A midweek team meeting has turned around Parramatta's attitude and their NRL finals hopes after a gutsy 28-24 upset win over the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Scores were locked at 24-24 with nine minutes to go when centre Krisnan Inu scored the sealer in the corner to move the Eels to within two competition points of the top eight.

"During the week we were all pretty honest with ourselves as players and pretty much conceding that we've been letting each down over the last few weeks," revealed captain Nathan Cayless.

"Regardless of whether we won or lost today I was very proud with the way the boys played and stuck together as a team."

Parramatta overcame several setbacks before the game, with Fuifui Moimoi and Mark Riddell ruled out by injury and assistant coach David Fairleigh forced to take over as coach after Michael Hagan was hospitalised with a bout of vertigo.

Hagan, who attended the game but was still "pretty crook", is expected to return to duties this week.

Parramatta are still 12th but with a favourable run home are a realistic chance of sneaking into the finals - although Cayless said there was still a big improvement needed.

"One good game doesn't really count for much, you've got to do it every week," Cayless said.

Inu finished with 16 points, including three penalties, while halfback Nathan Hindmarsh, Joel Reddy and Joe Galuvao all scored tries.

Roosters winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall scored a double for the Roosters but was forced from the field midway through the second half with suspected medial ligament damage. He is unlikely to play in Friday's clash with the Storm.

Amos Roberts and Sam Perrett scored tries for the fourth-placed Roosters, who missed a chance to join Manly, Melbourne and Cronulla atop the ladder.

Roosters second rower Willie Mason looked certain to scored an equaliser with three minutes left but Hindmarsh produced some brilliant defence to keep him out.

"It was huge, they made a break up the middle, he's made that (tackle) and then he's turned up on the line," Fairleigh said of Hindmarsh's late contribution.

"He's phenomenal, he's been tremendous all year for us and what he did in that last five minutes is just indicative of his whole season, the way he just keeps turning up and tries his heart out every week."

Roosters coach Brad Fittler conceded his side just wasn't good enough and could not help but vent his frustration at the performance of referee Jared Maxwell.

The Roosters were on the wrong end of a 7-2 penalty count and did not receive one until the 57th minute.

"We just didn't get a chance there, we lost every 50-50 so added all together with our lacklustre energy, we deserved to be beaten by a mile I reckon," Fittler said.

"I just don't think he (Maxwell) did a good job. I thought we were hammered really."

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