Monday, June 07, 2004
Player Ratings: Eels vs Knights
Wade McKinnon - 8 (43)
McKinnon has played brilliantly since being promoted to the top side but this might just have been his best game of all. Positional play was first rate and routinely broke the first tackle bringing the ball back.
Ashley Graham - 6 (15)
Still feeling his way back into the top grade but took the intercept that won us the game. Brian Smith commented in the post-match press conference that he is only back to two-thirds of his top pace and this showed when he wasn't able to outsprint the oppositio backs. His defence was mixed and coming off his wing probably helped Newcastle score their second try.
Junior Langi - 7 (49)
Took his second chance with a vengeance. Awesome pass put Ash Graham over in the corner and basically acted as an extra backrower in defence and bringing the ball out of our own territory.
Luke Burt - 6 (60)
Awful decision to throw the ball back in field without knowing if anyone was there, but redeemed himself with the final try. Otherwise had a fair game without making too much of an impact.
Matt Peterson - 7 (56)
Was having a blinder until the final 15 minutes when his game lapsed. Make a corker tackle that may have saved a try, took a bomb under intense pressure and worked the ball out strongly from his own territory. However, in the final minutes he let a bomb bounce, missed a couple of critical tackles and threw a sloppy pass from dummy half that resulted in a key turnover. Take away the final 15 minutes and it was his best game of the year.
Michael Witt - 6 (12)
Great enthusiasm but made a couple of mistakes and wasn't able to have much of an impact. Was probably most responsible for the Kurt Gidley try. Still, his kicking won us the game and his spot was validated on that score alone.
Adam Dykes - 7 (72)
Patchy game but he was still Parramatta's most threatening players. Regularly shifted out to second reciever and he was probably more effective in that role. His long kicking was exceptional and his final grubber kick one the game.
Michael Vella - 8 (62)
Vella truly stood up to be counted. Was the dominant forward when he was on the park, running with passion and hitting with plenty of venom. In Cayless' absense he has also developed an offload and put Wade McKinnon into the clear with another brilliant short offload.
John Morris - 7 (62)
A solid game from Morris in his return to the NRL. Looked sharp on occasions out of dummy half and did a lot of work in defence.
Craig Stapleton - 7 (78)
Made a rare mistake in the opening ten minutes but that aside he was his usual reliable self, getting his hands dirty in both attack and defence.
Nathan Hindmarsh - 8 (84)
1Eyed Eel thinks that Hindmarsh may actually be doing too much work. He twice took the ball on the last tackle both times resulting in a turn over. Getting constantly involved in the tough stuff and is blunting his attacking ability and while his workload is mind-blowing he's not the threat he has been.
Jack Afamasaga - 7 (14)
His opening 20 minutes were a stand-out. Tremendous enthusiasm in kick-chases and attempting charge downs, defence was stinging and he ran hard and even showcased a Benji Marshall sidestep.
Daniel Wagon - 8 (76)
Unbelievable defensive effort, cracking 50 tackles two weeks running. Did start to get a little lax in the last 15, giving away a cheap penalty and being half-responsible for the Kurt Gidley try but given his workload it was to be expected.
Lee Hopkins - 6 (26)
Tackled resolutely and there was nothing wrong with his service from dummy half. That said, he's not a game breaker.
Chris Armit - 7 (41)
His best game in first grade this year. Got much more heavily involved off the bench than he has in any other game this year and he certainly didn't let anyone down.
Dean Widders - 8 (66)
Brilliant off the bench - added attacking thrust and made the break that got the Eels back into the game. His defence was excellent, too.
Justin Tsoulos - 7 (37)
Worked well interchanging with Vella, was difficult to pull down but still needs to make sure he offloads at the right time.
What did you think of the player's performances. Post a comment!
McKinnon has played brilliantly since being promoted to the top side but this might just have been his best game of all. Positional play was first rate and routinely broke the first tackle bringing the ball back.
Ashley Graham - 6 (15)
Still feeling his way back into the top grade but took the intercept that won us the game. Brian Smith commented in the post-match press conference that he is only back to two-thirds of his top pace and this showed when he wasn't able to outsprint the oppositio backs. His defence was mixed and coming off his wing probably helped Newcastle score their second try.
Junior Langi - 7 (49)
Took his second chance with a vengeance. Awesome pass put Ash Graham over in the corner and basically acted as an extra backrower in defence and bringing the ball out of our own territory.
Luke Burt - 6 (60)
Awful decision to throw the ball back in field without knowing if anyone was there, but redeemed himself with the final try. Otherwise had a fair game without making too much of an impact.
Matt Peterson - 7 (56)
Was having a blinder until the final 15 minutes when his game lapsed. Make a corker tackle that may have saved a try, took a bomb under intense pressure and worked the ball out strongly from his own territory. However, in the final minutes he let a bomb bounce, missed a couple of critical tackles and threw a sloppy pass from dummy half that resulted in a key turnover. Take away the final 15 minutes and it was his best game of the year.
Michael Witt - 6 (12)
Great enthusiasm but made a couple of mistakes and wasn't able to have much of an impact. Was probably most responsible for the Kurt Gidley try. Still, his kicking won us the game and his spot was validated on that score alone.
Adam Dykes - 7 (72)
Patchy game but he was still Parramatta's most threatening players. Regularly shifted out to second reciever and he was probably more effective in that role. His long kicking was exceptional and his final grubber kick one the game.
Michael Vella - 8 (62)
Vella truly stood up to be counted. Was the dominant forward when he was on the park, running with passion and hitting with plenty of venom. In Cayless' absense he has also developed an offload and put Wade McKinnon into the clear with another brilliant short offload.
John Morris - 7 (62)
A solid game from Morris in his return to the NRL. Looked sharp on occasions out of dummy half and did a lot of work in defence.
Craig Stapleton - 7 (78)
Made a rare mistake in the opening ten minutes but that aside he was his usual reliable self, getting his hands dirty in both attack and defence.
Nathan Hindmarsh - 8 (84)
1Eyed Eel thinks that Hindmarsh may actually be doing too much work. He twice took the ball on the last tackle both times resulting in a turn over. Getting constantly involved in the tough stuff and is blunting his attacking ability and while his workload is mind-blowing he's not the threat he has been.
Jack Afamasaga - 7 (14)
His opening 20 minutes were a stand-out. Tremendous enthusiasm in kick-chases and attempting charge downs, defence was stinging and he ran hard and even showcased a Benji Marshall sidestep.
Daniel Wagon - 8 (76)
Unbelievable defensive effort, cracking 50 tackles two weeks running. Did start to get a little lax in the last 15, giving away a cheap penalty and being half-responsible for the Kurt Gidley try but given his workload it was to be expected.
Lee Hopkins - 6 (26)
Tackled resolutely and there was nothing wrong with his service from dummy half. That said, he's not a game breaker.
Chris Armit - 7 (41)
His best game in first grade this year. Got much more heavily involved off the bench than he has in any other game this year and he certainly didn't let anyone down.
Dean Widders - 8 (66)
Brilliant off the bench - added attacking thrust and made the break that got the Eels back into the game. His defence was excellent, too.
Justin Tsoulos - 7 (37)
Worked well interchanging with Vella, was difficult to pull down but still needs to make sure he offloads at the right time.
What did you think of the player's performances. Post a comment!
