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Peni Moreoa

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,391
We are three or four years in with this guy now so we know what we have. Lets articulate it.
Is he anything more than a body?
My opinion is that he is just a guy out there. He does not miss a lot of tackles but he also isn't a difference maker. I think he is of a quality slightly below Gower and about 20 other players of that type.
I'd cut him a little slack because someone at our club had a brain explosion and got an AFL guy in to take charge of our strength and fitness and that twit decided Moreoa should drop 15kg so that he can take high marks or something.
So the way forward is cut the AFL guy and whoever put him on, get Moreao in the weights room and Maccas, reduce his contract to that of an average to below average edgy and let him audition for a year for an extended contract.
Does anyone disagree?
 
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Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,085
Tep lost no weight in the off-season. My theory is he came into first grade too early. Needed to spend at least a year in reserve grade but unfortunately you have player managers telling young players they need to be in first grade as soon as they turn 18. Then you have the media spilling the same drivel about young players not playing first grade and how they'll go elsewhere if they aren't given an opportunity which then has the fans thinking the same thing.

Was Tep a special talent? Absolutely but he wasn't able to work on his deficiencies in reserves before playing firsts. I hope we learned our lesson with Tep (and it appears we have) that we shouldn't rush a player through the pathways. Players take time to develop, everyone has to realise this. Same thing happened with Bev but interestingly hasn't appeared to happen with Alvaro and Terepo who both spent time honing their craft in reserves.
 

Joshuatheeel

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
19,631
He is still only 22, got plenty of time on his side and he is already a solid nrl player.

Haven’t looked but what other 22 year old forwards are there going better then him (I am sure there is a couple but not a huge amount)
 

Gazzamatta

Coach
Messages
14,535
Tep lost no weight in the off-season. My theory is he came into first grade too early. Needed to spend at least a year in reserve grade but unfortunately you have player managers telling young players they need to be in first grade as soon as they turn 18. Then you have the media spilling the same drivel about young players not playing first grade and how they'll go elsewhere if they aren't given an opportunity which then has the fans thinking the same thing.

Was Tep a special talent? Absolutely but he wasn't able to work on his deficiencies in reserves before playing firsts. I hope we learned our lesson with Tep (and it appears we have) that we shouldn't rush a player through the pathways. Players take time to develop, everyone has to realise this. Same thing happened with Bev but interestingly hasn't appeared to happen with Alvaro and Terepo who both spent time honing their craft in reserves.
A fair arguement although some are absolutely ready at a younger age. That said, they are probably not as common in how the game is played now days. I think the current thinking of increasing the fatigue in the game is a good thing. Hopefully those decision makers are smarter than the coaches. On second thoughts forget that arguement.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
85,491
We are three or four years in with this guy now so we know what we have. Lets articulate it.
Is he anything more than a body?
My opinion is that he is just a guy out there. He does not miss a lot of tackles but he also isn't a difference maker. I think he is of a quality slightly below Gower and about 20 other players of that type.
I'd cut him a little slack because someone at our club had a brain explosion and got an AFL guy in to take charge of our strength and fitness and that twit decided Moreoa should drop 15kg so that he can take high marks or something.
So the way forward is cut the AFL guy and whoever put him on, get Moreao in the weights room and Maccas, reduce his contract to that of an average to below average edgy and let him audition for a year for an extended contract.
Does anyone disagree?
Last year he said he was trying to lose weight so he could play longer minutes in the middle. That was the role he had been given and I think he does it well.
 

eel01s

Bench
Messages
3,278
I know it was only for 10 minutes, but in the final against the Storm last year I think we finally got to see Tep at his very best. Unfortunately he was ruled out with HIA, and he has regularly suffered from them ever since.

If he can amend his technique a little and avoid head knocks I think he can become a rep level player.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
74,220
I know it was only for 10 minutes, but in the final against the Storm last year I think we finally got to see Tep at his very best. Unfortunately he was ruled out with HIA, and he has regularly suffered from them ever since.

If he can amend his technique a little and avoid head knocks I think he can become a rep level player.

Exactly. As if Josh Jackson is much better than Tep.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
85,491
I know it was only for 10 minutes, but in the final against the Storm last year I think we finally got to see Tep at his very best. Unfortunately he was ruled out with HIA, and he has regularly suffered from them ever since.

If he can amend his technique a little and avoid head knocks I think he can become a rep level player.
With Edwards, Williams and Scott goneskis we'll see more of Moeroa out wide this year as well. Last year he averaged 60 minutes per game but only 20 of that was on the edges. Since coming back from his two week break this year he has averaged nearly 80 minutes per week in three starts at second row.
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,391
Hopefully we can keep him on an average mid/edgy contract. Whats that about $200k? I'd be fine with that.
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,391
I think he looks sharp in the glasses anyway. I would make that part of the Eels uniform. Everyone looks a lot smarter in the black framed glasses.
 

EelsFan05

Bench
Messages
2,801
I know it was only for 10 minutes, but in the final against the Storm last year I think we finally got to see Tep at his very best. Unfortunately he was ruled out with HIA, and he has regularly suffered from them ever since.

If he can amend his technique a little and avoid head knocks I think he can become a rep level player.
He was a wrecking ball at the start of that game and easily our best forward. He has been punch drunk ever since unfortunately. He has what it takes to be a rep type edge forward, he just needs to stay on the field for a prolonged period.
 

hineyrulz

Post Whore
Messages
149,137
He was working up a great combo with Moses late last year, In the Melbourne game he was the best on the field until that HIA.

Is it worth it to rest him for the rest of the year for his own sake??? Seems to be a walking HIA atm.
 

jason taylor

Bench
Messages
3,485
Definitely worth persevering with. Way too early in his career to tell if he'll be a complete plodder or not (I think it's safe to say he offers more than that).
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,085
I know it was only for 10 minutes, but in the final against the Storm last year I think we finally got to see Tep at his very best. Unfortunately he was ruled out with HIA, and he has regularly suffered from them ever since.

If he can amend his technique a little and avoid head knocks I think he can become a rep level player.

He also was a big reason why Taumalolo only ran for 100m when we played them in Townsville last year. He was set to run about 90m in the first half of that game but went off injured or with HIA.
 

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