NRL: Maitua excels in comeback

Reni Maitua. Photo / Getty Images

Parramatta coach coach Stephen Kearney praised Reni Maitua after the former Canterbury and Cronulla utility made an encouraging return to NRL action for the Eels following a two-year ban for doping offences.

Maitua slotted in at five-eighth after Jeff Robson was sidelined with a hamstring injury and his display was the only crumb of comfort for the Eels - as they went down 16-12 to a Brisbane side missing six senior players due to State of Origin commitments.

Kearney's team have not won in five matches and languish in 13th. Any hopes of reaching the finals look remote following another performance full of effort but littered with errors.

Maitua, whose last NRL game was for the Sharks in May 2009, has spent a month with the Eels and named in the side following some promising performances for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup.

"He showed some good touches out there and it is a real credit to Reni, he has worked hard since Christmas to physically get himself right and the last month he has spent with the group, he has been positive," Kearney said.

"He went back and played well for Wentworthville and got the opportunity tonight and showed enough to suggest he still has something to offer a footy team."

However, Kearney was less enamoured of his side's inability to close out the game, having come back from 12-0 down, only to concede a soft try to Matt Gillett five minutes from time.

"The efforts have been very pleasing but it has not amounted to a great deal. Trust me, I'm not happy. The execution side of our game, we need to keep working towards and keep improving," he said.

Skipper Nathan Hindmarsh failed to hide his frustration and admitted he hadn't even bothered to work out whether the Eels' finals hopes had been snuffed out.

"It is a bit tough to take. With all of their Origin stars out, it was the perfect opportunity to try and win a game. The positive thing is we stuck to the game plan unlike last week," Hindmarsh said.

- AAP