Maybe the tough start to the year finally caught up with them. Mayne it was all the hype during the week about the Indigenous Round festivities.
Latrell Mitchell was front and centre of all the promotions, and apart from having a hand in Alex Johnston’s two first-half tries, was kept relatively quiet.
“They were more motivated than us in key areas of the game, you have to credit Parramatta, they came to play,″ Souths coach Jason Demetriou said.
“Their pack in particular – Paulo was outstanding – they controlled the middle third of the field, Moses kicked well, and that made life hard for us. We didn’t adjust to it.”
Skipper Murray was more to the point and said: “Disappointed is a good word, I’m a bit lost for words to be honest, I can’t really put my finger on why the result was what it was. It’s a good little wake-up call for us.”
Damien Cook sent an injury scare through the Blues’ camp when he clutched the back of his neck just after the hour mark, but he completed the game. Cook appeared to pick up the knock when flung to the ground by Maika Sivo.
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Souths presented the inaugural Eric Simms Medal for the best player in Indigenous Round, which went to Brown. Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston, who featured in a pre-game ceremony for some of the country’s greatest First Nations sportspeople, had the job of identifying the winner.
Parramatta needed the two points after losses to Canberra and the Titans. The loss of Matterson will make things interesting amid the proposed transfer of Joe Ofahengaue from the Wests Tigers. The Tigers are yet to officially release Ofahengaue. Given Matterson is looking at a few weeks out of the game, they may elect to dig their heels in.
Souths will host Canberra – and recruit Jack Wighton – next weekend, but are likely to be without Mitchell, Cook, Murray and, potentially, Campbell Graham, plus Queensland Origin forward Jai Arrow.