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Eels 2017 Season Preview

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
96,039
The only meagre suggestion I can scrape up is to clarify that it was Jennings' NRL debut in 2007. Some lesser informed readers may think that he started with the Eels, or that he is one of the five remaining etc in that paragraph.

It's a seriously fine piece of writing Pou - the best I've seen you put out on this site/forum. *clapping emoticon*
LET'S SEE YOU DO ANY BETTER MERKIN!

But yeah agree, those bits do still look ambiguous. It was even worse in the first draft. I thought I'd fixed it.
 

emjaycee

Coach
Messages
14,634
You talk about Moeroa in the Rookies to Watch paragraph and your initial comments on him are all about what may happen in the future ("his breakout year...", "fulfills those glimpses of promise...", "doesn't turn 22 until..." and "might've played...") and yet in the final sentence of that paragraph you switch to mentioning something that has already occurred ("Moeroa has also recently joined the club's leadership group").

In this context, I believe the use of "has also" is incorrect.
 

Chipmunk

Coach
Messages
18,105
I think you'll find that Stephen Larkham, in between his coaching duties with the Brumbies and Wallabies, plays 4th grade rugby, which probably makes him the highest paid amateur rugby player in the ACT.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
79,866
I think you'll find that Stephen Larkham, in between his coaching duties with the Brumbies and Wallabies, plays 4th grade rugby, which probably makes him the highest paid amateur rugby player in the ACT.
Fake news!
 

Gary Gutful

Post Whore
Messages
53,920
FFS merkins, where's the 'constructive criticism'? You lot disgust me.
Under 'Why they won't' you mention that we have very few weaknesses but then proceed to list three weaknesses that individual players have (which is arguably a weakness for the team as well). I don't understand why you did that. I'd also argue that it was a fairly weak part of the article.

Oh, and your font is shit.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
79,866
Roosters and Eels will prove themselves as contenders in 2017

Jack Aubrey Roar Guru
By Jack Aubrey, 16 Feb 2017 Jack Aubrey is a Roar Guru

The top eight is an ever-changing beast. While some clubs have the luxury of pushing for finals berths season after season, changes over the offseason, as well as the variable good or bad luck means some teams will make it back to the eight, others not being so lucky.

Last season the Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Titans and Canberra Raiders played finals football after missing out in 2015. They did so at the expense of the St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs who featured the previous year.

In 2015 the Cronulla Sharks and Dragons got themselves into September after being absent in 2014, replacing the Penrith Panthers and Manly Sea Sea-Eagles. In 2014 the Panthers and Brisbane Broncos played finals football replacing the Sharks and Newcastle Knights from 2013.

The list of changes goes in each year’s top eight goes on.

It’s rare to not see changes to the top eight each season and with the competition consistently close, it’s unlikely to be any different in 2017.

Two clubs who will hope it’s their number being called are the Sydney Roosters and Parramatta Eels. Two very different clubs in terms of recent history, but each with great expectations.

The Eels had almost every scandal in the book last season. What was particularly impressive from an unbiased point of view was the attitude they turned up with every week.

It was part of the reason Brad Arthur has such a good reputation despite his lack of experience. The players played for each other and for the jersey in the face of unprecedented adversity.

They were never easily beaten or disgraced as the likes of the Warriors or Tigers were, and they were a team very much in finals contention despite their penalties. Often with talent on the sidelines, the Eels showed great promise last season.

Is Arthur the man to lead the Eels out of the mire?

While they don’t have the personnel that other clubs on the fringe of the eight have, they have culture. They have classy speedsters in Bevan French, Semi Radradra and Michael Jennings, a capable half in Corey Norman as well as a tough forward pack.

It won’t be a walk in the park for the Eels. They have to decide on a hooker who can do the job, but Isacc de Gois and Cameron King are both capable. The other big question mark is their other half.

Plenty of options are queuing up to knock Clint Gutherson out of the way, but he did well in 2016 and will continue to embody just the kind of team the Eels want to be this season.

