Parra in crisis after latest loss

 

By , 5 Jul 2010 Ian McCullough is a Roar Pro

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Five defeats in six games, 42 points scored in their last five encounters, Parramatta are a club in crisis, admits skipper Nathan Cayless.

Favourites to win the NRL grand final at the start of the season after a stunning second half to the 2009 campaign, a top-four spot looked a shoo-in even before a ball was kicked.

High-profile signings such as NSW prop Justin Poore, Sydney Roosters backrower Shane Shackleton and the return of Timana Tahu from a spell in rugby, bolstered an already powerful-looking roster.

The re-signings of superstar Jarryd Hayne and exciting young playmaker Daniel Mortimer just before the start of the season added to the hype.

But it hasn’t gone to plan. Poore has struggled to settle since arriving from St George Illawarra, Shackleton sustained a season-ending injury in his first game and Tahu is midway through a four-game suspension following his brainsnap against Newcastle.

In addition, Hayne looks a shadow of the player who won the Dally M Medal last year and Mortimer is suffering from second-season syndrome as he struggles to cope with his move to halfback from five-eighth.

With 17 rounds now played and no more bye weeks available, the Eels sit in 10th spot following Sunday’s 35-6 defeat by the Warriors, four points outside the top eight.

“We’re probably a club that has about three or four crises every year,” said Cayless.

“It’s just part of the game and it’s our turn at the moment, if we get a couple of wins it will be someone else’s turn to be in crisis.

“You’ve got to win games, that’s what we get paid for. We’re not doing that at the moment and we’ll be in crisis until we have a win.”

The Eels went to Mount Smart Stadium after Hayne had emerged from the NSW State of Origin camp to deny he wanted to leave the club after being criticised publicly by coach Daniel Anderson following last weekend’s 10-6 defeat by Brisbane.

Cayless denied the headlines had affected the team, but admitted Monday week’s home game against lowly North Queensland could make or break their season.

“Jarryd hasn’t been at training this week because he’s been in Origin camp and at the end of the day we’re all professionals, we’ve all got a job to do,” he said.

“It was just a couple of little fundamental errors that really hurt us … but we’ve got to keep working and keeping digging to get a win next week.”

The Eels, like last year, have a difficult run towards the end of the season.

They visit Penrith, Brisbane and the Gold Coast in addition to western Sydney derbies against Wests Tigers and Canterbury and a potentially crucial battle against Sydney Roosters in round 21.

And although they will take heart from their run last year, winning seven of their last eight games before reaching the grand final, Cayless warned against expecting a repeat performance.

“Last year was last year, it’s totally different this year,” the skipper said.

“We’re not playing that well at the moment in terms of our attack and we’ve just got to get some confidence by playing confidently, we’ve got to break the shackles, get some points on the board, score some good tries and get our confidence up.”

© AAP 2012
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