Eels v Cowboys: Parramatta blow 24-point lead as Johnathan Thurston leads massive comeback

PARRAMATTA have blown a 24-point lead with some horrendous defence, at one stage letting in five tries in 10 minutes, to succumb to an embarrassing defeat.

The Eels threw away a big lead to lose NRL match Parramatta Eels v Nth Queensland Cowboys at Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta. pic. Phil Hillyard

OH PARRAMATTA, how you never fail to disappoint your long-suffering fans.

The embarrassing Eels absolutely butchered a certain two points on Monday night.

Mark it down as Black Monday.

Parramatta supporters gave their side a rare standing ovation at half-time when they led 24-6 and played some outstanding attacking football against high-flying North Queensland.

The 9812 fans were even more ecstatic when cult hero Semi Radradra started and finished a genuine try-of-the-season contender just after the break that went 95 metres.

But a 30-6 lead suddenly vanished in the space of 11 heartbreaking minutes.

The Cowboys laid on five tries to overcome a 24-point deficit to win 36-30.

How on earth will Eels coach Brad Arthur now get his troops to lift against Melbourne next Monday?

“That’s a game we definitely threw away,” Arthur said.

“But that’s been us all year. We play for 70 minutes, and you can’t win games when you only play for 70 minutes.

“We need to be mentally tougher. When the momentum swings against us, we just don’t know how to wrestle it back.”

The Cowboys crossed through winger Matthew Wright in the 59th minute, Gavin Cooper brought up possibly rugby league’s fastest-ever hat trick of tries, before Kane Linnett gave the visitors an unthinkable lead.

Parramatta still had the final 10 minutes to push the game into golden point, but they never looked likely.

RUNAWAY SEMI’S SENSATIONAL TRY

To make matters worse, Eels skipper Tim Mannah — who screamed at his troops after Linnett’s try — was taken from the field late on the back of a medicab after a heavy head knock.

Of real concern was how easily the Cowboys were able to score their second-half tries, with Cooper allowed to stroll over virtually untouched on two occasions as he chased after Thurston’s kicks.

Eels rake Nathan Peats said afterwards: “To score four tries off kicks is pretty pathetic if you ask me.

“If they were decent kicks, fair enough, but the ones that were grubbering through, we weren’t even putting our feet out to stop it, and we were letting them dive on it. That’s not good enough.”

Arthur would have been pumped by his side’s early enthusiasm and attacking flair, with five-eighth Corey Norman particularly impressive in the opening half. He bagged the opening try, with Takarangi, Manu Ma’u and Radradra also chalking up tries.

The real belter was Radradra’s effort to collect a Thurston bomb five metres from his own goal-line just after the break, then send Takarangi down-field, who threw the ball inside for Reece Robinson, who showed wonderful instinct to tap the ball on to a flying Radradra.

But the fun for the locals ended there. Their final 20 minutes was laughable.

Is it any wonder they’re anchored at the bottom of the ladder with Manly?

For the Cowboys, that was 10 straight wins, with coach Paul Green admitting: “Losing becomes habit, and so does winning, and luckily for us at moment we’re finding different ways to win.”

Thurston rated the best comeback he’s been involved in.

The Cowboys did lose Ray Thompson to concussion in the opening half after he was collected by Ma’u’s knee.

Ma’u wasn’t penalised nor placed on report. Green pointed out: “If Ma’u kneed me in the head, I’d be concerned too. Hopefully it’s not a cheekbone. He’ll get X-rays and go for scans.”

NORTH QUEENSLAND 36 (G Cooper 3 K Linnett M Morgan M Wright tries J Thurston 6 goals) bt PARRAMATTA 30 (S Radradra 2 M Ma’u C Norman B Takairangi tries C Sandow 5 goals) at Pirtek Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Chris Sutton. Crowd: 9,812.

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Originally published as Eels v Cowboys: Parramatta blow 24-point lead as Johnathan Thurston leads massive comeback