Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has declared 15 of the 17 Eels who played last week put in season-worst performances but believes the only way is up ahead of a tough run of NRL games to finish the regular season.
Luke Metcalf had a breakout game and the middle forwards ran riot last Saturday as the Warriors scored a 46-10 defeat of the Eels, who were without their three State of Origin representatives and the suspended Dylan Brown.
NSW's Clint Gutherson, Mitch Moses and Reagan Campbell-Gillard return to face Gold Coast on Sunday and bolster an Eels side that had previously lost by double digits only once in 2023.
"There were probably 15 players out of 17 that had their worst games of the season," Arthur said.
"We were really disappointed with where our whole effort was around the game.
"We haven't played like that all year.
"That's probably the only positive that they all got it over and done with and they need to make sure it doesn't happen again."
On a five-game winning streak before the Warriors loss, the Eels can ill-afford to slip up given the congested nature of the ladder and their draw for the final eight weeks of the season.
During the run home, Parramatta play in-form North Queensland, Melbourne, Brisbane and premiership favourites Penrith - all on the road.
The Eels had a similarly tough draw to begin the year and fell to a 1-4 record.
Beating the 11th-placed Titans on Sunday could hoist the Eels up to sixth on the ladder and would take some of the pressure off to ice all of their heavyweight bouts this time around.
"It's crucial to get the two points but it's more about our performance," Arthur said.
"That we come back, we start well and we give ourselves a good opportunity and we're in the fight and we stay in the fight for the full 80 minutes.
"We've done that all year but last week we didn't want to get in the fight, it was too hard for us.
"I don't want to be the coach of a team that presents like that."
Arthur also confirmed recruit Josh Hodgson would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on a bulging disc in his neck.
Parramatta is prepared to go to market to provide support for their back-up hooker Brendan Hands before the August 1 trade deadline.
"Our recruitment team is across that. They're having a look," Arthur said.
"If the right person becomes available, we've still got a spot there but we'll just have to wait and see."
Hodgson had a lukewarm first season with the Eels but is contracted for 2024.
