Phil Gould delivered a blunt reality check to Parramatta fans after Friday’s 26-14 victory over a depleted South Sydney, declaring the Eels won’t play finals footy in 2019.
Led by Mitchell Moses, the Eels snapped a worrying three-game losing skid with a four-tries-to-two win over a Rabbitohs side already ravaged by injury and missing four players through Origin duties.
The win keeps Brad Arthur’s side in the bottom half of the top eight but Gould was far from impressed by the performance at Bankwest Stadium and expects the Eels to tumble down the ladder in the coming weeks.
“I haven’t really rated them highly all season,” Gould said on Channel 9.
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“I know they’ve had some good results but they had the opening of the ground here and I think everyone got carried away with that game against the Tigers.
“I think the Dragons beat them if Corey Norman stays on the field and they were beaten by an understrength Panthers side last week.
“In between they had a big scoreline (a 64-10 loss to Melbourne) put on them.
“I think they still have a long way to go.”
Gould suggested the Eels only returned to the winners’ circle on Friday night because the already weakened Bunnies were missing four Origin players – Cody Walker, Damien Cook, Dane Gagai and Cameron Murray.
“They found the opposition they could handle tonight,” he said.
“They got a nice free reign in attack, forwards made ground easily and the halves had plenty of time.
“They practiced getting off the line hard but they knew it was only the Burgess boys they were contending with.
“They have to do that over 80 minutes week in, week out with the best sides in the competition.
“I don’t think they are a finals team right now. I could be proven wrong but I don’t think they will make this year’s finals series.”
