Good news on Inu and Mortimer tops Hayne coup for Eels
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday September 25, 2009
AFTER a week of uncertainty, all the pieces fell into place for Parramatta at their final training session yesterday, when five-eighth Daniel Mortimer and centre Krisnan Inu proved their fitness for tonight's grand final qualifier against the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.Asked after training whether Mortimer, who injured his hip against Gold Coast last weekend, and Inu, who has missed the team's past two games with a hamstring injury, would play, Eels coach Daniel Anderson told the Herald the team would be "one to 17".It was one massive boost after another for the Eels yesterday, with the news on Mortimer and Inu, who had trained lightly on Wednesday, coming straight after it was revealed star fullback Jarryd Hayne had agreed to a new, four-year contract.Second-rower Nathan Hindmarsh said the Eels would go into the game feeling good about their chances, but taking nothing for granted."'Morts' and Krisnan got through the whole session, so it's a given now that they're playing," Hindmarsh said. "We had our serious heads on today, it being our last session, but those guys couldn't help but be excited about proving their fitness. It's great news for everyone."Morts did a lot of running with the side in the ball-work session, and a lot of kicking and he wasn't uncomfortable. And Krisnan was running really well. All the news today is great, with Jarryd committing himself long-term to the club as well, but that won't win us the game of footy. We've still got to go out there and get the job done."Earlier, during a joint media conference with Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore at ANZ Stadium, Anderson said if Mortimer and Inu managed to get through through the afternoon session that would be good enough for him."I don't know if anyone is 100 per cent at this stage of the year," Anderson said. "Most blokes are carrying niggles and bumps and bruises. If they get two sessions under their belt I'm more than comfortable with that. That's more than what some blokes have been able to do [before playing] this year."Bulldogs halfback Brett Kimmorley will be playing his first game in four weeks, after suffering multiple fractures of the cheekbone during the round-25 game against the Warriors, and Moore said the veteran playmaker was raring to go."He's fine," Moore said. "He would've played last week if we had a game, but it's probably a blessing for us that we didn't have to play, because he's had two full weeks of training to prepare."Anderson and Moore did their best to throw up positives and shoot down potential negatives.Asked about being in charge at a club with a record of coming undone in their more recent appearances at this late stage of the season, Anderson said: "I don't look at it that way. It's my first go in this position with Parramatta, so I'm just very excited about it.And his players?"We've got some young players who are in their first grand final qualifier, so there's no reason for them to carry baggage from past years," he said.Moore said the Bulldogs were up to the task of thwarting Parramatta's ability to get the ball away in tackles."Defensively, we've just got to be on the job," he said. "Across the [defensive] line we've got to be pushing forward, and not giving them too much momentum €“ that and numbers in tackles. We need to do our best to make sure we limit them."Moore said his team's 27-8 loss to the Eels the previous time they met, in round 20, would mean nothing this time. "I was a bit disappointed in our performance," Moore said. "But it was probably one of the few occasions this year where we didn't have a great preparation and we took that into the game."Asked about the Bulldogs thrashing the Eels 48-18 in round six, Anderson said: "That seems like a long time ago, and we're a very different team to that game." We have a different style, a different mentality, and, I think, a different attitude, so it's very satisfying and a great reward for the players that they have turned it around."
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald