Canterbury Four', we haven`t had a team that remotely resembled a premiership-winning side. even next year it aint great, but it`s a start. I`m hoping that we consolidate (i.e: make some more big signings) in 2012 so that by 2013 we resemble teams like Melbourne, Manly, and the Tigers. Neither mental nor physical toughness has anything to do with our fortunes over the last 25 years. It`s been our personel. That`s all.

A club with our junior base recruitment should come second to retention. We should only really need to make a couple of outside signings per year to strengthen positions we're weak in.

 

[eel01s]

Just got in from the game, so I will upset a few fans. Burt should be only considered as a back up, has lost his pace, missed an easy field goal and made the worst feeble effort of a tackle to concede the try that effectively cost us the game.

Whilst as usual Jason Robinson did his best to give the game to the Rooters, that was terrible from Luke, summed up the way he has played for a while.

Great club man etc, but that tackle had to be made, think he thought he was playing touch. Apologies for the rant, but being a season ticket holder for over 30 years it ticked me off, with halves and a 3/4 line we will be a pretty decent team next year, but Luke , ouch

100% agree Delboy.

Luke Burt has been a very good player for the club for a long time, but I think the negatives in his game outweigh the positives.

Positives:

Good footy brain, good positioning, great goalkicking and good kicking game

Negatives:

Cannot tackle one on one, can't take a decent hit up, won't contest a bomb, too soft all around