NRL 2021: Parramatta Eels win 40-4 over Newcastle Knights | Match Report
Yes, Brad Fittler already has three fullbacks in his starting 13, but it’s getting harder and harder to ignore the claims of Clint Gutherson for Origin 2. Not that Parramatta are complaining.
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Influential Parramatta hooker Reed Mahoney may only miss a couple of weeks of football after what looked like a season-end injury appears to have only been minor damage.
The in-form Eels No.9 clutched at his left shoulder in pain after attempting to reel in a kick 12 minutes from the end of his side’s big 40-4 win over Newcastle on Sunday.
It was initially feared Mahoney, who was in Origin camp with Queensland during the week, had torn his pec and wouldn’t be seen again this year.
He cut a despondent figure as he left the field with his left arm hanging limply by his side.
But a relieved Brad Arthur later revealed the injury wasn’t as bad as first thought, while there was also positive news around half-back Mitchell Moses.
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“He’s still got to have scans but I don’t think it’s too bad,” the Eels coach said of Mahoney’s injury.
“He sublexed his shoulder, so he might miss a couple of games.”
Moses failed to finish the game after suffering a calf strain, but Arthur was not concerned.
“His calf tightened up and there was 25 minutes to go and we’d just scored, so it was a good opportunity to let some other boys step up,” he explained.
“I didn’t want to take any risks. He’s fine.”
Parramatta fans can start believing again after a grim fortnight in which their side leaked 66 points in suffering back-to-back defeats to Manly and Souths.
The Eels said enough was enough and took it out on Newcastle in the ultimate gate-crash at McDonalds Jones Stadium on Sunday.
On the Knights’ Old Boys’ Day – marking 20 years since beating Parramatta in one of the great grand final upsets - the Eels ruined the party with a clinical performance which solidified their position in the top four.
It was also an indication the consecutive losses were more a blip than something more terminal, even allowing for Newcastle’s bumbling effort.
In what was an almost identical half-time scoreline to the 2001 decider, the blue and golds led 22-0 after pouring through some flimsy defence to score five tries.
Unlike two decades ago, there was no second half miracle from the spluttering Knights.
The home side was missing a host of frontline players but it was still a disappointingly flat and disjointed effort on a special day for the club.
Parramatta scored five tries in the first half and a further three in the second half.
Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien said of his side’s performance: “It got like quicksand for us. I don’t know whether the week got to us but we were off a fair way.”
Kingsize performance
NSW must be in healthy position when they can enter an Origin match without the services of Clint Gutherson.
Brad Fittler couldn’t find a spot for Gutho in his team for Origin I, but there were no complaints from the Eels.
They benefitted from having their captain at the back defusing kicks, marshalling the defence, laying on a try, creating two line-break assists and pulling off a defensive strip to prevent a try.
Dylan Brown was solid in his first game back from a three-game suspension, Ryan Matterson was an absolute handful and Mahoney was outstanding after spending time in the Queensland Origin camp.
This is more like the Parramatta their fans came to know and love during the opening 10 rounds of the competition.
Celebrations ruined
Newcastle sure know how to suck the life out of a party.
After running out through a tunnel of ex-players from the club’s 2001 grand final-winning side, the modern-day Knights barely made a noise.
A dreadful first half in which they completed at just over 50 per cent set the tone and it didn’t get much better from there.
Yes, Newcastle had a number of big name players out.
But there was none of the fight or spirit we saw in the upset win over Manly just seven days prior.
Jack Johns, son of Matty Johns, made it onto the field for his club debut five minutes before the break, but he won’t have overly fond memories of his first outing.
Plenty in reserve
Blake Ferguson’s decision to decline a leave pass and play reserve grade against the Knights paid off.
The former rep winger ran strongly with the ball and was safe under the high ball, but it was his defence that stood out in the Eels’ 30-22 win.
Dropped by Brad Arthur mainly due to his defensive lapses, the off-contract Ferguson came up with a couple of nice reads and pulled off a strong tackle to halt a certain Newcastle try in the first half.
Arthur gave the 31-year-old the option of having the weekend off to clear his head, but Ferguson preferred to play and work on his game
But after the Eels’ big win in the main game, it’s hard to see Ferguson returning for next Sunday’s clash with the Wests Tigers at Bankwest Stadium.
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