Parramatta centre Ben Smith says the Eels have to go back to basics if they're to ignite their flat attack against a determined defensive unit like St George Illawarra on Friday night.

The Eels have struggled to score points this season and their fluency with the ball will only suffer further after the release of halfback Brett Finch on Thursday.

Parramatta's only try last Friday against the Sydney Roosters was an intercept to five-eighth Jarryd Hayne and Smith said the players needed to take a simplistic approach to Friday's game at Parramatta Stadium with new halfback, former Manly lower-grader Jeff Robson, calling the shots.

"We had a talk on Monday and we've just gone back to the drawing board a bit with our offence and Ando's (coach Daniel Anderson) said we've got to just be simple," said Smith.

"Obviously our attack the first few rounds wasn't working for us so I think that's what we're going to have to do, just tough it out, and discipline is probably going to help us more than anything.

"There's a few dramas going on so we've just got to shut everything out and just stick in our little bubble and just worry about what we're doing."

Veteran forward Nathan Hindmarsh said it would be foolish for anyone to write off the Eels in 2009 as the players were still confident they could reach the post-season.

"I can't see why we can't go in the semi-finals still," said Hindmarsh.

"We're only four games into the season, we've won two of them. Sure we haven't been playing great footy but there's still a long way to go, we're still in touch with the top sides.

"We're not losing any hope at all of making the semis.

"I think we enjoy the underdog tag a bit too. The games we're expected to win we're actually nervous and a bit hesitant to try things."

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