Parramatta coach Brad Arthur admits the NRL team he was coaching five weeks ago may not have had the spine to come back from a 16-point hole.
But after claiming a famous 22-16 upset of Canberra in Darwin, Arthur is demanding more as they attempt to return to the finals.
Only a month ago the Eels had dropped four of five and were seemingly on the cusp of letting another promising season slip away.
However they have since won three of four and have a genuine shot at reaching the finals for the just the second time in ten years.
“Sometimes you’re not going to be at your best but you’ve got to try and find a way to keep yourself in the game and fight back,” Arthur said after the game.
“Maybe five weeks ago we wouldn’t have been tough enough to do that.”
Asked how happy he was with the way his team had developed over the past five weeks, he said: “To now, but we’ve still got a long way to go.
“One scrappy win like that’s not going to get me too excited.
“I need to see it more often.”
Rookie five-eighth Dylan Brown came through unscathed in what was his first game back since aggravating a back injury in round three.
Arthur said he wasn’t expecting the teenager to fire immediately, but is confident he’ll improve after next week’s bye.
“It was always going to be hard for him in the conditions, but he done a reasonable job and he’s only going to get better each week,” Arthur said.
“My expectations weren’t too high for him, so he’ll be better again next week. He gets a week off after his first game, so he’ll be fine.”