Parramatta Eels dominate Bulldogs 20-4 to claim sixth-straight win
PARRAMATTA secured a sixth-straight win to qualify for their first finals series since 2009. And the Eels won’t just be making up the numbers in September.
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THEY’RE tired of feeling blue — they now want some gold.
For the blue-and-gold army, it’s time to get excited.
Parramatta has secured a sixth straight win to officially qualify for their first finals series since 2009.
Don’t think for a moment though that the electric Eels will simply make up the numbers in September.
This Parramatta side can win the NRL premiership — they are the complete football team.
They have size, aggression, skill, creativity and a brilliant kicking game. Canterbury was forced into no less than nine goal-line dropouts on Thursday night.
In torrential rain at ANZ Stadium, the Eels disposed of a disappointing Canterbury side 20-4.
Victory lifted Parramatta to 30 competition points and a spot, for now, inside the top four.
Parramatta hasn’t won six successive matches since 2009.
Asked could Parramatta win the title, Eels great Peter Sterling told Channel Nine viewers: “I didn’t think so earlier in the season. If they finish top four, anything can happen.
“You wouldn’t want to be playing Parramatta in that last month, not with their confidence up.”
Parramatta has now won 12 of their past 15 games at ANZ Stadium.
The Eels haven’t won a premiership since 1986 — the year Mick Cronin and Ray Price retired as title-winning legends.
Could this be Parramatta’s season? Only a fool would dismiss their chances.
Asked whether his side now compete with the top-flight teams, Eels coach Brad Arthur said: “If we can continue to improve every week and stick to our plan, like we did tonight, with our discipline, and not get carried away, I think we can make some real noise, yeah. But we’ve still got a bit to work on.
“We have had our own conversations about what we want to get out of his season.
“If we keep winning and we keep performing well, we should be good enough to make the finals. That’s was we need to focus on.”
Eels skipper Tim Mannah added: “The excitement isn’t so much how far we can go — we’re just excited about playing our footy.”
Parramatta play last-placed Newcastle next Friday night at ANZ Stadium in Mannah’s 200th NRL game.
There was an on-field suggestion that Canterbury’s David Klemmer had bitten Parramatta’s Frank Pritchard.
The on-field referee questioned in the 48th minute: “He bit your face? Do you want to make an allegation?”
Pritchard declined.
Rain tumbled all game on Thursday night, the official crowd posted as 12,137.
Defeat heaped more pressure on Canterbury coach Des Hasler. The Bulldogs just cannot find a win.
“We were unbelievably undisciplined in the first half — we didn’t play wet weather football,” Hasler said.
Eels fullback Bevan French didn’t return for the second half due to a hamstring injury. Arthur hopes he will play next week.
“I don’t think the game was a real spectacle,” Arthur said.
“We knew what the conditions were going to be.
“Our attention to detail on the basic fundamentals was better than I thought. Our forwards carried with plenty of aggression and got us on the front foot.”
Parramatta scored three first-half tries in the wet to lead 16-0 at half-time.
Canterbury simply had no field position. At one point in the first half, Parramatta had run for 696 metres, Canterbury just 290 metres.
Canterbury’s Michael Lichha was dropped off the interchange bench with centre Chase Stanley moved from centre into halfback.
Thursday night was the start of retro round with a match between these two fierce western Sydney rivals.
Among other memorable games, Parramatta and Canterbury contested two grand finals during the 1980s.
Both games were decided by two-points, the Bulldogs winning 6-4 in 1984 with Parramatta claiming the ‘86 decider 4-2. The rivalry has continued to this very day.
PARRAMATTA 20 (D Alvaro B French S Radradra tries M Moses 4 goals) bt CANTERBURY 4 (M Montoya try) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Gavin Reynolds, Grant Atkins. Crowd: 12,137
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