In a week in which Corey Norman was busted for drinking the most expensive beer in history and Jarryd Hayne again found himself in the headlines without stepping onto a football field, Parramatta fans were entitled to ask: can it get any worse?
On Saturday night, they got their answer.
Mitchell Moses suffered what could be a serious knee injury, three other Eels failed to finish the game and the blue and golds may have just been handed the wooden spoon by the team that has held it for the past three seasons.
Down and out: Mitchell Moses receives treatment before leaving the field with a knee inury.
Photo: AAP
All this after prop Kane Evans, the much-hyped Roosters recruit, was accused of racially abusing a Warriors opponent in the reserve grade curtain-raiser.
There have been some lows since those halcyon days in the 1980s, but if youre a Parramatta fan, youve probably not plummeted this far. Only 7719 fans bothered to turn up and fewer still will return for their next home game after this performance.
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Their finals hopes were extinguished a month ago but this loss, the fifth in succession, makes it official.
The last time Parramatta played Newcastle, in the preseason, they blew them off the park. It remains their most impressive performance of the year.
Their night got off to the worst possible start. Bevan French finally got a chance to impress in his preferred fullback spot. He lasted just two minutes.
The Tingha product copped a head knock in one of the first collisions of the game and didnt return from the field.
Peni Terepo finished the game on the sidelines due to concussion, while a hamstring injury prematurely ended Will Smiths night. The Eels spent the last 10 minutes without a single player on the interchange bench.
But the biggest blow came in the 25th minute. Moses, spoken about as a Blues contender just a fortnight ago, ran the football and appeared to hyperextend his left knee as Daniel Saifiti met him in defence. The game came to a halt for several minutes as Moses writhed in agony. Eventually he limped up the tunnel. Scans will determine whether he is sidelined for weeks or the rest of the season.
This on a night in which Norman was unavailable with a foot injury, forcing Brad Takairangi into the halves and Will Smith at fullback.
Injuries played their part in the loss, but Newcastle was also under strength. Mitchell Pearce, Nathan Ross, Herman Ese'ese, Tautau Moga, Jacob Saifiti and Brock Lamb are in the injury ward. Their replacements were too much for the opposition.
Brain explosions proved costly. Michael Jennings, coming off a game in which he butchered two tries to cost his side victory against Brisbane, was sin-binned for tripping. The Knights scored in his absence.
And then Tepai Moeroa put on a shoulder charge that put Chris Heighington in the head bin. Moeroa can consider himself lucky to stay on the field after the refs vowed “we need further action”, but his sideline stint will come after the match review committee scrutinises the incident.
Due credit must go to Newcastle. Saifiti was the best on ground. The big prop scored a try, saved one with a bellringer and ran for 183 metres from 19 hit-ups, as well as making 20 tackles.
From the moment Jack Cogger scored and then converted his own try 14 minutes in, the visitors were in full control. The Knights scored five tries, answered only by a late consolation to Josh Hoffman. Their four-game losing streak has been emphatically snapped and their season remains alive.
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur could struggle to name a side to travel to Darwin to face the Cowboys. It remains to be seen whether Norman, Tim Mannah, Kaysa Pritchard and Hayne return for the Cowboys clash. There are many injuries, but the whole team is feeling the pain.
Adrian Proszenko is the Chief Rugby League Reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald.
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