Arthur: We didn't have a go
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A shattered Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur says only one team was playing football as the Manly Sea Eagles romped to a record 54-0 win at Lottoland on Sunday afternoon.
Arthur was reserved but spoke strongly in addressing the calamitous loss, which he said would not have happened if the team had shown up ready to play.
He was surprised and had not seen that sort of a performance coming.
''I told them [the players] I was surprised,'' Arthur said.
''I didn't see it coming. Not this week, last week, any week. We're very embarrassed with that performance. There was only one team playing today.''
Assessing the the Eels' performance as soft was ''fair'', according to the coach.
''We were blown off the park. We weren't playing the same game,'' he said.
''We just didn't play. We did not have a go.
''[Our supporters] have got every right to be disappointed and we've got to make sure it doesn't happen again.''
Match: Sea Eagles v Eels
Round 2 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
6th Position
away Team
Eels
16th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
Eels skipper Tim Mannah said the loss was more embarrassing than the heavy defeats that punctuated their back-to-back wooden spoons in 2012 and '13.
''Just because of the talent we have in our team and how well I know we can play. We definitely expect a lot better from our boys,'' he said.
''There are some big issues we need to worry about and it's something we have to address asap and move on because we've got another big game (against Cronulla) Saturday night.''
Asked how he got his team to quickly move on from such a game psychologically, Arthur said they needed to absorb the sting of such a thrashing.
''It needs to [linger], they need to feel the hurt,'' he said.
''We need to show more respect for ourselves. We need to show more respect for our club and our fans.
''We're all hurting. We're embarrassed but we need to make sure we do something about it. Our attitude wasn't great. You don't play like that if you come ready to play.''
