Bring on Storm, anyone: Electric Eels ignite title charge
After belting Brisbane by a record NRL finals margin, it's time for Eels fans to dare to dream: this Parramatta side can break the club’s horrid 33-year premiership drought.
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Bring on Melbourne, bring on Canberra, bring on the Roosters, bring on anyone.
This was showtime in Sydney’s golden west.
The players have been saying it for months and now the rest of the NRL is starting to listen to the message: This Parramatta side can break the club’s 33-year premiership drought.
Brisbane were left battered and blue, Parramatta played like gold — all in front of a Bankwest Stadium crowd record of 29,372..
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After a thumping 58-0 win over Brisbane, Parramatta travel to Melbourne for a semi-final ready to conquer the Storm.
They’ll also have to beat the odds — the TAB has the Eels as $3 outsiders against the Storm, who are $1.40.
And with Penrith, Canterbury and Wests Tigers fans watching on, Western Sydney will unite behind the Eels.
It was the biggest finals win ever — beating the previous 48-point margin in 1944 when Newtown downed St George 55-7. It was also Parramatta’s biggest ever win over Brisbane.
“I knew we would come and have a red-hot crack but I didn’t think we would play that well,” said Eels coach Brad Arthur, who watched the final five minutes from the sidelines.
“Some days it just goes to plan. I’m proud of the boys but we still have a long way to go.”
Parramatta scored 11 tries — the final humiliation coming when the crowd started chanting “We want 50.” Seconds later, Eels star Dylan Brown scored to give them their wish.
“It was men against boys — that was embarrassing,” Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold said.
The “Parra, Parra, Parra’’ chant was loud and proud by deliriously happy Eels fans.
The Eels tore Brisbane to shreds in the first half, inspired by another monumental performance from halfback Mitch Moses, who was involved in four tries and scored twice himself.
Parramatta bullied and man-handled Brisbane in defence.
Darius Boyd has two years remaining on his contract but after this humiliation there must be questions about whether this was his final game.
This was one of the most complete performances this season. It was brutal and barnstorming, leaving Brisbane humiliated and downtrodden. Fans in the Peter Sterling and Brett Kenny grandstands stood and applauded when their heroes returned to each end after every try.
Rarely has a game of rugby league seen, felt and heard such noise, atmosphere and excitement.
Brisbane only had around 30 per cent of possession in the first half and didn’t have a single tackle inside Parramatta’s 20-metre zone in the entire first half.
But no excuses, Brisbane were pathetic. Parramatta pushed three and four defenders into each tackle, rattling Brisbane’s young pack.
The only downside was Eels five-eighth Brown being placed on report for a crusher tackle.
“We just have to look forward to Melbourne in Melbourne,” said Eels skipper Clint Gutherson. Parramatta scored 24 points in the first half, another 34 in the second half.
SIVO, SIVO
What a player. What a crowd-pleaser.
Maika Sivo scored two tries — one where he juggled and regained the ball — and was one of nine Parramatta players to run for more than 100 metres.
And with each try came the ‘‘Sivo, Sivo, Sivo’’ chant. He has now scored 22 tries for the season and 12 in 12 games at Bankwest Stadium.
SAD SEIBOLD
His His former club, Souths, are still alive, his current club, Brisbane, are dead for 2019. The great Seibold shift to Brisbane failed in 2019.
His Broncos — despite a wealth of superstars and a brilliant young pack — limped into the finals and were dumped out in week one.
Seibold has another five years remaining on his deal but the pressure will already mount for next season. There would have been plenty of Souths identities having a quiet chuckle at this result.
“I’m embarrassed and surely the players are embarrassed. But I’ll cop it,” Seibold.
“I can’t toss up any excuses. They let each other down, they let the club down. When it was business time, we were a million miles away. It’s not good enough.”
Asked should he apologise to Brisbane fans, Seibold said: “I’m not going to apologise. I’ve worked damn hard this year. I’ve tried my best. If I’m not good enough … I’d rather be in the arena failing than standing outside throwing stones.”
PARRAMATTA 58 (D Brown 2 M Moses 2 M Sivo 2 D Alvaro B Ferguson M Jennings S Lane T Moeroa tries M Moses 6 M Ma’u goals) bt BRISBANE 0 at Bankwest Stadium. Referee: Ben Cummins, Grant Atkins. Crowd: 29,372
Originally published as Bring on Storm, anyone: Electric Eels ignite title charge