On Saturday night I breathed a sigh of relief at the end of the game between the Parramatta Eels and the Sydney Roosters.
The Eels lost this game 44-10 and to be honest it seemed a fitting end to what has been a dismal season and a season that I would rather forget.
When I think back to how I felt as a fan this time last year, the comparison could not be starker.
This time last year the Eels were heading into the finals after securing a top-four finish. It was the first time since 2009 that the Eels had made the finals (let alone finished in the top four), and even without one of our most crucial players in Clint Gutherson, I went into the finals series thinking we would be competitive.
Unfortunately, the team bowed out of the finals in the second week after consecutive losses to the Melbourne Storm and the North Queensland Cowboys.
Despite this, I still mark season 2017 down as a success because at the start of the year the goal was simply to make the top eight.
Because of this, most Eels fans came into this season with great confidence. It seemed that the boardroom and management struggles that we as fans had become so accustomed to were finally in the past. We had stability. In 2017 we had also broken the ANZ Stadium hoodoo and had finally learnt to win at the venue.
Gutherson was only a couple of weeks away from returning from his ACL injury which disrupted his 2017 campaign, Mitchell Moses and Corey Norman had had a pre-season together and the great unknown of Jarryd Hayne had returned and we were hoping for something. Surely if Hayne was going to play good footy anywhere, it had to be at the Eels.
I held onto this great confidence for about 40 minutes.
After the first half of the Eels’ opening game against Penrith, I thought that what was coming was more of what I saw in 2017 – exciting footy and a team with aspirations to finish in the top four. But then, after that first half when Mitch Moses got sent to the sin bin, Parramatta went into the sheds.
When they come out, something had changed and our season simply went from bad to worse. We lost our first six games and that included a 54-point shellacking by the Manly Sea Eagles in Round 2. The Eels went on to only win six games the entire season.
To have been a fly in the wall in the sheds during that Round 1 game.
The question that has plagued me all season though, is what has gone wrong? It has bemused and puzzled me and I still don’t have an answer.
With teams like the Canterbury Bulldogs at least you can point to their mammoth salary cap issues and the impact that that has had not just on the current playing roster but also recruitment.
With Manly, you can point to salary cap issues as well as problems at a coaching level. For the Knights, you can point to injuries to key players like Mitchell Pearce and Kalyn Ponga.
But for the Eels? What’s the excuse?
I’ve heard a couple of reasons – one being the loss of Semi Radradra. But really? Is the loss of one man big enough for a team to drop from the top four to the bottom of the ladder?
I know Semi was Parramatta’s highest try scorer last year and was integral in helping the team get out of our red zone in defence, but his loss is not enough to explain away the season.
(AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
Injuries? We had some but they’re something every team has to manage. We also managed exceptionally well last year without Gutherson, so it doesn’t seem a reasonable excuse.
Was it simply a number of small things going wrong that combined, ended up being catastrophic?
Not being able to answer this question fills me with both great confidence and great fear for next season.
It fills me with confidence because if there is no apparent problem at the Eels, then perhaps we can just put this down to being a bad season.
We did have a couple of injuries throughout the year, losing does become habit and it was a habit that was ingrained after the first quarter of the season and perhaps the scars of those first few weeks were too deep to overcome.
But it also fills me with great fear because if you don’t know what the problem is, how can coaching staff possibly address it going into 2019? What will the coaching staff do differently leading into a new season?
There’s no doubt about it – along with the Cowboys, the Eels were by far and away the most disappointing team in 2018.
The Cowboys looked old and slow, while the Eels were outpaced, out-enthused and let themselves down with ill-discipline week after week.
We have a couple of new players joining the club next year. Hopefully Blake Ferguson can help to fill the Semi-shaped hole left in the Eels backline. Shaun Lane and Junior Paulo will bolster the forward pack.
I’m also excited to see what Jarryd can do after a complete full season.
The most exciting part of all, though, is that next year we have a brand new stadium to go home to – wouldn’t it be a wonderful way to christen the new stadium with an Eels top-eight finish.
Plenty is going to have to change between now and then for that to happen, though.
It may have been a rubbish season, but as always I’m grateful to have been able to support the blue and gold through 2018. It’s part of being a fan and I know come October I’ll already be dreaming about Round 1 next year.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Absolutely DoW. The Doggies will have a decent team for 2019 with 2020 looking like beauty.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
But you look at a team like the Dogs who once they realised the season was lost, started chancing their arm to try youth in the top team to see if it was up to first grade standard. Now we actually look like we have a team we can build around. Parra need to take one of these lost seasons like this, and really rebuild the club.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
If you go back through the season and look at the forward pack and the metres made by them, outside of Nathan Brown and Manu Mau (who were both injured for long periods when it counted this year), very few of the pack made over 100m. Mannah had spurts of from for half a game here and there. Alvaro worked hard but gets gang tackled regularly with no support and Moeroa seemed to be the only one to stand up. Parramatta needs a decent 80min hooker and a top quality forward with a big engine. The signing of Paulo really has be starting to question Brad Arther’s Quality as a coach. He may be a great mentor but a number of Parramatta’s signings have to be raising eye brow. As if Watmough and a number of others past their prime being signed on top dollar wasn’t bad enough, they’ve gone and paid Tumalolo money to a fat, lazy Paulo that would have been lucky to run for more than 100 metres a hand full of times this year.
