Dyldam Parramatta Eels Club Captain Tim Mannah has praised the character of his Blue and Gold teammates in their 22-18 win over the Sydney Roosters.
The comeback victory saw the Eels claw back the lead with just two men on the interchange bench, and Mannah said the effort from the makeshift line up was proof of the side’s powerful bond.
See the highlights from the 22-18 win
“You can just tell we’ve got a special group here,” Mannah said.
“The way they put up with adversity the last few months, it says a lot about the group we have here: the coaching staff, the players.”
“Most of the game we didn’t know who was playing where; we had forwards playing in the backs, we had four front-rowers on the field at once, so it was one of those games you’ve got to kind of just make do.”
“I couldn’t be prouder of the boys, the way they played tonight.”
See the team song from the Eels sheds
The Round 18 victory marked Mannah’s return from a fractured shoulder-blade that saw him sidelined for eight weeks, and reunited the Eels prop with his former teammate, Jeff Robson.
“It’s so good to be back out here, I missed it so much,” Mannah admitted.
“And the king (Jeff Robson)! It’s great to have him back. He just brings a bit of composure and calmness to the team, and allows [Corey Norman] to go and do what he did in that game.”
“You know what, everyone just kept turning up tonight. I couldn’t be prouder.”
“The way the fans have supported us throughout this tough season, it’s been outstanding. I love being a part of this club.”
