What's the (Parra) matter?

Jacob Tyson

The inconsistency from the Eels over the course of this season has been mind-boggling. For a team that many had in the top four at the start of the year, they’ve once again let fans down in the back portion of the year.

They’ve already proven their credentials by knocking off the Storm and the Panthers early in the year, so we know they’ve got the squad to go deep. It's the games against the Sharks, Tigers, Bulldogs and Broncos that have let them down. That’s just to single out a few.

Whilst a lot of people are tipping the upset this weekend against the Panthers, I’m down on confidence for the Eels, and not because I don’t think they have the team to beat Penrith, but because the way they’ve played the last six weeks has been pitiful, to put it nicely.

The Panthers are outright the better team, only dropping one game, the epitome of consistency. Compared to Parra, who are 11-7, having not lost back to back games, and having not won three in a row since round five. They know how to lift for games against the gun teams, but they’ve been pitiful when facing a team they should put away.

In the weeks since the bye round, the Eels have gone three wins, three losses, with a for and against of -42, where they’ve face embarrassing losses to the Bulldos, Rabbitohs and Broncos. The only game where they’ve showed the high level they can play at was the 26-16 win over the Roosters, which really showcases the inconsistency they’ve displayed this season.

The use of their bench, and overuse of frontline forwards has shown clear fatigue in the club, where defensively they’re just not up to it. Especially in the middle. Only on five occasions this season have they conceded less than 20 points, with two of those games being 30+ point dominant wins. The other three occasions, they conceded 18, 16 and 16, missing on average 38 tackles per game.

Desperation has been the theme of their defence, and even against the Panthers, they were dominated through the middle, with Moses’ kicking game saving them out of yardage on multiple occasions.

Penrith will come out this weekend with a clear objective of pressuring Moses, and therefore killing the momentum the Eels can create. If Bailey Simonsson and Maika Sivo don’t muscle up out of yardage, the Panthers will be all over the Eels, and we could see a demolition.

If the Eels lose, no matter what the score is, they could find themselves struggling to stay in the top 8. A run home that involves Manly at Brookvale, Rabbitohs who they haven’t beaten since 2019, Broncos at suncorp, and the Storm, it could spell massive trouble for the Eels.

If the Eels were to go on to miss out on September footy you’d have to question if Brad Arthur is the right man for the job going forward, especially with the losses they are going to cop for next season.

In saying that, they could easily come out and shock us, then disappoint us, then shock us again all the way into the finals and then from there on it's anyone's game.