The Dyldam Parramatta Eels have held on for their fourth victory of the season after coming away with a 26-20 victory over the Penrith Panthers on Friday night (29 May 2015).
The Eels had entered the halftime sheds with a 14 point lead, but after three tries to the home side in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half, the score board was level and it took two tries to Semi Radradra in the second half for the Blue and Gold to lock up the two points.
“It goes without saying that we have been waiting a long time for that,” Eels forward Danny Wicks said in the sheds after the game,
“The last couple of weeks we have been putting in effort but the scoreboard hasn’t been reflecting it.”
“A positive with the two points but the comeback at the end there, we should of never let them in. In saying that, we stuck in for each other and turned up for each other to get a win.” Wicks added.
As the Panthers clawed their way back into the game through three tries early in the second half, Wicks said the Blue and Gold were not panicked by the situation and were still confident they would get the result.
“I didn’t get on til 15 to go in the second half but the feeling out there was still comfortable, Wicks said.
“Nobody was panicking and we had to regather. It was the luck of the ball for them, a few offloads that got them where they were and it wasn’t really structured in any way. It was panic football and it started to pay off for them.”
“We knew if we held our head, with the way we have been training and the mentality we have we knew we would come away with the two points.”
Match Highlights
The confidence was there all week confirmed Wicks. After tight losses to the Warriors and Rabbitohs, the Eels were confident of coming away with the two points from Penrith.
“Our focus was getting the two points tonight. We were extremely confident heading into the game,” Wicks said.
“Soward said in the papers earlier in the week that they “were looking to rack up some points on the boys”. Well sorry champ, it went the other way,” he said.
“Little things like that, working for each other, got us the two points.” Wicks added.
The Eels have a ten day turnaround inbetween games and Wicks says the Blue and Gold will be focused and have plenty to work on this week before they take on the in form North Queensland Cowboys at Pirtek Stadium on Monday 8 June.
“We have heaps to work on. You are kidding yourself if you are first or sixteenth on the ladder and say you don’t have plenty to work on,” Wicks said.
“Positives is that it is a win, but it means nothing if we don’t win next week.”
Hear from Corey Norman in the sheds after the game
