Slow start frustrates Maguire but comeback gives optimism
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Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire praised his side's overall effort but lamented their inability to take their opportunities in a 36-22 loss to Parramatta on Easter Monday.
The joint venture was gifted territorial advantage right from the outset when Eels prop Junior Paulo spilt the ball from the kick-off, but they failed to turn their opportunities into points.
The Eels returned serve to take their opportunities, piling on three tries inside 25 minutes for a 16-0 lead.
Maguire's men, to their credit, clawed their way back to set up a grandstand finish in front of 29,056 at the Olympic Park venue, but fell short with two errors late in the piece.
Match: Wests Tigers v Eels
Round 4 -
home Team
Wests Tigers
13th Position
away Team
Eels
2nd Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Parramatta's final two tries via Clint Gutherson and Blake Ferguson flattered the scoreline with the Wests Tigers otherwise pushing the visitors to the limit.
"The effort you saw is definitely what the team is about," Maguire said.
"We made it hard for ourselves in the first 20 minutes and that's the most disappointing part.
"If we get our start in the right order then the outcome we put in for the 80 minutes … we've just got to execute at the right times.
"Definitely the first 20 [was] a big issue but we managed to fight our way back throughout the game and it was there to be taken. That's the next question for us.
"The first half around our attack wasn't what we set out to do. We nearly had a try in the corner early. We had to execute that and get points as soon as you get down there."
Match Highlights: Wests Tigers v Eels
After a one-win, three-loss start to the season, Maguire believed the team were on the rise after a difficult opening month of the competition that also included losses to the Raiders and Roosters.
The Tigers host a struggling Cowboys outfit next week at Leichhardt Oval before clashes against the Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles and Dragons.
"One thing I do know about this team is they're heading in the right direction and not getting the rewards at times we would've liked," Maguire said.
"Canberra has been a strong team for quite some time and we showed a lot of fight in that one.
"The Roosters was disappointing, we got a result last week [against Newcastle] and then against a stronger team [this week] we've mixed it with them.
"Now it's just about the finer moments of the game and how hard we focus and work on it, those games will go the other way."
