NRL 2021: Parramatta Eels beat Wests Tigers 36-22 | Match Report

They have hardly clicked into gear - and their coach doesn’t want them to ... yet - but the Eels still find themselves butting heads with Penrith in a great advertisement for the golden west.

There’s a big, big sound from the west of the town, but it’s not coming from the GWS Giants.

Instead, it’s the NRL teams from the golden west who have kicked clear of the chasing pack, with the Eels joining Penrith as the only unbeaten sides after four rounds.

The Wests Tigers showed patches of brilliance at Stadium Australia but they were no match for the blue and golds who are 4-0 for just the second time since 1989 and are firming each week to end their premiership drought.

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A scrappy Parramatta did well to survive a Wests Tigers resurgence

Gone are the days of overspending in the off-season, relying on one or two stars and buying into the hype. This team means business, and with a ruthless coach at the helm, now is their time.

Scarily, he thinks they have several gears of improvement left in them after fading in and out of Monday’s game.

“We know we’ve still got a hell of a lot of improvement left it in us, but it’s tough to win week in, week out in this competition,” Brad Arthur said.

“We’re not playing our best footy yet, and we’re not trying to and we don’t want to. When we’re under a bit of pressure, our response is different (to previous years).”

The 36-22 scoreline was an accurate reflection after the hosts stormed back into the contest with two tries in the space of eight minutes, but their comeback was halted late when the Eels crossed twice, including a dubious Clint Gutherson effort.

Blake Ferguson had a shocker under the high ball, but redeemed himself with two tries.

FERGO’S MIXED BAG

He recently became a father for the third time, but Blake Ferguson will be having sleepless nights for other reasons after spending his Easter Monday being bombarded by Adam Doueihi’s right boot.

The afternoon couldn’t have started any worse for the charismatic winger when he slipped over trying to catch the kick-off, leaving Junior Paulo little chance to collect the bouncing ball.

He then slipped over three minutes later trying to catch a bomb, was smashed early when camped under a kick, fumbled a Doueihi torpedo and then watched on in horror as another drop resulted in a try for Stefano Utoikamanu.

There was a moment of joy when he crashed over in the second half, but even that was comical as he slipped over trying to celebrate.

Luke Brooks has come udner fire yet again.

SAME OLD TIGERS

It looked like the tide had turned when they produced a gritty 80-minute performance to win in Newcastle last week, but for the third time in four matches, the Tigers fired too many blanks when it truly mattered against sterner opposition.

They managed two tries from kicks and then brought out the flair in the final 20 minutes, but outside of that, their attack was pedestrian. And worryingly, Luke Brooks went missing when his team needed him most.

The Tigers had drawn to within six points with four minutes left in the first half, but instead of injecting himself into the contest, the halfback became far too passive, causing their attack to fizzle out meekly.

There was one positive, with Doueihi stealing the show for the second week in a row, but they need much more from their No.7.

“They’re growing, and their combinations are coming together,” Michael Maguire said of his halves.

“I thought there were times through the game where they could have got a hold of things in a different light.”

Isaiah Papali'i continues to impress in Ryan Matterson’s absence.

Matterson misses another match

Arthur says Ryan Matterson remains a week-to-week proposition after he missed his second straight game with ongoing concussion symptoms following an ugly tackle by Melbourne’s Felise Kaufusi in Round 2.

The back-rower has a history with head knocks and the club is in no rush to bring him back into the side unless he is completely over the injury.

The Eels face the Dragons on Sunday night, and Arthur is hopeful Matterson will take his place on the left edge after he was a late scratching on Easter Monday.

“He wanted to play, but he wasn’t 100 per cent so there was no reason to play him,” he said.

“We’ve got a healthy squad at the moment so it gives an opportunity for everyone else. Matto’s health is important to us, but it’s also important that when he comes back, he’s right and he can do his job and he can play week in, week out.

“We’ll go through the same protocols all week and he’ll train all week. If he’s good to go then we’ll play him. He’s confident and he’s keen to play.”

While Matterson is a certainty to return to the starting side once he’s cleared to play, his replacement, Isaiah Papali’i, has continued to impress since coming over from the Warriors in the off-season.

The signing slipped under the radar but his form has been hard to miss this season, including a try and 139 metres in an 80-minute effort against the Tigers.

Plenty of reason for the NRL to smile with a nice, healthy Easter Monday crowd.

CROWDED HOUSE

It’s been just over a year since the Bulldogs faced the Cowboys in front of no fans at the Olympic Stadium due to the COVID crisis.

But a year later, 29,056 people – the biggest crowd of 2021 – came in force to watch two traditional rivals duke it out in sizzling sunshine.

Rugby league will always be the greatest game of all, but it is made so much better when the atmosphere hits fever pitch as it did on Monday.