Corey Norman admits Parramatta’s confidence is low but hits back at rumours of player disharmony
PARRAMATTA playmaker Corey Norman concedes confidence is down, but says rumours he has fallen out with halves partner Mitch Moses and coach Brad Arthur are off the mark.
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EMBATTLED Parramatta playmaker Corey Norman concedes confidence is down following a winless start to 2018, but he strongly denies suggestions he has fallen out with halves partner Mitch Moses and coach Brad Arthur.
The Eels’ 0-5 opening to the season has prompted rumours that Norman’s relationship with Moses and Arthur has become strained.
The five-eighth has also been linked to leaving the Eels for Canberra despite having a year to run on his contract.
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According to Norman, though, there is no truth to league’s Chinese whispers.
“I don’t read about that at all, I don’t read into that,” Norman said.
“I get told it. I know my relationship with Brad is good and that Brad is very honest.
“The allegations getting about — like if I was getting shopped around — he would be the first person to come to me and tell me. I don’t read too much into that.
“The first time I heard about it (Canberra interest) was when someone came up to me and asked me about it. It was one of my mates, I think.”
Norman believes the extra attention on Parramatta is a by-product of their losing form.
“We’re an easy target at the moment,” he said.
“When a side loses five in a row, anyone can say anything. It’s easy to say because you’re losing
“A lot of people are starting to stick their two cents in because it’s easy to do; we’ve lost five in a row.”
The Eels must defeat the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday to avoid going 0-6. No team in premiership history has made the finals after losing six straight.
Despite this daunting statistic, Norman is confident Parramatta can defy the record books and make the finals.
“That’s what we’re thinking as a team,” he said.
“If we weren’t thinking that, it would be outrageous. I know the coaching staff all the way down to the players are thinking that.
“It’s only round six, I know we’ve lost five, but we just need that one win. We’re working our backsides off to get it. When we get it, it will click and everything will roll from there.
“But I would be lying if I said it (wasn’t affected). To lose five in a row, everyone’s confidence is down.
“Us bombing those tries on the weekend had a bit to do with confidence. It’s a new week now, we’ve got Canberra, they’ve got their first win and they are hard to beat down there. We’ve got to go down there and do a job.”
Norman placed pressure on himself to revive Parramatta’s poor season to date.
He admits he has been guilty of overplaying his hand in an attempt to kick start the Eels’ struggling season.
“My form has been below par and I take full credit for that,” he said.
“I’m training hard during the week and it’s just not coming off. That’s the frustrating thing at the moment, around here we’re training so hard and it’s just not coming off for us.
“Hopefully we can go down there to Canberra this week and put another good performance in.”