Defiant Eels coach Brad Arthur insists he is still the man to revive faltering Parramatta despite a Magic Round bloodbath, which included Cameron Munster adding to the glaring State of Origin injury crisis.
Arthur, who two years ago led Parramatta to the grand final, is facing arguably the biggest test of his career since rebuilding the club after a 2016 salary cap scandal. The Eels crashed to their sixth loss in seven games without star halfback Mitchell Moses.
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It will make for an uncomfortable week for the blue-and-golds, who were torn apart by a Munster-less Melbourne in the second half during a 48-16 flogging at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Asked if he thinks he is still the man for the job, Arthur said: “I do. The facts will be there at the end of the year.
“I’ve never walked away from a fight. We’re going to keep fighting hard. I still believe in this team, but they’ve got to start to believe in themselves, especially when we’re under a bit of pressure.
Brad Arthur.Getty
“We’re five minutes after the game, but there hasn’t been any indication from the club towards me. All they want to do is get around us to support myself and the rest of the coaches and the team.
“But at the end of the day, what matters is what we’re doing on the field for 80 minutes and it’s not good enough at the moment.”
It was an awful afternoon for the Eels, who had shown glimpses of promise when a shattered Munster was helped from the field in agony seconds before half-time.
Cameron Munster limps from the Suncorp Stadium turf.Getty
Already missing NSW superstars Nathan Cleary, Tom Trbojevic and Cameron Murray, the Origin series could be robbed of Queensland’s talisman Munster – on top of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Tom Gilbert and Tom Flegler.
Munster, who missed the first month of the season with a baffling groin problem, received attention for the problem when scrapping for a loose ball in the closing minutes of the first half.
But trying to play on in obvious discomfort, Munster twisted trying to make a tackle, and writhed in pain on the ground moments before the break.
“When it first happened, the medical staff thought it was fairly serious, or not good at all,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said. “I don’t think they think it’s quite that bad now. What that means, I don’t really know.
A rampant Melbourne again dined out at the game’s showpiece event.Getty
“I think if he has an operation he probably won’t play again for the rest of the year if it’s the operation they think he needs.”
It could force Queensland coach Billy Slater to turn to Cowboys gun Tom Dearden or grand final hero Ezra Mam for the series opener in Sydney next month.
The Storm, already without the injured Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes, burst to a 16-4 first-half lead through long-range tries instigated by wingers Will Warbrick and Xavier Coates, only for off-contract Eels rookie Blaize Talagi to peg the margin back to six points with a sumptuous try off a scrum play.
Munster didn’t return after the break, and neither did the Eels.
Melbourne’s annual Magic Round party kicked into gear with Grant grabbing his second try and Reimis Smith bagging two in as many minutes.
“The second half was embarrassing,” Arthur said. “We just fell in a hole for a period of 10 or 15 minutes. We lacked resilience and then kept digging the hole deeper.”
Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona was placed on report for a cannonball tackle on Maika Sivo, who scored a late consolation try as the Eels threatened to have 50 points put on them by the premiership heavyweights.
6.03pm on May 19, 2024
Full-time: Storm lose Munster, but Parramatta lose the plot
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Emphatic stuff from the Storm with only one member of their first-choice spine when Cameron Munster was left writhing in pain. He’ll go for scans on Monday after that groin injury floored him.
Grant was superb, so too makeshift No.6 Grant Anderson as Melbourne’s outside backs made hay against an Eels defensive line that pulled a fantastic disappearing act in the second half.
Xavier Coates likes what he sees on the Suncorp big screen.Getty
It’s a massive issue for Brad Arthur’s side, they simply go missing after the break. Real problems in the Golden West after this one.
5.53pm on May 19, 2024
Try: Katoa flies high over Sivo
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Eli Katoa gets one for the road, and it’s a fair one at that. Parramatta had stemmed the flow, and briefly threatened to jag back a try of their own, before Nick Meaney hoiked a kick high with five minutes to play. It comes down to Maika Sivo, only for Katoa to fly through and steal his lunch in front of the posts.
Sivo answers with a consolation try that won’t matter a jot, Blaize Talagi with another nice touch, sending the cut-out ball that put Sivo on the outside of Warbrick.
