With a game in hand, Parramatta have one foot in the NRL’s top four but coach Brad Arthur needs to see more polish in a fortnight’s time.
The Eels will take on Wests Tigers at Bankwest Stadium to shore up their place in the top four on Saturday, ensuring they get a second chance in the finals.
The Blue and Gold haven’t won back-to-back games since rounds 12 and 13 but Arthur says the team showed positives signs of improvement in 26-12 win over Brisbane.
“It was a step in the right direction, it was better,” he said.
“We need to make sure we back up that effort and the mentality we had tonight of playing for each other, that was better.
“Once we get to the finals it is a whole new ball game.”
In miserable conditions, halfback Mitch Moses came up with some bad decisions to finish sets, but fullback Clint Gutherson provided the spark the Eels needed for the win.
Taken off with three minutes to go, Gutherson had scored two tries and set up another but did not want to be rested when Arthur called him off the field.
Already prop Junior Paulo was relegated to the bench to manage his game time leading into finals.
“He’s played every game Junes and I meant to play him less minutes but he was doing a good job,” Arthur said.
“I needed him in there for a bit longer than I had planned.
“He was on board with it, he wants to start every week and I wanted to try and limit his minutes but I needed him a bit longer than I thought.
“We’ve had seven players who have played every game, Gutho has played every game every minute.
“I would have liked ot bring him off with 10 or 15 to go but it wasn’t to be.
“I can’t get him to sit out one minute of training.
“Thats Gutho. That’s what his teammates mean to him and what the club means to him.”