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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 3451532, member: 1899"] Well, I did predict an improved performance from Parramatta, albeit it was only by a point. Really though, Penrith were far too good. In the previous encounter, it took Penrith 50 minutes to get on top, here it was all but over after 27 minutes. Parramatta did well to hold out for that long, but once Sorensen crossed, Penrith got to coast on that 18 point lead and add to it when they saw fit. Penrith were just too strong in the middle. Parramatta tried to match them early but gassed themselves and were on their heels from that point on. It allowed the Panthers to spread the ball and they were rarely forced into error. I was skeptical of starting Kenny, but this time I felt like Cleary got the most out of him. Instead of having Koroisau replace Leota with Yeo going to prop they had Kenny go flat out for 15 minutes and tackle everything in sight. He was right up there for metres/minute and working in tandem with Leota, Fisher-Harris, Yeo it just gave the Panthers the edge. It worked out perfectly because right as the game was opening up, Koroisau came on just to put the Eels on their haunches. I thought the opening try to Crichton was a decisive moment. Not only because it was first blood, but because it was down the Panthers right hand-side, meaning the Eels couldn't just set up shop down their left. It was a pretty simple play in the end, with Cleary getting Lane to bite in on him, opening the space up for Crichton back on the inside. By playing down the right, they were able to get Kikau 1-1 with Moses, which eventually opened up the space for To'o to bag a double. The Sorensen try was good work from Cleary, but pretty poor defence from Parramatta. Cleary has the best short kicking game of any halfback in the competition, so you have to have somebody (preferably your fullback) dropping back for the grubber. Unfortunately for the Panthers I feel they're in real trouble after this season. Without Koroisau and Kikau they may only win the minor premiership by one win next year. For the Eels it's a bittersweet moment. All week they had to manage the expectations of fans that have gone their entire adult lives without tasting premiership success and they've fallen short. Now they head into next year missing a lot of key personnel missing and others entering the back-end of their career. How they manage next season and the year beyond is crucial, but as it stands, this feels like the climax of the story. [/QUOTE]

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