Storm 48 Eels 16
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5.40pm on May 19, 2024
Try: Coates bags 90-metre intercept
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Parramatta are on the attack… until they’re not. A loose offload by Will Penisini - and loose is generous for a no-look pass that is flung over his shoulder - is snaffled up by Xavier Coates in his return from injury. Duly races the length of the field to get himself on the board as well.
Storm 42 Eels 10
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5.22pm on May 19, 2024
Tries: Grant grabs a double
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Brilliant stuff from Harry Grant, the skipper is having a blinder. He was probing around the ruck that set and got that one going toward Xavier Coates down the right edge.
Coates was able to get his arms free and find the No.9 again in support. He carries a few defenders over the line and slams the ball down to give Melbourne some breathing room.
And they help themselves to a little more now, Reimis Smith finishes off a slick play. Fa’alogo and Grant Anderson feature in this effort from the wrong side of halfway to give Smith room to move. He steps back inside a couple of would be defenders and suddenly the Storm are pushing their lead out to 20. Two tries in three minutes.
Make that three in six. Smith again polishes off another long-range raid, Harry Grant in the thick of it once more. If Parramatta could make a tackle, I wouldn’t mind a break.
An early penalty goal to start the second half with Shaun Lane pinged for taking out the kicker illegally. Grant Anderson is into five-eighth for Melbourne with Munster off as Asofa-Solomona gives away possession with an error in the play-the-ball.
Anderson comes up with a telling play on his own line too, leaping up and reeling in a crossfield kick that had plenty of Parramatta chasers lurking and sniffing out a try.
Storm 18 Eels 10
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4.52pm on May 19, 2024
Munster injured, Asofa-Solomona on report
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Nelson Asofa-Solomona is on the field… and on report. That was a clumsy, ugly effort that one. Diving in at Maika Sivo’s shins when he was already held up by two players. Doesn’t seem like any damage done but that was rather dumb stuff. NAS called out for it and on report for dangerous contact. Probably a fine.
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And with a minute left in the half, Cameron Munster is in real trouble. He’s reeled out of an attempted tackle. Absolutely shot. The groin injury that’s been plaguing him all season has him in real pain.
Looks to be spasming on the ground after he was caught awkwardly. Eventually he’s able to walk off, straight up the tunnel, and that moment has all sorts of Origin implications. We make it to the break with no further drama.
Storm 16 Eels 10
Munster on his way off Suncorp Stadium.Getty
4.49pm on May 19, 2024
Try: Talagi strikes just before the break
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Talagi’s split eyebrow - it’s still streaming out blood like the proverbial - doesn’t faze the kid in the slightest. He’s on the end of a slick scrum move that keeps Parramatta in this just before halftime.
Nick Meaney turns in at centre and Dylan Brown threads the needle, sends Talagi past him at pace and the Eels needed that one. Critical try. Bit of discussion in commentary about the youngster’s future. St George Illawarra are circling despite Parramatta tabling a three year extension to one of their brightest young stars.
Storm 16 Eels 10
4.41pm on May 19, 2024
Head clash splits Talagi, forces Coates off
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Big old head clash at the half hour mark. Kick goes up for Blaize Talagi and Coates coming through in pursuit. They collide in air and Coates is off for a HIA immediately.
Heavy contact leaves Talagi covered in blood too, but he’ll stay on the field as the trainer straps him up. Melbourne have outside back Grant Anderson on the bench - that’s handy.
Storm 16 Eels 4
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4.34pm on May 19, 2024
Tries: Storm wingers carve up Parra
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And there it is. It’s not Fa’alogo - sorry Pengers - but Will Warbrick splitting some pretty shoddy Eels defence from halfway. Harry Grant and Eli Katoa got that going in the lead-up, Katoa with an offload that had Parramatta scrambling.
And then Warbrick took charge, barging through two tired tackles from a couple of front-rowers back on the inside, and then sprinting away to score under the posts.
From the next set, again Grant steers them down the short side and Xavier Coates gets on the outside and down the sideline. He then pilots his kick in-field perfectly, sits up for Grant and suddenly the Eels are down by two converted tries.