81paling
Roar Rookie
To say that injury had nothing to do with on field performance might be a stretch. When you go through the list of players without injury this year there are only 4 or 5 from the starting line up but, is that bad luck or bad preparation. Who knows? Losing Semi was also a huge blow, then to lose Beau Scott was another huge blow. The under performance of players like Bevan French who made just 9 meters in 1 game with only 1 touch of the ball and the consistent lack of effort from players like Michael Jennings who said he would rather see his brother have a great game than himself shows he has no hunger for the game. Despite all that though reality is Parra can't protect or look after their players off the field. Whilst Cam Smith openly gets paid for testimonial games and lunches in a year that is not his last, North QLD players are implicated in getting houses and there is no further investigation at the Bronco's of a mysterious $300k appeared on their books but, the investigation was closed. However at Parra there is an investigation over electricity bill subsidy's because a former employee has made allegations. The salary cap scandal re-surfaced time and time again as whistle blowers lined up to testify against the club. Semi left the country after allegations of domestic violence from his partner, he then returned to be found innocent of the charges but, had signed a contract with French Rugby. Junior Paulo and Corey Norman were photographed with known criminals which got a bad wrap in the papers they were both fined & Paulo left the club shortly after (he now returns being paid overs by the club because they have to in order to get him back). Ken Edwards again need we say more but, are other clubs able to cover these things up? Parra for a journo is the club that keeps on giving. Even for Manly it took a police investigation to make serious accusations and ask serious questions before the NRL took action but at Parra Jarryd Hayne was found to have been paid $250k which was included in the salary cap for that year (despite not being in the country at the time nor playing for the club upon his return to the country). Parra sponsors were even reported to police by the NRL for their affiliation with the club. All of this leaves you to ask why would you play for, work for or sponsor Parra? and that is the reason for yet another spoon.
E-Meter
Guest
I can assure you that heaps of Eels members want BA sacked. Why? He refuses to change anything. We are the worst team in the comp to watch by the length of the Randwick straight and were a much deserved last. The same will happen in 2019.
Malo5
Guest
Losing Radradra. Why?
Kurt S
Roar Pro
I understand your comments on KPIs in a team sport, BA. But business works like a team and individual KPIs are often drawn up to align with team KPIs. I've listened to people say that Hayne is a one of a kind for most of his career. Time to treat him like one. What do Parra have to lose? What was Hayne doing at the Titans to earn his coin?
Kurt S
Roar Pro
Hadn't seen him before. I loved his enthusiasm and I hope he has a long career so we can all get to enjoy it.
Adam
Roar Guru
He really kills any discipline that team has. When your play-maker throws tantrums for half the game you can't be wondering why you're not winning
Adam
Roar Guru
So they should get Peter Sterling to play for them again?
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Is this the Roar NRL page? I’m looking for Finals Footy commentary. You wouldnt want to be an epileptic and show up here.
Nat
Roar Guru
He has been killing it for Easts and plays with that enthusiasm each week. Like he really loves playing and gets involved constantly.
The Barry
Roar Guru
What do Terry Lamb and Captain Jack Sparrow have in common? They both owned the Black Pearl...
Albo
Roar Rookie
Agree 100 % . So who is identifying which of the junior talent should be pursued and cultivated into top line NRL players ? Seems they have been doing an awful job to date ! Although it seems they might have got onto something at last, as Salmon & Mahoney do look like they might have the goods. Only time will tell now.
uglykiwi
Roar Pro
Kane Evans!!!! Really; Roosters did not want him....
Nat
Roar Guru
I think the new pic is very apt. Swap the E & A = Tha Berry or throw an M in there and it's an anogram for Terry Lamb.
uglykiwi
Roar Pro
Joe, totally agree..... IT only delivers what the project sponsor wants. I have to agree we you all; this is an absolute shocker!! WHO tested it??? Did they ask anyone about the new format............. horrible.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
This new format is like one of Moses kicks - all over the place and you don't know where to look! Both the Eels and the Roar Editors need to do the same thing and draw a line and form a new plan.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
KPI's won't work. You are basically encouraging him to be a selfish player in a team sport. Hayne was the best player on the park for the last two months for Parra. Just like he was before he left at the end of 14. The start of the season was marred with injuries we knew about and that weren't reported until later. The body of work from Jarryd Hayne suggests he has put in plenty over the years and this year.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Wests Tigers paid twice as much for a guy who is all enthusiasm and average talent - At least Gutho punched out 14 more games than Reynolds. Parra have had tonnes of junior talent for decades and where did it get them? And they are still strong in Jersey Flegg and the other junior grades. Saturday, Brad Arthur chose to play Salmon and Mahoney in a meaningless first grade game instead of a Jersey Flegg semi final (the Eels losing on goal kicking - which oh by the way - Mahoney can do). Some will agree with blooding them in first grade others will question the decision. Parra fans wanted to murder Brian Smith when he didn't play Steve Witt. Witt ended up playing 19 of the most ordinary games for Newcatle before he found himself selling real estate. It is about picking the right ones to keep and having some luck with their personal development and injury. Over the years stories like that of young Danny Sullivan (who Eels fans will remember) are far too common. More recently second tier depth has hurt them for the last few years but consistency in key positions is the big problem. In the last 30 years the Eels have had 43 different players play half back! Here are the top 3 most capped number 7's for Parramatta in that time; T.Smith - 71 games C. Sandow 71 games J.Robson - 53 games