Parramatta NRL playmaker Mitchell Moses insists he and halves partner Corey Norman's ability to challenge each other is a mark of their strength, not a sign of weakness.
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The Eels faced plenty of their critics over their horror start to the season, before finally claiming a win last weekend over Manly.
Their forwards have been smashed from pillar to post about their lack of size and power. And, players had to shut down reports last week that coach Brad Arthur had lost the dressing room.
As halves, Moses and Norman have been far from immune to it.
It was pointed out last week that the Eels were taking an extra eight play-the-balls inside the opposition's 20m zone to create tries, a statistic that dramatically improved last week.
That rested largely with Moses and Norman, as did reports that emerged suggesting the pair had fallen out.
"As halves, you're always going to clash," Moses said.
"That's probably the good thing about me and Normy. We can really challenge each other and make each other better and really enhance our game.
"The media has really been driving that we hate each other but it's nothing like that at all ... I don't know where it's come from.
"We haven't spoken about it; there's nothing to speak about - that's the thing."
Norman also reiterated his emotion for the club on Thursday, as he claimed he was bewildered at where the reports he was unhappy had come from.
What's more clear, though, is that Parramatta need to continue to click on Sunday against the Wests Tigers.
No team has made the finals after a 0-6 start like the Eels have had, and any further early losses will only add to the task.
However, there were signs the situation had turned around against Manly.
After scoring just 46 points in the opening six rounds, Parramatta piled on 44 on Sunday - including seven tries in 40 minutes either side of halftime.
Some argue a poor Sea Eagles might have played the last-placed Eels into form.
Parramatta gave away a season-low six penalties and completed at a year-high 91.4 per cent as testament to that.
Crucially, Moses played much more direct as he set up four tries, while Norman scored one and had one assist.
"It's just something that happened, and you can't explain it. I'm not going to go looking for a reason," Norman said.
"A win is a win but that's not going to count if we don't turn up and win on Sunday.
"Over the last six weeks, we still came into training positive and we worked hard ... They were (like hell) and it was a struggle ... We knew it would turn and it did on the weekend."
Australian Associated Press
