The Illawarra Steelers will be out to reset and respond when they host the Parramatta Eels in Round 4 of the SG Ball Cup this weekend.
After letting opportunities slip in recent weeks, Steelers centre Cooper Morrison (pictured) said the focus has been clear: get back to their brand of football and turn effort into execution.
“I think just playing our type of game — no errors, just complete and give it everything — probably puts us in the game,” Morrison said.
“We’ve lost a lot of games in the back end, probably just errors, not completing sets and a couple of lapses in concentration. We just need to focus on the one-percenters and get everything done.”
The Shaun Timmins-coached side have shown throughout the opening rounds they can match it with quality opposition, but finishing sets and maintaining composure late in halves has proven costly with an 0-3 record to start the season, including a six- and one-point loss.
Looking To Bounce Back
Morrison admitted the group has had to park last week’s 26-10 loss to Manly quickly.
“We’re just trying to forget the weekend that’s gone past. We can’t change the result. We’ve just got to look forward and play our brand of footy this weekend,” he said.
“You don’t want to hear bad news from the coach, and you don’t want to lose, but at the end of the day there’s nothing you can do about it — you’ve always got to push forward.”
Against an undefeated Parramatta outfit, completion rate and discipline will be crucial. Morrison said the responsibility starts with individual effort.
“Just small effort areas — get some more carries in, help out the forwards coming out of the back end, compete in every play and do everything I can,” he said.
“Off the field our chemistry has been good and we’ve gelled well. It’s just on the field we’re not finalising things and we’re making poor errors.”
Spencer: Team Connection Key vs Eels
Illawarra Steelers will look to build momentum in Round 4 of the Tarsha Gale Cup when they take on the Parramatta Eels, with five-eighth Skye Spencer confident the side’s best football is still ahead of them.
After strong starts in recent weeks, Spencer admits the key focus has been on maintaining that intensity for the full 60 minutes.
“Me personally, probably just icing my kicks,” Spencer said. “And I think as a team, our second half has been a bit of a letdown.
“We start really strong and then kind of die off a bit in the second half, which against stronger teams will probably not benefit us at all.”
Game management looms as a crucial factor against the Eels, with Spencer working hard on directing the side and executing last-tackle options.
“Sometimes in a game it’s hard to focus on where you’re going to, where you’re trying to direct everyone. When it gets to fifth and last, I get a bit crazy and just grab the ball and kick it,” she said. “But I’ve been doing a lot of extras, working hard to actually try and kick to my points and complete as a team.”
One Team Mentality
Connection across the park has also been a major emphasis at training, particularly down the edges where combinations can make or break attacking opportunities.
“You can’t really function well as a team when you’re not connected as one group altogether — like one team mentality,” Spencer said.
“Working really hard to make more connections with my second row and my edge has really helped us go really good because we just know each other a bit better.”
That cohesion is strengthened by long-standing relationships within the squad, with many of the Steelers progressing together through the junior ranks.
“I’ve grown up with these girls. A lot of the girls in our team are from juniors up, so I’ve played with them through the years. I kind of already know them, and it’s really good playing next to someone that you’ve known for a while.”
Photo Credit Main Image: Denis Ivaneza