The suspense is killing League Blog as we continue our countdown of the top teams this year. As Buzz Aldrin said, second comes right after first.
Parramatta Eels or The Lord Moves in Mysterious Ways
Parramatta Eels or The Lord Moves in Mysterious Ways
Where it all began... Hayne is illegallytackled while performing the Fijian haka
Season Highlight: A stunning form reversal that saw the Eels capture the imagination of all fans of rugby league including God, claim the scalps of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd-ranked teams in the semis and spawn the latest greatest player in the history of rugby league, Jarryd Hayne.
Season Lowlight: I’d actually have to go with their terrible form during the start of the season, rather than the Grand Final loss. Yes, that would be bitterly disappointing but a close loss is nothing to be ashamed of. Their early season form was very shameful. And at least 2001 is now a distant memory for Burt, Cayless and Hindmarsh.
Most Valuable Player: Jarryd Hayne, although going on the GF alone you’d have to say Fui Fui Moi Moi. Thanks to fish heads and Fiji, Hayne produced an amazing run of big game form and elevated himself to top 5 player status. He wore out both opposition defences and media members’ right hands. Hayne will be bulletproof, figuratively speaking, for the next three years on the back of three great months of footy.
Most Worthless Player: Kris Keating. Goes down like a tonne of bricks and Eels start their winning run. Coincidence? Methinks not.
Telling Statistic: The Eels averaged an incredible 17.6 offloads… per set of six. Daniel Anderson’s decision to change the team song to Hot Potato was controversial at first, but the results speak for themselves.
Quote That Sums Up Their Year: “Jesus Christ!” God’s reaction when he found out just before the Grand Final that Hayne’s new contract contained no tithes whatsoever for the man upstairs. Game over, Eels.
2010 Outlook: League Blog can’t see the Eels maintaining their blue hot form for all of 2010, but they won’t need to, knowing that a bottle of lightning is but a Hayne hop skip and jump away. They’ll sneak into the Top 6 and then look to do some damage when it counts.
More highlights:
ReplyDeleteFFMM's try in the GF - I cheered, and I don't even like Parramatta;
sending Finch packing mid-season - that really made me laugh;
and beating the Dragons only one week after losing 37-blot to the same team, also very humourous.
The Eels had plenty of highlights this year, I hope they really enjoyed them because I agree they may not scale quite the same heights in 2010.
For one thing, I expect Jarryd to spend much of next year disguised as a mere mortal. The reason? I have no reason, just call it gut feeling or instinct. It is a hunch, an intuition, a sixth sense, a flash of graphic premonitory illumination that roused me from my torpor and - mark my words - it will come to pass. (Also, he seems to be lacking slightly in arrogance in his new fishhead-eating incarnation, so he might be too humble to play to the same standard next, not wanting to show up the other players.)
back to my security blanket.......
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