Turning point of our season?

[Basil Brush]

Amazing win with our injuries.

To have 2 players go down early and a third in the 2nd half was going to be tough.

I was going to put this in the matchday thread but it appears to have turned a bit "dick" weird.

Who would have thought that would happen in this forum?

 

[Forty20]

On the last matter, I'm pretty sure everyone is just wrestling with the confusing, conflicting feelings that are welling up inside them for one Clinton Gutherson. Those highly charged emotions are clearly spilling over into the forum.

You do raise a great point though mate. It could very much be a line in the sand victory. We had every reason to lose tonight but found a way to win. The counter question though is that was this a Pyrrhic victory? Will the losses we sustained outweigh the important intangible gains we made?

The team showed in 2016 that we can rally with our backs against the wall in the face of suspension/injuries and other dramas. We have some newer/better/more experienced pieces around the team now so it isn't beyond reason to think we can make something of a run.

It will largely come down to the ruck really. If our bandaid-solution-pack can keep aiming up there we have the tools on the edges to inflict damage. We got gassed badly against the Warriors tonight with the crippling injury toll but we were holding our own through most of the game prior to their late flurry.

Norman will be a big in when he is fit though and he will be another release on the pressure valves for other components of the team. Finally fielding a full spine (please be healthy Kaysa) and another genuine play-making option in The King will be ace.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I was expecting to lose after Hoffman went off. Losing an outside back is a massive hit to your defence. I thought there was a chance we could still win and if we did it would be a defining moment for this team. Now next week is pivotal.

 

[forward pass]

Not sure we can field a side next week.

 

[Bandwagon]

Shows there's a fair bit of steel in this squad, and it run's well past our top seventeen.

But, and it's a big but, the Warriors just didn't take there chances, errors, poor decisions, and a lack of resolve in their defence were major contributors to their losing, rather than us winning.

And the Warriors pack is pus at the moment, even in their wins they aren't making meters through the middle, it's on the edges through their backs. Despite the criticisms of our pack and our ability to dominate the ruck, our forwards made meters with ease and dominated the yardage game in defence. Warriors only bright spark in the middle was Luke had one of his better running games, which has been pretty absent of late. I'd put that down to fatigue on our part.

 

[Twizzle]

Love a good turning point, every season needs one

 

[The EELiminator]

But, and it's a big but, the Warriors just didn't take there chances, errors, poor decisions, and a lack of resolve in their defence were major contributors to their losing, rather than us winning.

maybe it was the turning point of their season as well
this is the time of year when they traditionally go on a winning streak but they showed no inclination to roll their sleeves up when it was needed

 

[hindy111]

Any news on Mannah,vae injury?
I heard Jennings and Norman are a chance. But if not theyl be back after the bye.

If all are back then BA has some selection headaches.

Id slot Gutherson and Jennings into centres. Auvau power game means he keeps a spot on wing.Hoffman will be put for a while. That should fix our defense out wide and help Moses.
Matagi keeps starting spot. And Alvaro gets a week off. But my bench would be
Ke,Scott, Vae,Taka.
Taka as an edge backrower and can go to centre for 15mins while gutherson gives Kaysa a spell.

Smith and Alvaro unlucky but thats the team id go for.

 

[parra-matters]

next week against the Cowboys in Darwin, no JT for the Cowboys still.
If we can get Mannah back and Normy is fit we can beat them and have 3 wins on the trot heading into the bye.
Would be massive to win next week heading into the bye.

 

[Avenger]

next week against the Cowboys in Darwin, no JT for the Cowboys still.
If we can get Mannah back and Normy is fit we can beat them and have 3 wins on the trot heading into the bye.
Would be massive to win next week heading into the bye.

We still play Saints after the Cowboys and then have the bye.

 

[parra-matters]

We still play Saints after the Cowboys and then have the bye.

ok thanks Avenger i didn't even look at the draw was going of a post i saw elsewhere, well lets just make it 4 on trot heading into the bye then! easy! lol

 

[hindy111]

A bye then 2 games then a bye.
Prefer atleast 4 games inbetween byes.
Should have the guys fresh for last 7 games before finals.

 

[Bazal]

Any news on Mannah,vae injury?
I heard Jennings and Norman are a chance. But if not theyl be back after the bye.

If all are back then BA has some selection headaches.

Id slot Gutherson and Jennings into centres. Auvau power game means he keeps a spot on wing.Hoffman will be put for a while. That should fix our defense out wide and help Moses.
Matagi keeps starting spot. And Alvaro gets a week off. But my bench would be
Ke,Scott, Vae,Taka.
Taka as an edge backrower and can go to centre for 15mins while gutherson gives Kaysa a spell.

Smith and Alvaro unlucky but thats the team id go for.

Your bias against Alvaro is funny. Just admit you were wrong.

Taka on the bench over a prop.....lol.

 

[The EELiminator]

next week against the Cowboys in Darwin, no JT for the Cowboys still.

Last interview I saw with Thurston he said he was out of origin but should be back for eels game then I said thanks for that merkin

 

[TheParraboy]

Only defining if we go on and win the comp this year, which we wont

But we wont beat the cowboys next game. They will have a few players push for origin
and also possibly have the greatest player of all time back from shoulder cuff injury

Cowboys 13+ nothing surer..

 

[Eelementary]

Only defining if we go on and win the comp this year, which we wont

But we wont beat the cowboys next game. They will have a few players push for origin
and also possibly have the greatest player of all time back from shoulder cuff injury

Cowboys 13+ nothing surer..

Good man!

 

[The EELiminator]

Cowboys 13+ nothing surer..

If we bust our arses in defence & get some luck maybe we could keep them to 12

 

[hineyrulz]

Only defining if we go on and win the comp this year, which we wont

But we wont beat the cowboys next game. They will have a few players push for origin
and also possibly have the greatest player of all time back from shoulder cuff injury

Cowboys 13+ nothing surer..

I like the look of that tip.

 

[Basil Brush]

On the last matter, I'm pretty sure everyone is just wrestling with the confusing, conflicting feelings that are welling up inside them for one Clinton Gutherson. Those highly charged emotions are clearly spilling over into the forum.

You do raise a great point though mate. It could very much be a line in the sand victory. We had every reason to lose tonight but found a way to win. The counter question though is that was this a Pyrrhic victory? Will the losses we sustained outweigh the important intangible gains we made?

The team showed in 2016 that we can rally with our backs against the wall in the face of suspension/injuries and other dramas. We have some newer/better/more experienced pieces around the team now so it isn't beyond reason to think we can make something of a run.

It will largely come down to the ruck really. If our bandaid-solution-pack can keep aiming up there we have the tools on the edges to inflict damage. We got gassed badly against the Warriors tonight with the crippling injury toll but we were holding our own through most of the game prior to their late flurry.

Norman will be a big in when he is fit though and he will be another release on the pressure valves for other components of the team. Finally fielding a full spine (please be healthy Kaysa) and another genuine play-making option in The King will be ace.

You summed up my points perfectly forty20.

We are lucky to have you as an eels fan and to be one of the sane voices on this forum.

 

[The Engineers Room]

The run home is not that unkind to us. A win this week would be vital. From there we could get on a run...