Not the performance I was looking for last night. So exasperating watching the team fumble and bumble their way out of the game ,Too many missed tackles, too many dumb mistakes.
. That hit by Ava on Lane was wowee!!! but the response by the other team members a few tackles later, allowing Parra to score a very soft try was so depressing.That hit alone should have at least given the team a boost , instead we replied poorly.
As poor as we were, Parramatta are not going to be a force in the comp if they dish up the same sort of performance against the bigger, better teams. If they get a referee who likes to police the ten they will be in massive trouble because like the majority of their displays this year they were never, ever, onside with the usual suspects standing a good two or so metres in front of the official.I am surprised that King Gutho does not put his shoulders out every game.... such is the enthusiasm of him in entreating the referee to award the Eels a penalty every single time he questions them..he is a Muppet and that was the one thing that really annoyed me..the fact he scored a brace of tries along with the other Muppet in the shape of Sivo. He may score a try or two and be a fan favourite but the way he carries on when he is tackled pisses me off no end.
Now I know that player welfare is important but can you tell me why, when we were on a roll deep into Parra territory and looking like we might actually score late in the first half, play was stopped by the referee because a player was laying forty metres back from any of the action around twenty metres from our line. The trainer was there tending to him and he actually had fallen over without a hand being laid on him. That took the wind out of our sails and put Parra back in control with being able to regroup and set their defensive line rather than having to deal with the run of broken play where we actually looked good? Not saying that in the overall scheme of things where we continually shot ourselves in the foot it would have made a massive difference but who really knows???
The sooner guys like Katoa and Napa are gone the better. Katoa costs us badly every game with dumb penalties at crucial stages of the game and poor dummy half service and bad reads in defence. Napa, well his excuse last night was that he only lasted 16 minutes, his excuses every other week well.....
I noticed a very sneaky, grubby play by Moses on our kick chaser who collared him, legally I may add, on one of his kicks dropping the elbow into the head of our player who was on the ground. That escaped detection by the referee and his linesmen.
Our goose is cooked for 2021 but it would be nice to get a really concerted and lasting effort for the full 80 rather than a ten minute burst of energy and positive play that does nothing but tease us and give us a minute sniff of something good.....and me the time to vent my feelings in a way that I should not have to.
In all my disappointment and angst at the way we once again meekly surrendered I took the time to think of our good mate Sir Col and his battle. Love you to bits Col and I hope that the win by your side gave you some joy and contentment, you deserve at least that.......