Dyldam Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur says that while Saturday’s win over the Sharks may have shown more fatigue and less polish than the ideal win, the will to win is growing in the side.
“We trained very hard this week, back to back days, and that probably showed,” Arthur said.
“But the good thing about it is they’re learning to be a bit tougher, a bit mentally tougher and we learned to push through it. It shows the boys that it doesn’t matter what you do during the week, once you take the field there’s no excuses.”
“It wasn’t pretty and we know we need to be heaps better, but it’s probably a good thing that we can still win a game when we’re not at our best.”
The 32-12 win at Remondis Stadium made if back-to-back away wins for the Blue and Gold, and included two tries for both debutant Bureta Faraimo and co-captain Jarryd Hayne.
Arthur says without Hayne’s efforts the win would likely have slipped away, but it’s the flow-on effect of the full team contribution that creates space for the fullback to soar.
“Every team’s got someone with individual brilliance,” Arthur said.
“He’s one person, but if the other boys aren’t doing their job, he can’t do what he did.”
“If the big boys weren’t carting the ball forward then Jarryd wouldn’t have the quick play the balls to play off the back of. That’s his job, on the back of them to capitalise and create opportunities and go and win us a game of footy.”
“We found a way to win, so I’m happy.”
