Parramatta’s horror run has hit a new low with Ryan Matterson sent off and facing a lengthy ban as the Eels’ NRL season continues to freefall after a 56-10 flogging at the hands of Manly.
With coach Brad Arthur already under immense pressure, the Eels turned in an insipid display against their arch-rivals as they sunk to a fourth straight loss.
The result catapulted Manly above Parramatta in the NRL’s top-four race and the Sea Eagles are now one win behind the Sydney Roosters in fifth but with a far superior for-and-against record.
Tom Trbojevic was again brilliant for Manly with five try assists and a four-pointer of his own, while Daly Cherry-Evans booted the Eels into submission.
Winger Reuben Garrick also finished with a hat-trick, as he overtook Matthew Ridge for the most prolific points-scoring season in the Sea Eagles’ history.
In an end to the game that summed up their current plight, Parramatta spent part of the second half with just 11 men after Marata Niukore was also sin-binned professional foul.
It came after Matterson was marched almost immediately for a shoulder charge that connected directly with Brad Parker’s head.
Parker was flattened but later recovered in the sheds, while Matterson would now likely need a miracle to play again before the finals.
Most worrying for the under-fire Arthur though will be the fact that the Eels were woeful even when they had 13 men on the field.
In their few chances on the Sea Eagles’ line, the Eels either coughed the ball up or kicked it over the dead-ball line on six occasions.
Their only first-half try came through a nice flick pass from Matterson to Tom Opacic to make it 26-4 at the break, before Waqa Blake grabbed one late from a Dylan Brown grubberkick.
But otherwise they completed at just 68 per cent and desperately missed Reed Mahoney’s clean passing out of dummy-half.
They conceded 16 linebreaks and missed 34 tackles, as Cherry-Evans and Trbojevic cut them to shreds.
Manly had scored twice before the Eels even had a play-the-ball through tries to Parker and Garrick, fittingly from a Cherry-Evans grubberkick and Trbojevic cut-out ball.
Jason Saab also scored a try and set up another for Trbojevic, with the latter coming after Cherry-Evans had put him into space with a brilliant cut-out ball.
The highlight of the night from Trbojevic came when he offloaded as he fell close to the line during the second half, putting 18th man Moses Suli over.
It marks the fifth time Manly have put 50 points on a side this season, with their only concern Josh Aloiai being put on report for a shoulder charge.
Badseed
Roar Rookie
Manly’s chances even better with Turbo in cottonwool for 3 weeks
Badseed
Roar Rookie
Manly have a much better nursery now thanks to their partnership with Blacktown Workers
Badseed
Roar Rookie
Manly have the best run to the GF as long as they finish 5th. They’ll play the 8th placed team then the rorters. Won’t come up against Melbourne until the Grand Final if they can get over the Pennys. Hopefully Souths will beat the tripe out of the Storm either way the winner will be hurting come the big dance.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Spot on
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Yes, the Eels look buggered, which is terrible for the Comp.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
After Origin they were 4 points clear of the Roosters, and 120 points better in points diff. Even with a tough run home they would be expected to beat the Roosters home, who have a busted lineup. Manly were a further 2 points back. The loss against the Raiders was unforeseen by fans of both clubs, had they won that they were still 4th. Even with a tough draw, being winless in these games since was highly unexpected
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Did you really think top four cert?
no one in particular
Roar Guru
A few years ago Storm aimed a lot of their attack behind the ruck, and made a ton of yards through there. Smith controlled the play through this area. As the defence adjusted and/or tired, it opened up gaps out wide
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
It would take more than music to balance my thinking processes kk. Thanks for the concern though.
kk
Roar Pro
Try a dose of orchestra with Ennio Morricone or John Barry. It helps the thinking process into balance.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
the discussion will begin when the million dollar question gets answered - when is a player considered a junior?
Joey
Guest
Sorry, I misread it no different to others, just first. Panthers produce an oversupply if players at the moment. Not so much poaching, just that only so many fit into the salary cap. Difference if you raise them is a their entry salary will be much less. Clubs that buy them up will be paying more. That’s where Panthers have the advantage. Getting the first couple of years at less than market value.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I agree with all that. The incentive for developing you own juniors ( no not one's you pinch at 15) is not great enough. Increase the incentive for local players recruitment and I will happen.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Once they have the minor premiership wrapped up he will rest everyone up so they will freshen up like Winx before a Cox Plate. Besides backing the Storm is not a money making exercise for me ( although I have collected four out of five bets so far.) . It's more like compensation for non - economic loss. Things like mental anguish , loss of society and loss of enjoyment of life. It does ease the pain but I would still rather lose the bet.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I'm getting concerned about the refs leading in to the finals E.J . A week ago a ref blew the whistle for a knock on when it was a classic knock back. Luckily the team had a captains challenge and won it , but I'm left wondering how refs are still getting it so wrong and what on earth is going on in their mind. Don't they have meetings where someone explains that a dropped ball is fine if it goes backward? How do you get to that level and not understand that? I'd be sacking any ref who doesn't understand such a simple concept.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Eels were a super strong club thru the grades from the mid 70's Dwayne and looked like they would be like the Storm are now, for decades but somehow it hasn't worked out like that.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Pennies don't lack players coming thru the grades ........ at the moment. The Eels and Knights won titles on the back of players coming thru the grades but neither club has had anything like the quality come thru since their golden days. If they are letting players escape the system like the Broncos and Cows have ( and the Eels to an extent) they have failed but the Knights for example haven't had anywhere near the quality locals come thru and have changed direction. The Knights now have the basis of a good team and if some stellar locals emerge , they are on their way. The point is that the Pennies success at the moment can't easily be duplicated because it won't work without a superior crop coming thru.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
The Eels aren't a united group, with an excellent roster of individual players they just aren't playing as a team. They cant score! They rely on either Moses or Gutho to create the spark, but these two players have their leadership deficiencies and egos that get in the way, this filters down to the rest of the group (sin bins, send offs, stupid plays). Moses in earlier rounds was seen giving Gutho a mouth full and Gutho's spray to Opacic are examples of a team that is not cohesive, not "humming" along as Soward would say.
Opposed Session
Roar Rookie
Jimmy I agree on attack structure now and then due to rule changes, which Adam can’t influence when he left the club a few years ago. Disagree on Adam changing the attack while at the Storm though. In the wake of 2016 GF loss, Adam had a heated debate with Craig about them not using the best players in the world in their full attacking capacity. The 2017 Storm side adopted a wide and direct mentality in attack. An obvious shift of a wider / more lateral approach. This started with a lot wider pass from dummy half, which if you catch on the advantage line at speed, you can get to the soft edge of the line speed. Where players would be in step back. Most teams tried to defend thick through the middle against the Storm so on review they looked to play wider, quicker to expose teams on the edges more. Which resulted in the highest points in a season in history for the storm (which has been surpassed in 2019 and 2021). Having Craig understand as the best defensive team they could be more expansive in attack was the key. So you could say while Adam can’t influence Craig now, you could make an argument that had the 2017 change not occur they might not be as expansive, spontaneous or flamboyant as they are now.
Joey
Guest
Sorry, read it as you. Just like pennies, sounded a lot like same as.