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Post by Electric Eel on May 23, 2020 19:51:37 GMT 10
2005 Preliminary Final: Nth Queensland 29 d Parramatta 0
SMH
Eels search for answers after Cowboy caning
By Greg Prichard at Telstra Stadium
September 26, 2005
EELS 0 COWBOYS 29
For the Cowboys, it's the start of the biggest week in the club's history as they prepare for their first grand final. For the Eels, it's the start of a post-mortem into how a team that had performed so well leading up to yesterday's game could play so badly.
Everyone will have an opinion about why the second preliminary final blew up in Parramatta's face as North Queensland strode to a shut-out win to qualify for the grand final against Wests Tigers on Sunday, but the bottom line is clear.
The Eels didn't handle the occasion as well as they should have, and coach Brian Smith said the examination of what went wrong would be extensive.
"We have to figure out why we performed like we did," he said. "That's up to me and the senior players to work out."
Asked if the players had an attack of stage fright that led to the multitude of uncharacteristic mistakes, Smith replied: "It may have been on a couple of occasions, but we have a lot of experienced players in our team.
"Last night we saw St George Illawarra play and they were flat and lacklustre in patches and we were flat and lacklustre. We were in a deep, dark hole after the Brisbane game [which the Eels lost 50-4 early in the season] and we found a way out of that. It will be critical that we find some answers now, as well."
But enough of Parramatta for the moment. North Queensland have done a magnificent job to recover from the 50-6 flogging they got from Wests Tigers in the first week of the finals to beat Melbourne and now Parramatta to make it to the last game of the year.
The fact they will have to face the Tigers again certainly won't stop them from turning up. It will probably keep a bit of the pressure off the Cowboys, if anything, and put that extra pressure on the Tigers, who will now be clear favourites to win.
"It's great," said North Queensland coach Graham Murray of the win. "One of the things I have said to the players during the finals series is 'make the people of North Queensland proud' and we've done that. I thought we were pretty dominant and played some really good football. Our defence was outstanding."
Parramatta made so many errors during the first half they became piled up like rubbish on the footpath during a garbage strike. The Eels were putting enormous pressure on themselves and the Cowboys eventually made them pay.
The game was effectively decided in the last five minutes of the first half, when North Queensland scored two converted tries to suddenly burst from a lead of 6-0 to 18-0.
Parramatta began the second half running harder and looking more desperate, but it didn't last long.
They began to fade again and the next try - scored by North Queensland winger Ty Williams in the 55th minute - finished them off.
The Cowboys will continue to grow in confidence as a result of yesterday's win. They will be allowed to enjoy the moment and will put their heads down at the appropriate time, which is the Murray way.
North Queensland centre Paul Bowman has been with the Cowboys since their first year, in 1995, and since he is a veteran player now and won't get too many more chances to win a premiership, this is one he is determined to take.
"It's the chance of a lifetime," Bowman said. "And that's the point I've got to get across to the young blokes, that you don't know how often you're going to get the chance. They've got to treat this one like it might be the only one."
The Parramatta dressing-room was like a morgue as stunned players tried to work out what went wrong.
The result brought back horrible memories of the 2001 grand final against Newcastle, when Parramatta - just like yesterday - started hot favourites but mismanaged things terribly and were beaten.
"The feeling was so good in the dressing-room before the game," said winger Eric Grothe. "But once we got out there it just didn't happen."
Forward Glenn Morrison said: "I don't know what is worse, losing or the extent of the loss."
SMH
Eels search for answers after Cowboy caning
By Greg Prichard at Telstra Stadium
September 26, 2005
EELS 0 COWBOYS 29
For the Cowboys, it's the start of the biggest week in the club's history as they prepare for their first grand final. For the Eels, it's the start of a post-mortem into how a team that had performed so well leading up to yesterday's game could play so badly.
Everyone will have an opinion about why the second preliminary final blew up in Parramatta's face as North Queensland strode to a shut-out win to qualify for the grand final against Wests Tigers on Sunday, but the bottom line is clear.
The Eels didn't handle the occasion as well as they should have, and coach Brian Smith said the examination of what went wrong would be extensive.
"We have to figure out why we performed like we did," he said. "That's up to me and the senior players to work out."
Asked if the players had an attack of stage fright that led to the multitude of uncharacteristic mistakes, Smith replied: "It may have been on a couple of occasions, but we have a lot of experienced players in our team.
"Last night we saw St George Illawarra play and they were flat and lacklustre in patches and we were flat and lacklustre. We were in a deep, dark hole after the Brisbane game [which the Eels lost 50-4 early in the season] and we found a way out of that. It will be critical that we find some answers now, as well."
But enough of Parramatta for the moment. North Queensland have done a magnificent job to recover from the 50-6 flogging they got from Wests Tigers in the first week of the finals to beat Melbourne and now Parramatta to make it to the last game of the year.
The fact they will have to face the Tigers again certainly won't stop them from turning up. It will probably keep a bit of the pressure off the Cowboys, if anything, and put that extra pressure on the Tigers, who will now be clear favourites to win.
"It's great," said North Queensland coach Graham Murray of the win. "One of the things I have said to the players during the finals series is 'make the people of North Queensland proud' and we've done that. I thought we were pretty dominant and played some really good football. Our defence was outstanding."
Parramatta made so many errors during the first half they became piled up like rubbish on the footpath during a garbage strike. The Eels were putting enormous pressure on themselves and the Cowboys eventually made them pay.
The game was effectively decided in the last five minutes of the first half, when North Queensland scored two converted tries to suddenly burst from a lead of 6-0 to 18-0.
Parramatta began the second half running harder and looking more desperate, but it didn't last long.
They began to fade again and the next try - scored by North Queensland winger Ty Williams in the 55th minute - finished them off.
The Cowboys will continue to grow in confidence as a result of yesterday's win. They will be allowed to enjoy the moment and will put their heads down at the appropriate time, which is the Murray way.
North Queensland centre Paul Bowman has been with the Cowboys since their first year, in 1995, and since he is a veteran player now and won't get too many more chances to win a premiership, this is one he is determined to take.
"It's the chance of a lifetime," Bowman said. "And that's the point I've got to get across to the young blokes, that you don't know how often you're going to get the chance. They've got to treat this one like it might be the only one."
The Parramatta dressing-room was like a morgue as stunned players tried to work out what went wrong.
The result brought back horrible memories of the 2001 grand final against Newcastle, when Parramatta - just like yesterday - started hot favourites but mismanaged things terribly and were beaten.
"The feeling was so good in the dressing-room before the game," said winger Eric Grothe. "But once we got out there it just didn't happen."
Forward Glenn Morrison said: "I don't know what is worse, losing or the extent of the loss."
