Parramatta have spoiled the Warriors’ party to take out the Auckland Nines but have put their champagne on ice as they focus on breaking their NRL top-eight drought.
The Eels produced a massive boilover in front of a fervent Eden Park crowd on Sunday, claiming a ruthless 22-4 win in the final.
Boasting livewire guns in Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and playing on home soil, the Warriors went in saddled with expectation however the lightly rated Eels pulled off an upset with some enterprising football.
Heavily hyped youngster Bevan French was a standout across both days – topping the try-scoring tables with eight four-pointers, winger Semi Radradra was at his destructive best while Corey Norman was named player of the tournament.
It was the Eels’ first piece of silverware since the 2004 World Sevens and coach Brad Arthur said cultivating a winning culture was significant for a club which had not won a premiership since 1986.
However, he emphasised it counted for little as the side turned their attention to the season proper and breaking their four-year absence from the finals.
“It’s important,” Arthur said of the win. “We want to be a team that comes here and strives to compete at everything we do and I think we showed plenty of competitiveness here today.
“But we just need to go back, relax and get ready for a big year.”
The Eels blew the Warriors off the park early and the home side never recovered.
French continued his strong push for a NRL starting spot when he opened the scoring, picking up the spoils when the Warriors failed to clean up a Luke Kelly midfield bomb.
The Eels controlled all the early field position and, when a Norman cut-out pass sent Semi Radradra over for his sixth try of the tournament, they were well in control at 11-0.
The Warriors were given a glimmer of hope when money man Tuivasa-Sheck weaved through the defensive line but the Eels killed off the game soon after when Vai Toutai crossed on the back of a Tepai Moeroa break.
Halfback Johnson spent most of the second half limping with a leg injury but said it was a cork and he would be fit for his side’s next trial.
“It’s a bit sore. I just got a knock on it so I’ll be right,” Johnson said.
Coach Andrew McFadden denied his team suffered stage fright and were put off by the hype around them.
“I just think we couldn’t get on the board, we didn’t have any possession or field position and we had to chance our arm – we had to score points,” McFadden said.
“Things didn’t go our way.”
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MAX
Guest
Daley is the Maroons biggest asset. Great player, nice guy. Underachiever as a coach and NFI is an apt description of his efforts to date. I agree that Cartwright is a freak and will continue to outrun his impressive pedigree.
The Barry
Roar Guru
True eye. He's something special. He made a few errors and the Panthers didn't make it out of the group stage so that probably counted against him. He had an assist for a try to Blake against the Tigers (I think) where he handled twice that was superb and he's probably one of only a couple of players that could go it.
Muzz
Guest
Daley will overlook him because he has NFI.
Muzz
Guest
Cartwright is a freak! He'd be one of the 1st players i'd pick if i was building a team from scratch.
The eye
Guest
Moeroa was good,Bryce C.was on an entirely different plane of excellence.. Very happy for Parra..too good.
The Barry
Roar Guru
There's still a question over who out of Norman and Foran plays 7 and steers the team around the paddock in the NRL. They're both quality players but that role isn't a natural fit for either of them. I thought Mitch Cornish was good for the Eels yesterday and even though Eels fans seem to hate him Luke Kelly was good too.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Great weekend of footy! It really is good fun and very entertaining. But it's also legitimate footy and teams that fit their defensive patterns right did well. Congrats to Parra. I thought home ground advantage would get the Warriors home but Parra choked them out of the final. I thought Moeroa was a bit stiff to miss the team of the tournament. Despite a couple of moments of brilliance Johnson wasn't a dominant force in the tournament.
steve b
Roar Guru
Great to see the lads in the winning circle let's hope it can continue into the year. Cory Norman was a standout add Foran to the mix with the other new signings it could be a good year for the blue and gold .
Russ
Guest
Well done to the Eels! What a great concept and great games Nines is as the alternative to the full game in RL. And what a pity we're such a house divided within itself to take advantage of it all! I like the free play and the bonus try and it does make even the NRL teams seem much more adventurous than you might expect.
Ben
Guest
Go my mighty Eels! Fantastic to see a title victory of any kind; just sore that I missed it live; watching the app refresh the results after the final was nerve wracking! Well done boys, thoroughly deserved!