NRL 2020: Parramatta Eels refuse to mention Penrith Panthers
It didn’t work for Kevvie Walters and Queensland in State of Origin but Parramatta are hoping their silence will give them an edge come finals.
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Don’t mention Parramatta’s likely opponent in week one of the finals, Penrith.
In fact, don’t mention the finals all together.
After Friday night’s 20-2 loss to their fiercest rival, Mitchell Moses and Ryan Matterson did their best to steer clear from talking up or about the Panthers on Monday.
Halfback Moses insisted he would not think about the finals until next month, when a fourth-place finish could mean the Eels square up against the Panthers in a week-one finals blockbuster.
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“We’ve got two games before we worry about that game,” Moses said. “We have the Broncos this week and the Tigers after that. We’ll worry about those two games before we worry about playing finals.”
Don’t bother, either, mentioning criticism of their title credentials. The Eels have slumped to three losses in the past five weeks after winning 11 of their opening 13 matches.
Pundits are questioning whether the powerhouse western Sydney club, which hasn’t won a premiership since 1986, is a spent title force before a single finals game.
But Matterson said neither he nor his teammates would be listening to what anyone outside the club had to say about the Eels’ form.
“We’re not really worried about the external noise,” Matterson said. “Rectifying things has to be from within the playing group. Come semi-finals time and this week, it’s only the 17 boys plus the coaching staff that can change [things].”
Moses echoed the same sentiment and said only a turnaround in results would silence the critics.
“They are open to think whatever [they like]. We can only control ... worrying about our footy,” Moses said.
Coach Arthur: Parramatta not a spent force
- Paul Crawley
Brad Arthur is adamant Parramatta is not a spent force in the countdown to this year’s NRL finals, and his players are not suffering from a crisis of confidence or any mental demons.
And to make his point Arthur returned serve on the wounded Eels’ critics with this simple question: How would the Panthers aim up without star playmaker Nathan Cleary and dummy-half Api Koroisau?
In no way was Arthur downplaying Penrith’s performance, he was just pointing out a few facts many seem to be ignoring in the wake of the weekend’s 20-2 loss — when the Eels were without two key members of their spine in hooker Reed Mahoney and five-eighth Dylan Brown.
Arthur also revealed the Eels would receive a boost with Mahoney (AC shoulder injury) expected to play against Brisbane this Friday, while Brown (ankle) could be back for week one of the finals.
That clash potentially will be a return western Sydney blockbuster against Penrith when first place plays fourth.
Arthur was full of praise for the way the Panthers clinically went about their assignment, but that is not to say he’s ready to throw in the towel.
While the focus of criticism has been on the Eels’ inability to score points, what also can’t be ignored is that they finished on the wrong side of a massive 39-61 per cent possession split, and only had 38 to 58 sets with the ball.
There was also a dubious try just before halftime that came a play after a Penrith knock on. That would have potentially had the scores at 2-0 at halftime.
“If there was no effort there I would be concerned,” Arthur said.
“We didn’t have our nine (Mahoney), we didn’t have our six (Brown).
“If you take Cleary out of their team and you take Api Koroisau out of their team … and we had as much ball. They are not excuses, it is just what it is.”
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While there has been criticism from Eels’ legend Peter Sterling that Parra need to do more with the ball coming out of their own end, Arthur explained field position and possession dictates so much in the modern game.
“When you are starting a set five or 10 metres out from your tryline and the defence is bashing you, it is hard to move the ball,” Arthur said.
“To start the game they had 10 sets to our three and it just snowballs.
“It takes the energy out of you, so when you are carrying it you haven’t got as much push around the ball, you don’t run as hard, you don’t fight as hard in the play-the-ball.
“You can’t be making 150 more tackles than the opposition.”
The Panthers also had 50 play-the-balls attacking Parra’s tryline to just six.
“You know what, they are a good team and they played very well,” Arthur added.
But he reasoned when all factors were weighed up: “I think the scoreboard probably doesn’t reflect the effort that the team has put in”.