As has already been touched upon, the Eels and Roosters have very different stories of recent success. While the Eels haven’t been in the finals for seven seasons, the Roosters had strung together three consecutive minor premierships before crashing back to earth last season.

While the dramas weren’t quite as extensive for the Roosters as the Eels, it did define their season. Mitchell Pearce was embroiled in a scandal on Australia day and left them with a completely different halves pairing to start 2016.

Michael Jennings moved to the Eels, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Boyd Cordner spent time on the sidelines and by the time Pearce returned the season was as good as gone with one win from their first eight games.

They improved as the season went on, but the signs that they are again going to be finals contenders came when they won the Nines. Fans, commentators, coaches and administrators are quick to rubbish the Nines being any real indicator of the season ahead but the squad the Roosters took was never expected to win.

It demonstrated that once again the Roosters are ready to be a proud club and return to their high standards whether that be in the Nines format or the 13-man game. They will start the season unhampered by drama and having recruited well.

Michael Gordon is one of the most consistent players money can buy and a solid goal-kicker which they need. They have also poached Luke Keary from the Rabbitohs, a player who was looking for a bit of a refresh.

They have rep players across the park – Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Blake Ferguson, Boyd Cordner, Aidan Guerra, Daniel Tupou, Mitchell Pearce, Michael Gordon and Waerea Hargreaves have all played for state or country.

Mitch Aubusson and Jake Friend are reliable and their youth brigade was the most impressive part of their Nines campaign. Connor Watson in particular needs to be in their 17 somewhere.

Whatever way you slice it the Roosters go into 2017 miles ahead of last season and they are in position to take advantage of it.

While it may not be as a cut and dried from a squad point of view for the Eels, they have learnt a lot from their season from hell.

With Brad Arthur at the helm the Eels look like they could be the feel good story that the NRL season always throws up while the Roosters will return to what Trent Robinson has become so accustomed – winning.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/02/16/roosters-and-eels-will-prove-themselves-as-contenders-in-2017/
 

Gary Gutful

Post Whore
Messages
53,920
Roosters and Eels will prove themselves as contenders in 2017

Jack Aubrey Roar Guru
By Jack Aubrey, 16 Feb 2017 Jack Aubrey is a Roar Guru

The top eight is an ever-changing beast. While some clubs have the luxury of pushing for finals berths season after season, changes over the offseason, as well as the variable good or bad luck means some teams will make it back to the eight, others not being so lucky.

Last season the Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Titans and Canberra Raiders played finals football after missing out in 2015. They did so at the expense of the St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs who featured the previous year.

In 2015 the Cronulla Sharks and Dragons got themselves into September after being absent in 2014, replacing the Penrith Panthers and Manly Sea Sea-Eagles. In 2014 the Panthers and Brisbane Broncos played finals football replacing the Sharks and Newcastle Knights from 2013.

The list of changes goes in each year’s top eight goes on.

It’s rare to not see changes to the top eight each season and with the competition consistently close, it’s unlikely to be any different in 2017.

Two clubs who will hope it’s their number being called are the Sydney Roosters and Parramatta Eels. Two very different clubs in terms of recent history, but each with great expectations.

The Eels had almost every scandal in the book last season. What was particularly impressive from an unbiased point of view was the attitude they turned up with every week.

It was part of the reason Brad Arthur has such a good reputation despite his lack of experience. The players played for each other and for the jersey in the face of unprecedented adversity.

They were never easily beaten or disgraced as the likes of the Warriors or Tigers were, and they were a team very much in finals contention despite their penalties. Often with talent on the sidelines, the Eels showed great promise last season.

Is Arthur the man to lead the Eels out of the mire?

While they don’t have the personnel that other clubs on the fringe of the eight have, they have culture. They have classy speedsters in Bevan French, Semi Radradra and Michael Jennings, a capable half in Corey Norman as well as a tough forward pack.

It won’t be a walk in the park for the Eels. They have to decide on a hooker who can do the job, but Isacc de Gois and Cameron King are both capable. The other big question mark is their other half.

