Dyldam Parramatta Eels fullback Michael Gordon has urged the Blue and Gold Army not to give up on the side, confirming the Eels squad remains confident in their final 8 games of the regular season.
Despite the off-field distractions over the past few months, and the recent penalty of twelve competition points docked from the Parramatta Eels, Gordon says it has done nothing but galvanize the side.
“We had such a good pre-season and started the season with plenty of optimism and a good feeling around the joint, but the feeling is still there and it has galvanized us,” Gordon told the Big Sports Breakfast this morning (Monday 11 July).
“Everyone has taken a real sense of pride in not letting your mate down and everyone turning up and having a dig for each other.”
“A few good road trips, which can be good to get away as a team, but you have a little bit of time to bring you closer together again. This team is pretty close at the moment but we will go into every game confident.” Gordon added.
And whilst it has been hard on the playing group, Gordon felt for the loyal Blue and Gold Army.
“They [the fans] have been fantastic all year. It was a miserable night the other night, but they still turned up and they were so loud,” Gordon said.
“It has probably been a lot harder on them than us as players because we just do our job each week but they are the ones who ride the rollercoaster more than the players.”
“I feel for them but hopefully they can keep sticking with us for the rest of the year because we certainly aren’t giving up on anything yet.”
However Gordon said the deduction of 12 competition points had not changed the side’s mindset, crediting Head Coach Brad Arthur for the way he has managed the playing group this season.
The fullback says the side are focused on the Panthers clash this weekend.
“It hasn’t really changed us much. It has been looming all year and we have a game this Sunday, so we will go looking for some of those points we have lost and try and get them back,” Gordon said.
“Brad has done a really good job of keeping all that stuff outside and away from us and we just keep preparing each week,” Gordon added.
“It is a real sense of not letting your mate down around at the moment and everyone is putting in for each other and it’s great to be a part of.”
And part of that mentality was showcased in the Eels victory over the Roosters, clawing their way back from a 12 point deficit and a handful of injuries, to come away with the two points.
“The Roosters were such a physical team, it was a really hard game and probably better quality that I was thinking it would be for the conditions. We had to dig deep for a bit there but great to get over the top of them in the end,” Gordon said.
“It was hard seeing him [Semi Radradra] go down, and harder losing Isaac De Gois about 5 minutes later. Two key players, 10 minutes into the game, but Jeff Robson did a great job, first game back, playing at hooker.” Gordon added.
“We had no halfback but again, Corey Norman ran the show and he was good. If he wasn’t there, I don’t think we would of won the game.”
