Team List Tuesday - Week 2 finals - Eels v Panthers (and Ivan)

[Gronk]

First 20 mins is the key. Panthers will start fast, but if it’s close after 20, panthers may start doubting themselves. Lot of pressure on them.

I'd be tempted to start Stone and bring Lussick off the bench and put Smith as No. 18.

 

[EelsFan05]

People have changed on Waqa Blake from before as well. He’s finally starting to show the sort of form he had when he carved us up playing for the Panthers.

I think Waqa has been the big improver in the last month or so. He needs to develop a step to straighten up his run and draw the outside defender. He runs at an angle towards the sideline and the defence just follows him. By the time Dunter gets the ball he has nowhere to go. The only time Dunster gets space is when they cut Waqa out.

 

[TheParraboy]

Panthers are less threatening these days, few guys there not in great form

This is probably our grand final game. We have never gone beyond this stage of the competition under Brad Arthur and this group of players. Time to do it

Cant see us beating a refreshed Melbourne the following week. So we need to throw the kitchen sink in this match and get a win

Be interesting to see if Matto is selected (he should be). If he is fit and raring to go and misses out, then id go as far as say he has played his last game for Parra.

 

[eel01s]

Matto activated his player option for next year.

 

[Angry_eel]

Penrith should be thankful this game is in mackay.

If the game was at homebush with no restrictions parra fans would have outnumbered them close to 2 to 1. Would have been 65k i reckon with parra having 40-45k at the game

Doesn't mean shit. I was at the game V Cowboys with 60K Parra fans and we sucked.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Think we need to use our bench better and get more from them this week.

Bench played small mins this week except for Papa:

papa 56 mins
Smith 26 mins
Maka 12 mins
Cartwright 18 mins

 

[Twizzle]

Matto activated his player option for next year.

says who ?

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Whoa….

 

[Gronk]

^^^^^^ that's f**king awsome.

 

[Angry_eel]

Marata got off wow. This what I hate about the NRL - incosistency. They officiate different rules depending on if it's finals, Origin or regular season.

 

[Gronk]

says who ?

 

[Twizzle]

I don't get the Carty love on current form unless he's playing for a beer and a pie a week

 

[Sphagnum]

Penrith we’re pretty gash against Souths. They spent the whole second half trying to score off every tackle and built no pressure whatsoever.

If we stay with them for as long as possible the signs are there that they will panic and start playing dumb footy.

hopefully matto will be back and lane will be benched to play in the middle. I’d also prefer papa starting and niukore coming off the bench.

 

[Soto]

Finals Week 1 charges: Verrills, Sue banned

The official match review charges and suspensions from the opening week of the 2021 Telstra Premiership Finals Series, as they are announced across the weekend.

www.nrl.com

Confirmed...fines only

I would still make 3 changes...yes hear me out.
Matto in for Lane, Lussick in means Will Smith out and Kaufusi in for Makatoa...
Matto left 2nd row. Lane is too lazy. Matto is also a better defender...
Kaufusi and Papalii the 2 middles on the bench and unleash Stone to axe JFH from the start. Nullify their go fwd. Start NBrown on the bench. Can't let them dominate. We need to set the pace of the game and not be chasing it

 

[Tooooks]

Finals Week 1 charges: Verrills, Sue banned

The official match review charges and suspensions from the opening week of the 2021 Telstra Premiership Finals Series, as they are announced across the weekend.

www.nrl.com

Confirmed...fines only

I would still make 3 changes...yes hear me out.
Matto in for Lane, Lussick in means Will Smith out and Kaufusi in for Makatoa...
Matto left 2nd row. Lane is too lazy. Matto is also a better defender...
Kaufusi and Papalii the 2 middles on the bench and unleash Stone to axe JFH from the start. Nullify their go fwd. Start NBrown on the bench. Can't let them dominate. We need to set the pace of the game and not be chasing it

I agree with all of this. I really hope that’s how BA plays it.

 

[IFR33K]

I don't get the Carty love on current form unless he's playing for a beer and a pie a week

Even on a pie and coke deal, how’s he ahead of matto.

 

[soc123_au]

People have changed on Waqa Blake from before as well. He’s finally starting to show the sort of form he had when he carved us up playing for the Panthers.

There is a bloody good Rugby League player hiding inside Waqa. He just needs to let it out more often. It's good to see him finding a bit of form again finally. Although I hope he has a shocker this week.

RCG was huge yesterday too. I'm expecting him to go after Fish this week. It should be fun to watch.

 

[Gronk]

There is a bloody good Rugby League player hiding inside Waqa. He just needs to let it out more often. It's good to see him finding a bit of form again finally. Although I hope he has a shocker this week.

RCG was huge yesterday too. I'm expecting him to go after Fish this week. It should be fun to watch.

So what went wrong with you guys vs Souths ?

 

[soc123_au]

So what went wrong with you guys vs Souths ?

Where to start? lol.

Ivan getting roped in to a battle of wits with Skeletor was the start of it. Shit bench use didnt help either. Dumping Staines a while back and then bringing him back out of the blue was odd. Mostly I think we had already ticked it off as a win and were already thinking about the prelim.

Souffs played really well and we went away from playing the build pressure approach. I think the game this week will have 2 potential outcomes, my prefered of the 2 is we make a statement and belt you, the other is we still defend well but lose all composure in attack and you get us in a low scoring game. My only consolation in option 2 is you guys seem to have the game to rattle the Storm, if we cant get the chance to beat them I hope you do and go all the way. It would mean BA gets an extension, but jagging a comp would be worth it.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Fergo didn’t seem super confident he wouId be playing this week due to his injury