Plenty of options are queuing up to knock Clint Gutherson out of the way, but he did well in 2016 and will continue to embody just the kind of team the Eels want to be this season.

As has already been touched upon, the Eels and Roosters have very different stories of recent success. While the Eels haven’t been in the finals for seven seasons, the Roosters had strung together three consecutive minor premierships before crashing back to earth last season.

While the dramas weren’t quite as extensive for the Roosters as the Eels, it did define their season. Mitchell Pearce was embroiled in a scandal on Australia day and left them with a completely different halves pairing to start 2016.

Michael Jennings moved to the Eels, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Boyd Cordner spent time on the sidelines and by the time Pearce returned the season was as good as gone with one win from their first eight games.

They improved as the season went on, but the signs that they are again going to be finals contenders came when they won the Nines. Fans, commentators, coaches and administrators are quick to rubbish the Nines being any real indicator of the season ahead but the squad the Roosters took was never expected to win.

It demonstrated that once again the Roosters are ready to be a proud club and return to their high standards whether that be in the Nines format or the 13-man game. They will start the season unhampered by drama and having recruited well.

Michael Gordon is one of the most consistent players money can buy and a solid goal-kicker which they need. They have also poached Luke Keary from the Rabbitohs, a player who was looking for a bit of a refresh.

They have rep players across the park – Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Blake Ferguson, Boyd Cordner, Aidan Guerra, Daniel Tupou, Mitchell Pearce, Michael Gordon and Waerea Hargreaves have all played for state or country.

Mitch Aubusson and Jake Friend are reliable and their youth brigade was the most impressive part of their Nines campaign. Connor Watson in particular needs to be in their 17 somewhere.

Whatever way you slice it the Roosters go into 2017 miles ahead of last season and they are in position to take advantage of it.

While it may not be as a cut and dried from a squad point of view for the Eels, they have learnt a lot from their season from hell.

With Brad Arthur at the helm the Eels look like they could be the feel good story that the NRL season always throws up while the Roosters will return to what Trent Robinson has become so accustomed – winning.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/02/16/roosters-and-eels-will-prove-themselves-as-contenders-in-2017/
Much better than the shit from that other clown.
 

Parra47

Juniors
Messages
1,252
I dont understand why he has never been tried at 9

He is not a great half, rather a space filler, but he tackles his arse off and he is very fit and could play long minutes and he can pass.

And I'm sure he would make a great middle half too, but Pou forgot to mention that.
I agree. Think he could have made a solid dummy half if he'd been tried there earlier in his career. He actually did play two games off the bench at 9 for Manly back in 2004, (also started two games at halfback for them same year), but I don't know if he has ever played at hooker since.
The only years I thought he went ok at 7 was 2012 and especially 2013 when he had Carney as his halves partner at Cronulla. Carney did the creative work leaving Robson to pretty much just get the ball to him and take the pressure off with his general play kicks.
I've never rated him as an organising or play making half but yeah I thought he might go ok given a solid shot at dummy half.
 

Parra47

Juniors
Messages
1,252
You may remember that for all intensive purposes [sic] Robbo retired at the end of last year. He made it clear he wasn't planning on running around again and it surprised a few people when we announced his new contract.

I wouldn't be surprised if he had a conversation with BA that went something like this:

JR: I am done BA. Have promised the wife no more. Might be interested in a coaching role though.
BA: C'mon Jeff, you're f**king kidding. I have got Corey in the halves and god nose [sp] whether we will behave himself all year and I have Gutho pencilled to partner with him, but he could end up a big dud. Give me one more year.
JR: BA, the body is too old. Can't do it.
BA: Tell ya what, sign up for a year. We play you at 7 for Wenty. Help bring young Dargan along and if we need you in FG we can talk about it then. I am still looking for another half but don't want to rush into it. Gimme a year mate....pleeeeeese.
I saw an interview with him past year where he was hoping to get one more season of footy. Nothing had been confirmed at the time but he said that's what he wanted.
 
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