Taylor hopeful of Eels turnaround

NEW Parramatta coach Jason Taylor believes he's seen enough in his first week in charge at the Eels to suggest a climb up the NRL ladder is not too far off.Desperately short on manpower after Origin call-ups, injury and disciplinary issues robbed him of eight key players, Taylor was heartened by what his side dished up in going down to Penrith 30-20 at CUA Stadium last night.
As expected after a tumultuous week in which long-time coach Brian Smith handed in his resignation and playmakers Tim Smith and Mark Riddell were stood down for turning up drunk to training, the Eels came out all guns blazing to open up a 10-0 lead.

They were eventually overrun by the Panthers juggernaut, but stand-in coach Taylor said he was proud of how his depleted side stayed in the game right to the death.

"It was good for us to have to do it a bit tough tonight and then still work and fight as hard as we did," Taylor said after the match.

"If we had everyone here and we went out and won comfortably, it might have been a bit of a false feeling. I wouldn't wish it any different to be honest.

"I'm glad that those boys are in Origin because the deserve to be in there, we had a few guys out with injury. "

"We need to realise it's a tough game and if we've got players out it doesn't mean we throw the hands in the air."

"At the moment it's an attitude thing for us. We improved that tonight, we've got to keep improving it."

While Taylor admitted it was easy getting his side up for last night's game, he was enough of a realist to know that the job would only get tougher from here on in. He at least has a few extra days to prepare for his next assignment with the Eels not hosting the Sydney Roosters until next Sunday, when New South Wales trio Nathan Hindmarsh, Timana Tahu and Eric Grothe should be available after completing their Origin commitments.

Similarly Tim Smith and Riddell would also be available for selection again, but Taylor said their reinstatement to the top grade was "not cut and dried at this stage". "It's important now that we regroup and go out and do it again next week," Taylor said.

One player who won't be there next week is fullback Wade McKinnon who underwent plastic surgery on a facial injury today. McKinnon was rushed to Nepean hospital last night after appearing to cop a stray elbow from Matthew Cross as the Penrith prop crashed over the match-winning try 15 minutes from time. Scans cleared McKinnon of any fracture but surgery was required to repair a facial wound after his bottom row of teeth were pushed through his lip.
The incident was not placed on report but was sure to come under the scrutiny of the match review committee.

AAP