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At the completion of Round 10 last year’s wooden spooners Parramatta are in fourth position on the ladder, with only the Bulldogs, Manly and Penrith above them as we head into the representative rounds.
There has been a lot of talk about the Eels backline playing some exciting football this year. With the Eels sporting three of the top four try scorers so far this season, it’s easy to see why.
While Jaryd Hayne comes with a certain level of expectation, it’s wingers Semi Radradra and Ken Sio who have surprised many in the opening rounds, finishing off some stellar work from former Origin players Will Hopoate and Willie Tonga.
The two excitement machines are managing to keep little-known Vai Toutai, who’s managed to bag four meat pies from three starts, out of the side.
Many an Eels fan lamented the missed opportunity when their team tried to sign superstar Israel Folau, but the 2014 backline isn’t one Eels fans would be looking to replace any time soon.
The early rounds of 2013 saw Chris Sandow’s brilliance shine for a few rounds before an on- and off-field implosion. League fans must have felt uneasy when we saw Sandow return in Round 4 to replace a solid but unimpressive Luke Kelly. Those uneasy feelings must be starting to subside very quickly as we’ve seen the little halfback return to his best in recent weeks.
His constant chatter in organising the Parra team in attack can not be understated. The disarray of the Eels’ 2013 go-forward is a distant memory, along with Sandow’s gambling demons. His kicking game has been up with the best halves in the game this year. Opposition wingers are forced to constantly live in fear of the 40/20, allowing the Parra edges to challenge the short side at will.
The 2014 Sandow has worked his craft close to the line with impunity, much to the delight of Eels fans and his outside backs.
All of this has come off the back of a forward pack that seems to lack the big names as much as it lacks the fear of opposing packs.
With international signing Lee Mossop injured to start the season, the forward pack that sports Tim Mannah as its figurehead is managing to keep Parramatta’s favorite prop Fui Fui Moi Moi in NSW Cup. They’ve done it all by bashing other teams packs into submission.
Who makes way for Lee Mossop when he returns from lower grades?
The defence of the entire Eels outfit has had a remarkable turnaround. The two poor defensive efforts of the season came against the Roosters in Round 2 and against the Cowboys when the new cornerstone of the Parramatta pack, Nathan Peats, was out suspended and playing injured respectively.
It goes to show how important it is to have a ball-playing hooker who loves to tackle and plays 80 minutes in the modern era. Nathan Peats is doing the job for Parra that Robbie Farah does for the Tigers, Cameron Smith does for the Storm and Andrew McCullough is now doing for the Broncos, and it’s paying off in spades.
With the only other losses coming against Manly in a very tight game and against the Tigers back when the refs couldn’t decide what an obstruction was, the question has to be asked – are Parramatta the real deal?
We may have more answers to the question after Round 13 when they get a chance at revenge against the Cowboys at home, and Round 14 against the benchmark Bulldogs at ANZ.
One thing is for sure though – with 2014 already throwing many a surprise at us, Parramatta are bound to throw a few more before the season is out.
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