View photosKEY POINTS:
Everything the Warriors had planned not to do, they did against the Eels at Parramatta last night.
They dropped too much ball, lost concentration, gave away too many penalties and did too much tackling.
It was just like last weekend - they looked dangerous on attack but failed
to mount pressure and execute, instead turning the ball over.
The Eels' gameplan relied heavily on kicking to the Warriors wings and it paid good dividends for them.
Manu Vatuvei had a shocker in trying to field them.
By halftime he looked shell-shocked after dropping two bombs, letting a third bounce and then failing to cover a chip-kick which allowed Eels centre Ben Smith to score.
He repeated the error mid-second half and wing Eric Grothe scored to remove all chance they had of victory.
But while Vatuvei committed the glaring errors, it was again a disappointing performance from the team.
One can only wonder at the frustration of captain Steve Price, one of the few who played with credit, and of coach Ivan Cleary.
It was end-to-end for the first 10 minutes, the Warriors blowing early attacking opportunities with errors.
Exciting stuff but both teams lacked finish until Eels left wing Jarryd Hayne repeated his try-scoring stunt from State of Origin, a sideline dance then a kick-chase to score.
The Warriors fought back but it was the home team that crossed again at 26 minutes, centre Smith benefiting when Vatuvei lost the ball in the tackle. Video ref Bill Harrigan called a stripped ball and a relieving penalty for the Warriors.
Then came the chip from halfback Tim Smith for Ben Smith, the Eels up 12-0. There was some irony in Hayne failing to control Michael Witt's bomb just before halftime, Logan Swann taking the ball to score. At 12-6 at the break the Warriors were still in it. Question was, had they again run low on energy by turning over the ball and doing more tackling than attacking?
The visitors came out with enthusiasm in the second spell but their mistake rate did not drop. There is no doubt the Eels were pushing the stripping laws but the Warriors' ball security should have been better.
When Sam Rapira lost it in the play-the-ball, Tim Smith put another cross-field chip through and it slipped between Vatuvei and fullback Wade McKinnon and Daniel Wagon scored for Parramatta.
Three minutes later, another kick from the Eels, again the Warriors failed to cover it and Nathan Cayless scored under the bar.
The Eels' win puts them in the top eight with 12 points and the Warriors level with the Rabbitohs and Titans on 10 and ahead of five teams on eight.
Parramatta: J. Hayne, B. Smith, D. Wagon, E. Grothe, N. Cayless tries; L. Burt 5 goals
Warriors: L. Swann try; T. Martin goal.
Halftime: 12-6.
