Reborn Sandow makes winning return

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THE cheeky smile was back, along with his rocks or diamonds trick-shot, the chip-and-chase.

Eight months after his last NRL match, Parramatta halfback Chris Sandow returned to where, on those dark days during counselling and with his family contactable only by phone call, he must have thought impossible.

Everyone loves a comeback story.

And last night at Parramatta Stadium, with the assistance of an inspired second-half from Eels co-captain Jarryd Hayne, Sandow penned a fairytale return with a gutsy western Sydney derby victory over a dangerous Penrith outfit.

Chris Sandow was impressive for the Eels in his NRL comeback. Source: News Corp Australia

Sandow had not played an NRL match since July last year, dropped to park football for NSW Cup side Wentworthville and with his papers seemingly stamped 'never to return'.

But through a renewed focus on training, improved diet and enthusiasm to be part of the Eels top squad, Sandow left coach Brad Arthur no other choice but to give the $550,000 playmaker another shot.

And on Saturday night, repaid his coach.

However, a level-headed Sandow admitted after the win that the key now is turning up next week against the Brisbane Broncos with the same intensity.

"It has been a long time coming,'' Sandow said last night.

"I had to work really hard to get back here.''

"I don't want to say that too early, you know I've got to keep working hard on my game and improve each week whether its in the colours of the Parramatta Eels or back there with Wenty.

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"I'm staying positive, the boys stuck in really deep tonight, it was good.

"But if I get a go again, we've got to do it again next week up there against the Broncos.''

Hayne supplied the polish for the Eels with a sublime pass leading to a try for freight train winger Semi Radrada in the 57th minute, before he scored a far less colourful, but just as important barge over try in the 63rd minute.

But it was Sandow who annoyed the Panthers just enough for them to retreat into falter.

On the back of several crucial individual plays from the livewire No.7, including a kick-chase before Radrada's try and a penalty earned moments before Hayne's four-pointer, the Eels ran away with their second win of the season.

Typically, Arthur wasn't about to shower Sandow in too much praise after the match. But he admitted, the former Dally M rookie of the year, deserved his return to the NRL.

Willie Tonga of the Eels streaks away to score an intercept try. Source: Getty Images

"There were some things that he had to go away and work on, he's been really positive around the place while he was doing that,'' Arthur said.

"He went back to Wenty and his goal-kicking helps and I thought he deserved his opportunity.

"He was solid (tonight). There's still some things that we need to get better.

"As long as he gets better again next week.''

Arthur added that the performances from the Eels money men, Hayne and Sandow, was due to a halftime spray he delivered to the Parramatta forward pack.

"I think some of our middle forwards are underestimated a little bit and I think done a really good job tonight,'' Arthur said.

"I gave them a little bit of a spray at halftime for a couple of things and they came out and responded really well.

Where is it? Corey Norman form the Eels flies high as Penrith players collide going up for the ball. Source: News Corp Australia

The Parramatta crowd celebrate a Semi Radradra try. Source: News Corp Australia

"We had a completion rate at 60 per cent and we talked to them about 'we have a talented player out the back whose not getting the footy' so we need to bring him into the game and told him he needs to go and get his hands on the footy.

"But if we're turning over our sets he's not going to get the footy.''

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary labelled his side's 16-point loss to Parramatta their worst performance of the season — and he is refusing to blame his club's ailing halves situation.

The Panthers have now used three separate halves combinations in the opening month of the season.

Injuries have meant much-hyped new recruits Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace have laced the boots on together just once, while back-up playmaker Isaac John has already been forced to play three matches in the top grade.

"It's not ideal, but that's certainly no excuse," Cleary said.

"We had the same guys as last week. It was just one of those nights where we were just off the pace in a lot of things — execution. We were close to lots of stuff. But close weren't close enough."

Jeremy Latimore crunched in a Parramatta tackle. Source: News Corp Australia

The Panthers were among the biggest recruiters over the off-season, buying more experience than any other club, but they now find themselves with just two victories.

"It's kind of the way it's going in the comp," he said.

"There are very few teams who are able to put performances in each week. That's not unusual for early in the season.

"We've had some good signs, but tonight was a disappointment. It was by far our worst game. So it's important to bounce back."

Fullback Matt Moylan was the one shining light for the Panthers, setting up two of their three tries as he continued to inject himself into the contest.

And while the youngster denied purposely getting more involved to offset the absence of Wallace, there is no doubt that his 100m and two tackle busts made him Penrith's most dangerous player.

Cleary confirmed that Wallace's return wasn't far off, but refused to enter into discussions surrounding former Origin representative Tim Grant's non-selection. He was omitted from the team before kick-off.

PARRAMATTA 32 (J Hayne M Ma'u N Peats S Radradra K Sio W Tonga tries C Sandow 4 goals) PENRITH 16 (L Brown I John D Whare tries M Moylan 2 goals) at Pirtek Stadium. Referees: Shayne Hayne, Henry Perenara. Crowd: 14,448.

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