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Peter Sterling has taken aim at Chris Sandow for being overweight. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
PARRAMATTA legend Peter Sterling has blasted marquee recruit Chris Sandow as being too fat and unfit.
In a stinging attack on Triple M radio, the ex-Eels No.7 who guided the club to four premierships in the 80s, said Sandow had not lived up to expectation in his brief stint with Parramatta.
"I think Chris Sandow is overweight," Sterling said following Parramatta's 14-6 loss to Newcastle.
"I think he's playing four or five kilos above what he should be playing and it affects his sharpness.
"There's no way you can carry weight in this game, or very few players can, and look at him physically.
"I may be wrong, he may be the same weight he was when he started last year, but just looking at him, I don't think he was fit."
Sandow signed with Parramatta for a rumoured $550,000 and was lauded as a move that would improve the club’s premiership credentials but has failed to pay dividends.
The Eels, after starting the season without a win in the first four rounds, were pelted with coins by fans prior to recording a 29-20 comeback victory over Manly in round 5.
Sterling's comments aren't the only ones casting doubt over Sandow's performance, with Parramatta coach Steve Kearney refusing to answer questions when asked how the halfback was playing.
"Bad time to ask me," Kearney said on Sunday after Parramatta failed to beat Newcastle.
But Sandow's teammates said yesterday they do not blame the 23-year-old for the team's atrocious record.
"Chris is fine," forward Reni Maitua told the Daily Telegraph.
"Obviously him being the big off-season signing, a lot of pressure was going to be on him. And I don't think anyone should point the finger at Chris.
"It's a team effort. We're all out there. He's doing what he can and the rest of us probably aren't rising to the challenge."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...verweight-sandow/story-e6frexnr-1226322603592
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