Parramatta survived an arm wrestle in the first 20 minutes to eventually overpower an injury-riddled Canterbury on Sunday afternoon at CommBank Stadium.
The 30-4 thrashing was exactly the confidence boost Brad Arthur’s team needed as they prepare to take on top-of-the-table Brisbane in Darwin on Friday night.
Parramatta’s choice to take a home game to the top end has provided an added complication for the team this Friday night as they face a short turnaround with travel thrown in.
Sunday’s match was all but over in the space of a seven minute period mid-way through the first half when Will Penisini, Maika Sivo and Mitchell Moses all scored to give the home side a 16-0 lead.
While the Bulldogs struck first in the second half, a try to Campbell-Gillard and a second to Sivo ensured the 26,755 fans went home smiling.
Arthur said the dressing shed remained flat despite his side’s back-to-back wins, with the players believing there’s still a long way to go before they meet their own expectations.
“It’s hard to win NRL games and we’ve got to enjoy them when we do,” he said.
“We felt like we probably should have went on with it a bit more in the second half but we know we’re not at our best.”
Arthur said he felt his side was still “a bit” off their top form.
“At times an individual knocks off for three or five seconds and it costs you. We’ve got to learn. Some of those guys have only played a handful of games or less than 50 games and they’re still learning,” he said.
“It just takes a bit of time with those guys and we’ve got to be patient with them, but they’ve got to understand if you knock off from the NRL for more than three or five seconds, you’re going to get found out.”
Both Arthur and Eels captain Clint Gutherson offered plenty of praise for Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who was sick in hospital last week but managed to produce one of his best performances of the season.
“We always knew he was going to come out and give that type of performance,” Gutherson said.
“You know straight away what kind of game you’re going to get from Reg. When he’s charging into the line like that you know it’s going to be a good one.
“We need him to be like that every single week. When Reg is going forward it gives us a good chance.”
Arthur said managing the short preparation for Friday night’s game against the Broncos will be critical.
“Five day turnaround, it’s all part of the game. We haven’t had one this year. We’ve just got to get up there and start well,” he said.
“They are probably the form team of the competition.”
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.