NRL 2016: Parramatta Eels fight back to snatch win over Sydney Roosters at Pirtek Stadium

IF Eels fans were searching for reason to hope something good can still come out of the 2016 season, they saw it last night.

The Eels celebrate their win over the Roosters. Picture: Mark Evans

THEY get handed their salary cap punishment today that will virtually wipe out any hope of Parramatta making the NRL finals this year.

But if Eels fans were searching for reason to hope something good can still come out of the 2016, they saw it last night.

In what can only be described as the gutsiest win of the NRL season so far, Corey Norman produced his greatest performance for the club to pick up a bash-up and under-strength Parramatta to charge home from

18-6 down midway through the second half to defeat a near full strength Roosters side 22-18.

On the same day Kieran Foran stunned the club by announcing he was quitting, Norman laid on all four of the Eels tries in a heart-stopping and at times controversial start to round 18.

With Norman set to front court on Wednesday on charges relating to the possession of prohibited drugs, coach Brad Arthur last night declared there was no doubt the off contract playmaker would be staying.

Semi Radradra holds his injured knee. Picture: Mark Evans

And after watching his performance last night, you wouldn’t question

what that will mean to the fans of this troubled club right now.

“He is a real footballer,” Arthur said. “He has been working hard for three years. It has been really tough on him the last half a dozen games with only having one half.

“He has got no choice.

“He has had to grow and mature and take a leaderhsip role and he has done a really good job of it.

Asked to describe Norman’s performance last night that included three tries from deft grubber kicks and another through silky hands, Arthur said: “Normy was great.

“He played some really good footy in terms of controlling the game, managing the game.

“But I thought our forwards kept turning up.

“They were out on their feet at times and they just kept finding another gear for us which allows Corey to play his role.”

And that pretty much summed up the heart and determination the Eels showed across the park last night when they had every reason to give up but simply refused to surrender their season.

The Eels will be sweating on scans today after Semi Radradra hopped from the field inside the first 10 minutes with a medial ligament knee injury, while they also lost Issac De Gois midway through the first half (concussion) and Tim Mannah for a period to the head bin.

Asked where it rated on the list of courageous performances he had seen from this team, Arthur said: “It was pretty tough.

Latrell Mitchell scored two tries for the Roosters.

“Like, to be honest, I don’t really know what happened in the second half where who was playing where.

“And especially at 18-6 to come back. It could have been very easy to say we have got enough excuses.

“We have got blokes all over the place. How are we going to score a try? But I think that is the way we have played pretty much all year.

“Tough. Resilient.

“We haven’t played great footy but it has been good enough to win games.”

If as expected they cop a 12 competition point penalty today, the Eels will drop to 12 competition points meaning they will have to win every one of their final eight games.

It kicks off with Penrith next Sunday followed by the Titans, Wests Tigers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Raiders, Dragons and Warriors.

Can it be done?

You’d have to say no way, unless of course you saw the spirit in the Eels last night.

“I think we have played the same style of footy all year,” Arthur said.

“The conditions didn’t allow for a real pretty game but I thought both teams played pretty tough and physical.

“And as for the off field drama, well, another week.

“We will get the ruling (today) from the NRL and we will just move on. We have got Penrith next week.”

PARRAMATTA 22 (M Ma’u 2 M Gordon C Gutherson tries M Gordon 3 goals) beat SYDNEY ROOSTERS 18 (L Mitchell 2 B Cordner tries J Hastings 2 S Taukeiaho goals) at Pirtek Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Matt Cecchin. Crowd: 8,464.