Parramatta Eels star Dylan Brown booed by fans during huge 32-6 loss to Wests Tigers

Fresh off signing the richest deal in NRL history with Newcastle, Dylan Brown was repeatedly booed by the Parramatta faithful in what shapes as a month month of football for the club, BRENT READ writes.

Dylan Brown’s head flashed on the scoreboard before Sunday afternoon’s game against the Wests Tigers at Commbank Stadium and a smattering of boos rang out around Parramatta’s home ground.

The $13 million man was in the spotlight and he looked like a man on a mission as he ran out soon after through a guard of Eels supporters. Brown loosened his limbs and gritted his teeth.

Twice within the opening 10 minutes or so, he put the foot down and ran at the Wests Tigers. With those two runs, you got a sense of why the Newcastle Knights have broken the bank to sign Brown for next season.

The problem wasn’t with those opening 10 minutes or so. It was with what came after that. The Eels needed someone to stand up and it was logical to think that bloke would be Brown given he has been handed the keys to the club while Mitchell Moses struggles with an injury that had him watching from the sidelines on Sunday with a moon boot on his afflicted limb.

The Eels fans let Dylan Brown know what they think of him early in the game 😳

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Moses’ absence has been a sledgehammer blow to the Eels and their coach Jason Ryles. Everything at Parramatta runs through their skipper.

Without him, they have looked like a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly. On Sunday, they hit an iceberg in the form of the Tigers.

Their next month makes for chilling reading for Eels fans. In coming weeks they face the Bulldogs, Manly, the Dragons and Canberra.

On current form, you would suggest their only hope is against St George Illawarra. Their season could be over before Moses returns unless Brown can start to have a greater impact on matches.

Ryles has options, albeit not many. He could hand the No.7 jersey to former South Sydney half Dean Hawkins, who made his return in NSW Cup on Sunday and scored a try in an Eels win.

Dylan Brown was repeatedly booed at CommBank Stadium. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Or he could consider handing the No.7 jersey to Brown as a way to light a fire under him. In the end, it’s only a number.

Brown’s capacity to influence the outcome of games like Sunday afternoon has more to do with his mindset than the number on his back.

Perhaps he could take a leaf out of his opponents’ book. As the game hung in the balance on Sunday afternoon, it was the Tigers who seized control through their own million-dollar men - Jarome Luai and Lachlan Galvin.

Luai has been signed by the Tigers on a deal worth $6 million over the next five years. Galvin will join him in the million-dollar club soon enough, if not at the Tigers than at another club.

Maybe even Parramatta. They dictated the outcome of this match along with the other members of the Tigers’ spine - fullback Jahream Bula and hooker Api Koroisau.

When the four of them combined, you got a sense of what the Tigers could produce this season.

Brown, in his defence, could do with some of that type of support. The Eels’ spine without Moses is sadly lacking in class and it showed.

Parramatta is in for a torrid period. Picture: NRL PHotos

Late in the second half, with the result beyond doubt, Brown put the foot down again. This time he was tackled and boos again began to ring out.

With seven minutes to go, Brown took on the line again and looked to have created a try for Zac Lomax. The try was ruled out for obstruction, although Parramatta finally had something to show for their efforts in the dying minutes.

After full-time, Jarome Luai sought out Brown for a chat. Luai has been in his shoes, having been lured to the Tigers by a big-money deal worth upwards of $6 million. Luai wouldn’t elaborate on the contents of their conversation.

“I am not going to talk about what we spoke about,” Luai said.

“That is between a mate and a mate. We have a job to do, I have a job to do for our team. I wish him nothing but the best.”

We all do. Except, maybe, for those few disgruntled Eels fans.

MATCH REPORT: EELS VS TIGERS

- Steven Russo

Can someone check the calendar? Is it 2025 or 2005?

Almost 20 years after Benji Marshall flick-passed the joint venture to their debut premiership, his young charges chalked up their first victory of the season with an attacking performance that would have made the class of ‘05 proud.

After hammering a dismal Eels side 32-6, do the Tigers look like finals certainties? No, not at this stage, but if the likes of Jahream Bula, Lachlan Galvin, Jarome Luai and hat-trick hero Sunia Turuva continue to play like they did on Sunday afternoon - they’ll put the rest of the competition on notice.

It was a stinking hot day in Western Sydney, but the early stages of this clash just plain stunk. In the opening 25 minutes, both teams committed every error in the book. However, while the Eels continued to bumble their way across the 80 minutes, midway through the first half, the Tigers started to play footy.

It began in the 27th minute when a right-side sweep involving Galvin, Bula and Starford To’a created the opening try for Turuva. Nine minutes later, Wests went back-to-back when To’a scampered down a narrow blind to score, before Galvin capped off an amazing 13 minutes for the visitors when he finished off a 93-metre movement initiated by Bula.

Wests Tigers score try of the year contender.

After catching a bomb seven metres out from his goal line, the lanky fullback beat two Eels chasers before linking up with Adam Doueihi, who raced down field. With the cover defence converging, and the try line still 40 metres away, the rejuvenated centre grubber kicked infield, setting up both his five-eighth and a 16-0 advantage at the break.

Marshall’s men picked up where they left off during the second half, extending their lead in the 42nd minute with an astounding fifth tackle play, which saw Galvin and Luai create a miraculous long-range try for Jeral Skelton, before Bulla laid on two more for Turuva in the final 13 minutes of play.

As good as the Tigers were, they were helped by a limp performance from the Eels, whose attack looked completely directionless without star halfback Mitch Moses. Their lone try to winger Sean Russell came in the final minute of play.

AMAZING ADAM

You’ve got to admire Adam Doueihi. Last season the unfashionable centre’s career was at a crossroads after he suffered his third ACL rupture. However, he has recovered well and was a massive contributor to the Tigers’ win over Parramatta, registering 135 metres, two line breaks, one line break assist and a try assist. He also kicked four goals from six attempts.

Wests Tigers celebrate a try. Picture: NRL Photos

DARE TO JAHREAM

While the Tigers defended well during their round one loss to Newcastle, their attack looked pedestrian at times at Campbelltown. It shouldn’t come as any surprise then that the return of their exhilarating fullback helped their offence click into gear against the Eels. Bula was an absolute inspiration at the back, courageously defusing high balls, and playing a vital role in all bar one of the Tigers’ tries. His burgeoning combination with Turuva is definitely one to watch.

Originally published as Parramatta Eels star Dylan Brown booed by fans during huge 32-6 loss to Wests Tigers