Coach right to drag me: Grothe
PARRAMATTA winger Eric Grothe last night admitted he deserved to be hooked from the field during the Eels' win against Sydney Roosters – but not to be fined by the club tomorrow for an alleged drinking incident.
As Jason Taylor's men secured an amazing finals berth with their 40-26 win at Aussie Stadium, club chief exececutive Denis Fitzgerald revealed Grothe, halfback Tim Smith, centre Ben Smith and utility Daniel Wagon would be interviewed tomorrow over their actions at the Intersection Hotel in Ramsgate last Thursday night.
Smith has already been cleared of any wrongdoing but when asked if he was contemplating action against other players, Fitzgerald said: "I won't know until we have the meeting".
Grothe was replaced by Wade McKinnon in the first half of yesterday's ninth consecutive Parramatta win – highly unusual for an international winger – but coach Jason Taylor said it was "just a tactical decision".
But Grothe today The Daily Telegraph: "It was out of me, Wado or Burty (Luke Burt) – he was going to see how we were going and act accordingly.
"I made a couple mistakes there and I came off to get my head together. I stuffed up a couple of times. We talked about it during the week, them chasing the kicks and not falling for it. I fell for it. I came in there once off my wing.
"I didn't have my head on there in that regard and he just did the right thing, I guess.
"I haven't been playing that good lately and he kind of said 'we'll see how you're going' because we've got Wade McKinnon on the bench and you want to get him on the field because he's such a great player.
"He had to do what he saw. That's the job of a head coach."
But the 26-year-old said he knew nothing of any meeting with Fitzgerald. "Nah, nah," he said. "They went and looked at all the footage and it just showed us having a few beers and listening to music. (Parramatta general manager) Greg Mitchell came over and said: 'boys, no worries. Some bloke's rang up and tried to get the best of yas. Don't worry. You're sweet with us'.
"So there's nothing to worry about."
Eels captain Nathan Cayless was the main post-match concern for the team, as he was rushed to hospital with a suspected fractured eye socket.
Roosters lock Ashley Harrison may miss the start of next season after snapping the ACL and MCL ligaments in his right knee.
It was 10-10 just over a quarter-way into a freewheeling game before Eels replacement Dean Widders (25th minute) and halfback Jeremy Smith (28th minute) put their side in control and pointed the blue and golds towards a guaranteed finals berth – less than three months after being second last.
With 20 minutes to go, Parramatta led 40-14 and were guaranteed more wins in a row than the Roosters have managed in the entire season.
Already short on front rowers, the Eels will be sweating on Cayless' x-rays last night.
"He's got concussion and he might have a fracture around his orbit – right," said team doctor Michael Johnson.
Sydney Roosters prop David Shillington was reported for a high tackle on Glenn Morrison in the 11th minute.
Captain Craig Fitzgibbon, who scored his first try of the year, said the Eels were "flying" with a style that was "almost touch football-like".
PARRAMATTA 40 (L O'Dwyer 2 E Grothe J Hayne D Widders B Smith PJ Marsh tries L Burt 6 goals) SYDNEY ROOSTERS 26 (R Cross 2 S Perrett C Flannery C Fitzgibbon tries C Fitzgibbon 3 goals) at Aussie Stadium. Referee: P Simpkins.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20191840-5001021,00.html
