Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson unleashed a foul-mouthed spray at teammate Tom Opacic for an escort penalty on Daniel Tupou as the Eels season continued to unravel against the Roosters.
The Roosters were leading 18-0 midway through the second half when Sam Walker’s bomb was easily fielded by Gutherson, who was furious to see Opacic was penalised for running the Roosters defenders.
Gutherson yelled “f*** me you dumb c***” to his teammate and things got worse from their with the Roosters running out 28-0 winners to go equal fourth on the NRL ladder.
The Eels are out of form and could ultimately finish the regular season as low as sixth, having lost two of their past three games and with a nightmare run home to the finals.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Eels play all of the top three sides – South Sydney, Melbourne and Penrith – over the next five weeks as well as Manly, who are also jostling for a top-four finish.
On the other hand, the Roosters revived their premiership hopes with five unanswered tries in Mackay on Thursday night, holding a team to nil for the first time this season.
The victory has set up a massive run into the finals as they face the Panthers next week followed by Brisbane, St George Illawarra, Souths and Canberra.
Their tenacity is even more telling given their horrendous injury toll this season, including eight players with season-ending injuries, three of whom were forced into retirement.
They added another injury to the list on Thursday night with Josh Morris sidelined in the second half with a hamstring injury which will further deplete their backline stocks.
The 34-year-old try-scorer is the third backline player to be injured in recent weeks after Joseph Suaalii (foot) and Matt Ikuvalu (ankle) both went for surgery this week.
It leaves the Roosters with just one player in their Queensland bubble able to slot into the backline, Moala Graham-Taufa, a rookie who has played just a handful of reserve grade games.
But for the fourth week in a row they battled through adversity to get a convincing victory with Morris, Daniel Tupou, Sitili Tupouniua, Joey Manu and Sam Walker all scoring.
The Roosters had a horror opening 15 minutes after turning the ball over 10 metres from their line four times, but still managed to hold out the Eels to lead 12-0 at halftime.
James Tedesco had an unusually tough time under the high ball and knocked on two bombs, while Morris and Tupou also coughed up cheap possession for a woeful 27 per cent completion rate early.
“It was a weird first half, we wanted to play some attacking footy but the errors were pretty bad,” Tedesco told Channel Nine.
“We just had to get back to basics. Once we did that in the second half we started to get some momentum and scored some points.”
But as bad as their handling was, Parramatta’s attack was worse.
Without general Mitch Moses steering the ship the attack fell short and despite being gifted 17 tackles in the Roosters’ 20-metre zone they squandered it all.
NSW half Moses is firming for a return from a back injury to face the Rabbitohs next week, but the Eels will be sweating on Reagan Campbell Gillard (hamstring) and Waqa Blake (concussion) coming back.
Both were taken from the field in the first half against the Roosters and didn’t return.
with AAP
Gus O
Roar Rookie
The comparison isn’t dropping a catch. The comparison is hurling at the stumps after the batter has already made the crease and the ball running away for 4 overthrows. It wasn’t an accident, it was a stupid and unnecessary penalty that prevented Parra from turning the momentum of the game.
Spanners
Guest
The Para players need to spend less time sitting in a dark room cutting each others hair and maybe spending a bit more time on the training paddock. Is it just me or does anyone else find it hard to take Gutho seriously when it looks like a cat has parked itself on top of his head.
Watda
Guest
Lol....does Rusty smell a bit musky?...he tells me that’s how you get lucky?..it’s because for years he has been dealing with tears, Souff’s will alway’s be dusty..
Joey
Guest
Knives out within your own team on the field is a real sign of disharmony. Imagine Pat Cummins mouthing off in the same way, if Steve Smith puts one down at 2nd slip. Sure he wouldn’t be happy, but when you take down a teammate for an error like Gutherson did, that one doesn’t heal too easy.
Tony
Roar Guru
:laughing:
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
I’m not sure what he was know as. Just can’t put my finger on it. I recall Johnny Peard slowly make his way onto the stage at a Men of League function & as he looked behind him, he quipped “ Just making sure Hoppa is not behind me as I would have to walk faster”. Had the audience in stitches.
Tony
Roar Guru
Wasn't Hoppa known as the Lord of the Rings?
Jockstar
Guest
Gutho is believing his own hype. Give me Tedesco any day . Parra need a star apart from Sivo. Their halves are no good.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
A pat on the rear is preferable than contact to that part of the anatomy from John Hopoate. It’s a wonder he was never signed up to promote “digital” products or by the Health Dept. to advertise the importance of regular prostate checks.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Where was the razor positioned when that conversation took place?
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
“Louis Brasi sleeps with the fishes.” — Christopher Moltisanti.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
or whacked.
Kilgore Trout
Roar Rookie
These things tend to happen when you are expected to be winning even more so than when you are losing . Eels under pressure :laughing:
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
I don't wish ill on any players so I really hope Waqa Blake is fit to play against the Bunnies :happy:
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
I’d like to offer some clarification for the second last paragraph. Yes, the Eels are sweating on Waqa Blake - we’re sweating on the possibility he’s NOT rubbed out for next week… It’s hardly a coincidence our best form of the season was the eight weeks to start the year when he was injured.
Tony
Roar Guru
He probably just needs a swift kick in the bun
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Don’t recall whether the free kick was reversed however it probably was. As my head is full of useless information (mainly sport & music), I still recall the player involved as I would regularly go & watch the three grades of either soccer or rugby league however rugby league became my preference.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Gutho needs to keep his passion in check. He is all adrenaline and no brains. His team is battling for some semblance of teamwork and high performance and he is abusing his players ? It's not like he doesn't make plenty of errors and take poor options himself, playing off the top of his head.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Brain surgery prep
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yes. Lol. Shame, shame, shame