Paulo was placed on report, which drew immediate criticism on the Nine commentary, including Andrew Johns who went as far to label the tackle a ''total accident''.

Brisbane caretaker coach Peter Gentle was not even sure why Paulo was placed on report.

Eels counterpart Brad Arthur said: "There's nothing in that, is there? It shouldn't have been a penalty. From that penalty we defended three or four sets on our line.

"What's he supposed to do? That's not the description of the hip [drop] tackle.

"I thought [the ruling] come from the bunker. I think they [the bunker] need to stay out of it. Just get the rulings right on tries.''

Even if Paulo is charged with a grade-one dangerous contact charge – the penalty issued for hip-drop tackles when a player drops his weight on to an attacking player's legs – he will not miss next Saturday's final-round clash against the Wests Tigers with an early plea.

Fifita will be hoping he has not played his last game at Red Hill before he takes up a $3.5 million deal down the road with the Titans. He was spotted on crutches in the dugout. A long-term injury would also be a huge blow to Queensland's State of Origin hopes.

Paulo was awesome when injected off the bench, but it was always going to take something special to upstage 'King Gutho'.

Gutherson gave his all as he scored a double and set up Blake Ferguson's first try.

He was unlucky not to have a second assist for Ferguson late in the game when a tip-on was wrongly called forward by referee Henry Perenara.

The No.1 had been one of the most frustrated players in recent weeks and was seen verbally launching into a few of his teammates last Friday night against Penrith.

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Gutherson wears his heart on his sleeve and hates losing. If Parramatta had two or three more players with a similar engine and ability, you could happily rate them in the same company as Penrith, Melbourne, the Roosters and Canberra.

He was filthy he was given a two-minute early mark.

"Gutho has played every game and every minute. I would have liked to have brought him off with 10 or 15 to go, but it wasn't to be,'' Arthur said.

"I can't get him to sit out one minute at training, but that's Gutho, that's what his teammates mean to him and that's what the club means to him.''

The Eels have a top-four spot for the taking now. Victory against the Wests Tigers next Saturday will sew it up and give them much-needed momentum heading into October.

Parramatta were better but entitled to put on an even bigger score against the competition's worst team. The Eels blasted the Broncos 58-0 in week one of the finals at the same venue last year– and Friday night's Brisbane line-up was much worse. Kotoni Staggs is one of the few Broncos who can hold his head high.

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Brisbane's night got off to the worst possible start when Maika Sivo flattened Tyson Gamble with his first hit-up. Gamble was heavily concussed and played no further part in the game.

Gentle also lost Brodie Croft to a head knock at training during the week and quipped he had no clue who would be his five-eighth in next Thursday's Suncorp finale.

As for whether the Eels could go all the way, Gentle, a former Parramatta assistant, said: "Don't put a line through them. They've still got plenty of footy in them. They'll be pretty healthy and hopefully get a few players back. They'll definitely give it a shake.''