‘Alarm bells’ ring for Parra’s attack as unheralded Roosters step up amid ‘carnage’: 3 Big Hits

Trent Robinson’s side were battered by injury with Victor Radley and Drew Hutchison ruled out the game.

But they were not out of the contest until the dying moments and Parramatta’s inability to put the foot on the throat looms a long-term concern.

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Round 9

Matt Ikuvalu grabbed a hat-trick of tries for the Chooks, while Bryce Cartwright bagged a double for the Eels, who lost hooker Reed Mahoney to a HIA.

It wasn’t until Mitchell Moses notched a field goal and Dylan Brown slid over for a late try that the Eels could rest easy as they moved up to second on the ladder.

Here are the key takeaways from the Eels’ win over the Roosters!

PARRA LACK PATIENCE

Parramatta were without Nathan Brown after he sustained a hip injury in last week’s win over the Bulldogs.

The Roosters, meanwhile, were without Luke Keary, Brett Morris, Sam Verrills, Lindsay Collins and Lachlan Lam and trailed by just six points at the break.

They then lost Radley to a failed HIA and Hutchison to a punctured lung at halftime.

It was staggering the Roosters were in the game for so long especially given the Eels had 64 per cent possession and 78 per cent of the territory in the first half.

MATCH CENTRE: Eels vs Roosters teams, SuperCoach scores, videos, updates

Maybe that says something about the resilience and fortitude Robinson’s side have fostered.

Or perhaps, as Shane Flanagan put it on Fox League, it said more about the Eels’ inability to play patient and their insistence on going for the knockout blow every time.

Attacking potency

Posession: Eels 63 per cent, Roosters 37 per cent

Territory: Eels 72 per cent, Roosters 28 per cent

Tackled in opposition 20m: Eels 63, Roosters 8

“I think that Brown has been a big loss for the Eels because he gives them energy and leg speed,” he said. “He gets back 10 or 15 metres, he carries the ball with so much intensity and he pumps the side up.

“Some days you can shift the ball and get into our set plays – all the stuff you practice at training it comes off.

“Sometimes you need to just put it under your arm and do the tough stuff. That’s what I think Parramatta need to do.”

Dirty Eels do damage to Roosters

1:06

ROOSTERS RESILIENCE SHINES THROUGH

It took the Eels 75 minutes to say they were safe. The Roosters kept soldiering on.

Injury after injury prompted a reshuffled backline and the Chooks looked like the walking wounded.

There was no shame in this defeat especially given how young this team was.

If you knew who Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Ben Marschke and Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha were before this season started you would have to be a real trainspotter.

But that is what Robinson is dealing with.

“Unfortunately the Roosters have got some kids out there who shouldn’t be. Marschke has had a fantastic game and made some great decisions and made 55 tackles,” Flanagan said.

All three of their tries came from one man, Ikuvalu.

Often the fill-in, the Mr Fix It for this backline, Ikuvalu has always been next man up.

He’s never let the Roosters down, either, and bar a couple of errors on Friday was the Chooks’ most potent attacking threat.

He scored one try from long range and two more when he combined well with James Tedesco and Sam Walker.

“Hasn’t he been a find for the Roosters? Every time he comes in for the Roosters he has done more than enough,” said Michael Ennis. “It’s just been that they have had a luxury of big names that take his position.”

MOSES ‘ALARM BELL’

While Flanagan expressed concern over Parramatta’s patience, the fact they were unable to put the Roosters to the sword would have been a warning sign for coach Brad Arthur.

With Mahoney out for a HIA and his side dominating in field position, Flanagan questioned Moses’ ability to dictate terms.

Moses came up with three try assists, but all three came from kicks.

“The alarm bell for me has been Parra’s attack,” Flanagan said.

“They’ve had so many opportunities to score points to night.

“This is a real opportunity for Mitchell Moses to put his hand up and say this is my football team, follow me.

“You saw that in the earlier game, [Nathan] Cleary took charge of the game. He (Moses) needed to do that tonight.”

Ennis added: “I feel like they moved the ball really laterally especially in good attacking position, but given the amount of carnage and injuries the Roosters have had I’m surprised with Parramatta’s attack to be honest.

“I don’t think the issue will be in the regular season, they have a red hot roster. The question mark will remain over Parramatta until they get to the finals.”

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Eels team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Tom Opacic 4. Marata Niukore 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Ryan Matterson 15. Shaun Lane 14. Oregon Kaufusi 16. Haze Dunster 17. Bryce Cartwright 19. Keegan Hipgrave

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Josh Morris 4. Joseph Manu 5. Matt Ikuvalu 6. Drew Hutchison 7. Sam Walker 8. Isaac Liu 9. Ben Marschke 15. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 11. Angus Crichton 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 15. Adam Keighran 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 17. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 24. Tuku Hau Tapuha

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