NRL 2020: Parramatta Eels beat Penrith Panthers 16-10

The Parramatta Eels are off to their best start to a season since 1986, with five straight wins after a brilliant comeback to down the Panthers 16-10.

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Parramatta is a side boasting more highlights than Dylan Brown’s hair.

Or something like that.

Certainly, the last time the Eels started a season like this, it was another blond playmaker who starred.

Peter Sterling. Remember him?

Of course, you do.

Which is also why the hype around this Eels outfit is starting to build — quickly.

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Parramatta scored 16 unanswered points in the second half to steal the win. Picture: Getty Images.

Currently on the longest title drought of any NRL club, Parramatta’s win over Penrith in Friday Night Football has secured the joint its best start to a year since 1986.

Or put another way, the Eels last premiership season.

Better, it is also only the third time ever that Parramatta has opened a campaign with five straight wins, with the other coming in 1983, another title winter.

So you can see the way we’re going with this, right?

And in a Bankwest Stadium cracker that wasn’t decided until the final whistle, the Eels had stories right across the park.

Take lock Nathan Brown, who was outstanding.

Ditto Waqa Blake.

That long-hyped centre, and former Panther, who starred on the right edge by setting up one try and scoring another — with a cracking ‘Don’t Argue’ on young opposite Stephen Crichton.

“He turned the game, didn’t he?” Arthur said of Blake. “I was really happy for him, up against his old club. “It was a nice fend, nice try.”

Despite trailing four-zip after 22 minutes, and then 10-zip and the break, the Eels scored three tries in the second half – to Blake, Clint Gutherson and Ryan Matterson – to eventually squeak home.

Thanks in no small part also to Eels halves Mitchell Moses and

Brown, whose peroxided locks give another link, of sorts, to that side of 86.

“There 15 rounds to go,” Arthur deadpanned of the comparison, before someone then mentioned playing the Roosters next up. “We’ll know how we’re going then, won’t we.”

Nathan Cleary was strong in his return from suspension. Picture: AAP.

CLEAR EYED

WITH apologies to you girls from Penrith, Nathan Cleary has finally found his rightful dance partner.

Playing his first game since that TikTok video, Panthers No.7 Cleary was strong on a night where his side led at the break, were level with 14 minutes to play and almost stole the win on fulltime.

Apart from having a hand in two tries, Cleary also produced some strong touches with the boot and for large chunks of this one looked every inch the man who would be back.

Spectators returned to Bankwest Stadium for the first time in over two months. Picture: AAP.

BROWN & CROWDS ARE BACK

OK, so we only had 507 fans inside Bankwest Stadium for this one.

But it’s a start.

Better, if the NSW Government continues to lift social distancing restrictions the way they are, then it’s only a matter of time before they’re spinning turnstile like Eels No.13 Nathan Brown does metres.

Truly, in his first game back since the NRL went into lockdown, the charging lock was in absolutely everything as he went running, tackling, offloading.

According to the Fox Sports Lab, Brown travelled furthest of any forward on the field with his 143m – including the outstanding solo run that would eventually lead to a try that put Parramatta in front for the first time all night.

And with 11 minutes to play.

Clint Gutherson ran for more meters than any other player and scored the game winning try. Picture: AAP.

SPECIAL MENTIONS

Impossible to go past Parramatta skipper Clint Gutherson, who somehow managed to hold hulking Panther Viliame Kikau up over the tryline when the big unit seemed guaranteed to score.

Asked about the play, Arthur said: “There were some good desperate efforts.

“And that’s the stuff we want to be proud of. The efforts and pride in our jersey.”

Special mention too for what was effectively the first news of the night -- Panthers bench forward Liam Martin on after only two minutes, and playing strong, after Kurt Capewell was removed with a suspected medial ligament injury.