Parramatta called out after 'strange' grand final move backfires

The NRL 360 panel have questioned Parramatta's decision not to travel to the grand final as a team after the move appeared to backfire in their 28-12 loss to Penrith.

The Eels were blown off the park by a rampant Panthers outfit on Sunday night, with Penrith taking an 18-0 lead into the half-time break and leaving Parramatta shell-shocked.

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The Panthers then extended the lead to 28-0 before the Eels managed to get on the board with two late tries.

Discussing the grand final on NRL 360 on Monday night, Braith Anasta and James Hooper pointed out that the Eels couldn't get into the game in the first half and questioned the decision to let the players travel to the ground individually.

In contrast, the Panthers travelled to Accor Stadium in the team bus and arrived altogether.

“As good as Penrith were I think that Parramatta weren’t at the races last night,” Hooper said.

“You watch them run out and they looked as though they were really in the moment, especially their big name players Mitchell Moses, Clint Gutherson, they looked like they were up for the occasion, but after the opening set it became very clear that Penrith were on another level.

“Look I don’t know if it was the emotion of the week, the fact that rather than get a team bus together and all go to the game together.”

Anasta asked: “What happened there? Did they not all go to the game together?”

Hooper said: “No they all drove individually or with their partners or however they decided."

Anasta repied: “That’s unusual for a grand final."

Parramatta declined chance to train at Accor Stadium

Hooper reported that Eels coach Brad Arthur wanted his players to feel like they were just playing another game so they wouldn't be overawed by the moment.

They also declined the chance to train at Accor Stadium in the lead-up to the decider and opted to stick to their usual processes at their base in Kellyville.

"For me it sounded strange but they wanted to try and just stick to the process and treat it like any other game,” Hooper said.

“Last time we heard that was back in 2001 when one of the all-time great Parramatta sides got rolled in a grand final that was dubbed the un-losable grand final by the Newcastle Knights.

“I think it was a stuff-up during the week, the fact that they didn’t want to train at Accor Stadium either, they knocked that back, just wanted to stick to their processes at Kellyville.

“I reckon they’ve dropped the ball there.”

But fellow panellist Paul Kent didn't see it that way, saying the Eels were simply beaten by a better side.

“I’ve got no problems with Parramatta’s preparation,” Kent said.

“I think Penrith are so good they were going to do that to anybody last night.

“I think Penrith are so far ahead of every team in the NRL that whoever they played last night and look I said last week Penrith by 14, they won by 16.

“You know what I think most other teams would’ve been lucky to get within 16 as well.

“Penrith are at another level, they are doing things in the game, they’re playing a style, the combination, cohesions, the physicality, they are so far ahead of everybody.”

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