Eels coach Brad Arthur wasn’t wrong when he said Parramatta had no idea what to expect in grand final week.
Ryan Matterson is just one of two Eels players with grand final experience, alongside Bailey Simonsson, who could take the field next Sunday.
Their opponents played in last year’s grand final and will know what to expect and how to rectify any mistakes in their preparation.
“I have no idea how to handle it because I haven’t been there before, but we’ll take it a day at a time, and when we get there we’ll have a real crack for 80 minutes,” Arthur said after the 24-20 win over North Queensland on Friday night.
“Hopefully I’ve got a smile on my face at the end of the game.
“We didn’t have any experience in the prelim, and we did all right. I know I’ve got a footy team in there … I think our footy is good, and good enough to win.
Ryan Matterson after the Roosters’ victory in the 2018 grand final.Credit:NRL Photos
“I know the fans have been waiting a while; it’s a reward for them and supporting our team. We’ve still got 80 minutes of a lifetime. It’s a real opportunity for us next week and that’s all we’ll worry about.”
Clint Gutherson, Mitchell Moses, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo have all played State of Origin for NSW, but only Matterson and Simonsson, who featured for the Raiders in the 2019 decider, have gone all the way to an NRL grand final.
Matterson won the premiership with the Sydney Roosters in 2018, and would love another premiership ring to go with the one that sits safely tucked away at his parents’ home.
The message to his teammates was to enjoy every minute and “be present”.
Matterson with the premiership trophy.Credit:NRL Photos
“The boys can basically expect what we expected on Friday night,” Matterson said. “That game was like a grand final – it was do or die, and the boys stepped up. We didn’t play our best football, but we kept turning up in defence, and that was pretty heroic from the team.
“You need to be present the whole time and enjoy it because it’s not often you come into a game like this.”
Matterson is hungry for more title success.
“My premiership ring is with mum and dad, but I’d love another one to join it,” he said.
“I’ve always said you don’t realise how good the experience is of winning a comp until you’ve actually done it. That feeling of winning a grand final, it’s something you can’t describe.
“You can say you’ve won one, but rugby league players are never complacent, and you only want to chase it more. Everyone wants success. We know we can win it.
“They threw plenty at us in the pre-season, we were resilient, we were unbreakable, and we’ve carried that on throughout the year.”
Parramatta’s defence was sensational against the Cowboys. They may not be blessed with a genuine superstar, but they have no shortage of players with heart.
Bryce Cartwright’s name is famous at Penrith, but not long after joining the Eels he realised their fans were on another level.
“Ever since I’ve been here I believe Parra have the best fans, they’ve always got something nice to say and wear their colours with pride. It will be nice to try and end the drought and bring the trophy back to Parra,” Cartwright said.
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