Brad Fittler has expressed his concerns following Parramatta’s dismal home loss to the Gold Coast Titans, emphasising the urgent need for the team to rectify their issues before facing the Bulldogs this Sunday.
The struggling Eels were jeered off the field by their supporters after suffering a staggering 52-10 defeat, marking their biggest loss in an already challenging season. To date, the blue and gold have conceded an astonishing 226 points over the first six rounds.
In an interview with Nine’s Today, Fittler drew attention to the club’s alarming defensive displays.
“I’m just glad I was busy and didn’t have to watch that match—it sounded dreadful,” Fittler remarked.
“Looking at the statistics, they’re now averaging, I believe, 37 points conceded per game.
“You simply can’t win matches like that.”
Keano Kini of the Titans breaks through the tackle of Mitchell Moses. Getty
He also acknowledged the team’s injury crisis, with Sam Tuivaiti and Kelma Tuilagi joining the already long list of absentees for their next encounter against the Bulldogs.
“I recognise they’ve been hit hard by injuries, and many teams face this challenge, but you’ve still got to defend your goal line,” he asserted.
“The Bulldogs put on a strong performance against Penrith on Thursday night, so this upcoming match on Sunday promises to draw a massive crowd. If they don’t address their issues this week, it could become quite embarrassing.”
This defeat marked just the second occasion in Gold Coast’s history where they managed to score 50 points, showcasing their improvement under coach Josh Hannay while highlighting the Eels’ struggles.
After the match, Parramatta coach Jason Ryles appeared visibly disheartened, admitting that fans were “justified” in their boos and outpouring of frustration.
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Mitch Moses and Jason Ryles. NRL
“We were just hammered for 50 points at our home ground, so the fans are entirely justified in their reaction. They play a massive role in what we do, and it’s disappointing to put in such a performance in front of them,” Ryles commented.
“It’s incredibly disheartening. I honestly didn’t see this coming. (There were) some pretty troubling signs there.
“It’s definitely a challenge.
“Today was disappointing for me primarily because the spirit simply wasn’t there. Last week against the Tigers, I observed a fight I hadn’t seen before from this group, and then this week we didn’t showcase that at all.
“Some players made choices out there that hopefully they won’t repeat, so we definitely need to address that issue promptly.”
Sam Tuivaiti leaves the field. Fox League
“It’s critical for whoever steps in to fill the gaps left by those injured to realise that NRL is a tough competition, and if you’re not ready from the get-go, results like today will happen.”
“We must quickly understand why we displayed such a lack of desire in this match, something I haven’t witnessed from this team in the 18 months I’ve been here. Not for a moment.”
“That was probably the most disappointing aspect of today’s performance.”
Mitchell Moses of the Eels seems dejected at the full-time whistle. Getty
Skipper Mitch Moses was equally perplexed by his team’s performance, conceding that he “didn’t really have many answers…to be honest.”
“We’ve been consistently off our game from the starting whistle this season, and then you look up and you’re down by 18 or 20 points, which makes it pretty hard to chase back.”
Parramatta will welcome the Bulldogs to their home ground this Sunday afternoon.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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