NRL great Greg Alexander has slammed the Parramatta Eels for their disappointing 44-16 loss to The Dolphins after the club conceded 40 points in the second half.
Playing in 30 degree weather in Darwin, the Eels were leading 8-4 at halftime, only to fall away dramatically.
The Dolphins ran in eight tries in the second half to the Eels’ one, leading to coach Brad Arthur to label his club a “part-time footy side”.
Alexander didn't mince his words and said Parramatta were terrible.
“They looked as tired as any team I’ve ever seen,” Alexander said on Breakfast with Vossy and Brandy.
“I don’t know what happened to them. And they were pretty ordinary conditions, but they were the same for The Dolphins.
“They couldn’t even get back to marker and the little men for the Dolphins including Trai Fuller, (Kodi) Nikorima, (Isaiya) Katoa, Jeremy Marshall-King ripped them a new one.”
The stunning fallaway in the second half caused Alexander to question the Eels’ finals credentials.
“They missed the eight last year. They went grand final (in) ’22, missed the eight last year. Did you have them in your top eight? I didn’t,” Alexander added.
“They need Mitch Moses back desperately but he’s not a one-man band.”
Dolphins’ young gun Isaiya Katoa collected the maximum six Dally M points available, notching three try assists and four line break assists, while fullback Trai Fuller, winger Jack Bostock, and lock Max Plath all recorded two votes.
Only one Parramatta forward ran for over 100 metres, compared to the Dolphins’ five.
The Eels now sit in the bottom four and have to travel to Brookvale in a fiery rematch with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, while The Dolphins are third and return home to play the Newcastle Knights, who will be without captain Kalyn Ponga after he suffered a foot injury on Sunday.