The Parramatta Eels have not had the best start to 2023 as they lost their first three games and currently sit in 15th place on the NRL ladder.

Brad Arthur’s side may look like a sorry state on paper but in reality the Eels have been much better than most people are giving them credit for.

As a club that is often of interest to fans the media has taken their slow start to the season and amplified it which has resulted in many people, especially those who haven’t watched all of Parramatta’s games, believing that the Eels have been far worse than what they have show on the field.

In round one the blue and golds had the honour of launching the 2023 NRL season by hosting its first game against the Melbourne Storm.

Parramatta were the better side for the majority of the contest but in the end Melbourne hung in the contest long enough for key players Cameron Munster and Harry Grant to swing momentum with Munster leading the Storm back into the game and Grant scoring the match-winner in extra time.

The following week the Eels were once again at home, this time against the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks with the two sides putting on an exciting and high-scoring performance with momentum shifting constantly before the Sharks just managed to escape with the two points in the end.

While the result did not go Parramatta’s way it should be noticed that if Mitchell Moses had converted all of the Eels tries then the game would have gone to golden point.

Six days later the four-time premiers travelled to Four Pines Park to face their traditional rivals the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in a game that more than lived up to the hype as this was yet another high-scoring game.

 
In the first half Parramatta showed the worst form they had all season but managed to close the gap between them and the Sea Eagles through some Clint Gutherson brilliance before halftime.

The second half saw a game much more akin to the one the Eels had against Cronulla the week before but yet again Parramatta would come out of the game as losers but this time if Moses had converted all of the Eels tries then they would have won.

Last Thursday Parramatta were back home and managed to get a gritty win against their Grand Final opponents from last year the Penrith Panthers with Moses kicking the match-winning field goal in golden point on the day he resigned with the Eels.

After looking back at just how close every game has been this season for Parramatta it would make more sense to question specific parts of their game such as building a lead and kicking goals instead of suggesting the club is going through a crisis, especially when comparing them to clubs such as the Dragons, Raiders and Tigers who have all put on performances that were far worse in comparison.

This week Parramatta takes on the Sydney Roosters in the third straight game that the Eels have faced a team coming off of a bye week.