Parramatta coach Brad Arthur says the surprise win over the Penrith Panthers on Friday night proves they can be an elite team but they need to perform week in week out.
The Eels are out to win the 2022 NRL grand final and Arthur is in no doubt they can compete with the best as they showed at the Panthers Stadium.
Shock win
The Eels ran out 22-20 winners to inflict a rare home defeat on the Panthers. Not since 2019 had they lost on home soil. The win also came just a week after the Eels were thrashed by the North Queensland Cowboys.
Arthur spoke of his pride after the game and says now the job is to stay consistent and do it every week.
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"Can is the word," Arthur told reporters after the game. "We have to make sure we're doing that every week. It's only round nine, a tough opposition (in the Sydney Roosters awaits) next week.
"We're not an elite team at the moment. We have shown we can be. Because elite teams do it every week. We can't take it for granted. We can compete with the best of them, but we have to do it every week."
Controversial decision
Arthur also saluted his players for their resilience and the way they handled a controversial decision just before half-time when the Panthers grabbed a try despite there being a clear knock on.
"We come out and there was no chat about that," Arthur added. "Maybe in the past a few years ago we would have maybe been stewing on that decision.
"Worrying about it wasn't going to help us at the time. We knew it was a mistake, but we made plenty tonight too. I think that (resilience) is better in the team this year."
