Rumours and Stuff

[Soto]

He always put family first though.

And 7 mins drive to the training ground...

 

[hindy111]

We have a pretty bloody good hooket in Matt Arthur.

Problem is, he's 2 years away from First Grade.

I hope so mate but I imagine you understand why its hard to get excited about juniors. Last ones talked up where big Larry, Hollis. If I was to pick one based on physical size it would be the Sg ball winger who is injured. Parry is it?

 

[IFR33K]

Well clearly you didn’t look hard enough. Same as the other guy. Wasting my time.

How dare those merkins waste the time of a baller like yourself.

 

[eels_fan]

Josh Kerr

Signed with Dolphins today

 

[Chipmunk]

Warrington Wolves reportedly miss out on massive signing - Serious About Rugby League

Warrington Wolves have recently been on the look out for a new signing especially in the pack. This was because it was confirmed recently that Thomas Mikaele was granted permission to return to Australia on compassionate grounds. The club agreed a transfer fee for the 25-year-old prop forward...

www.seriousaboutrl.com

Thomas Mikaele is leaving Warrington on compassionate grounds.

Thomas Mikaele - Playing Career - RLP

A summary of the career stats for Thomas Mikaele, a rugby league player who played for the Wests Tigers, the Warrington Wolves, the Gold Coast Titans and the North Queensland Cowboys.

www.rugbyleagueproject.org

Warrington have their eye on Maka, Scott Sorenson and Josh Kerr.

Edit: Mikaele was signed by Titans and played on the weekend.

Josk Kerr has signed with the Dolphins

 

[eels_fan]

I can see it now, Matt Arthur will continue to hit his straps and be ready for first grade in 2026, but we’ll punt BA just before then, and he’ll follow BA to his next club and become a star and rep player

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So you believe he has been poor, but you demand his retention in the 17?

Who demands his retention ffs? We're just saying you're jumping the gun to demand his sacking. There's good reasons to keep him in the team, so your whole only-an-idiot-would-disagree-that-he-shouldn't-be-in-the-team is naive and laughable. When he shouldn't be in the team he f**king won't be.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That's the thing. We went into the season with no real back up for a guy whomhas had 3 x Acls in his early 30s and injury prone. That's almost diabolical to think about. Surely someone must of weighed up the risk of
A- Him being old and injury prone
B - Him not getting injured but just never getting back as was already in decline.

That's my issue with this. Why didn't we sign a solid back up. Its mind blowing tbh

We had Rein, Hands and Yates ffs. Plus Jake Arthur's.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Well he’s definitely trying to slow the PTB, he’s just not very good at it and more than once he’s been penalised when a slow PTB wasn’t required.

More than once but still far less than all these merkins: https://www.nrl.com/stats/players/?competition=111&season=2023&stat=1000026

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Well then it’s a system issue. If Hodgson/Hopgood’s rushing up is creating such space behind them to be exploited, they shouldn’t be rushing up (or should at least adapt after the first f**ken time it’s exposed). Or it’s a technique issue, very little point rushing up and just having the runner brush past you, have to at least slow them down for support to tackle.

That would be sound advice if he was missing 100% of his tackles or even 50%. But he is hitting and sticking on about 86% of attempts this year. It's below average, but when you consider he is leading the line, unlike so many hookers with higher tackle effectiveness, we are reducing the opposition's metres in a way we wouldn't if he was hanging back waiting for Paulo to keep up with him in the line. But it would at least improve his stats right?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I also don't get when people on here say BA doesn't sign players and just gets what's given. If that's the case then I am worried. Id expect players and roster is all included on what the coach think we need and what's priority.

Even Wayne Bennett doesn't handle recruitment at his club. He gives his opinion and his wish list, but other merkins need to try and make it happen.

When 2016 happened it came out that Arthur had asked the club to improve recruitment/retention and said words to the effect of "Can't you find them some TPAs or something?"

Very much TheRam style just-get-it-done-ffs school of make believe solutions.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

(and a LOT of people knew this at the time of signing)

Are these the ones likely to be affected by confirmation bias?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Exactly. BA would be the lead on everything Eels, particularly the top 30, bar what players are paid and even then his input would be substantial. After 10 years his fingerprints are on everything.

After two and a half years we were placed under administration by the ILGA, and after five years half his job was given to Mark O'Neill (ffs).

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Maybe he's go BO, and the other middles don't want to get in there in tackles with him? Maybe he refuses to have a bath? All conjecture, of course...

But the question is how long to we (BA) persist with something that isn't working - and will likely work even less without our form middle for the next ten weeks? Defend his prior abilities all you like, but BA has already tried to reduce the negative impact Hodgson's play is having on our middle defence by limiting his minutes...

Most middle defenders play limited minutes ffs. Mahoney would be going better at the Dogs if he reduced his minutes, but they are paying him as an 80 minute hooker, so it's not really an option there.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

bUt WhAt AbOuT tHe WeAtHeR...?

Good point. That also impacts fatigue. You are seeing how complex fatigue management can be. There's no simple solutions. It's certainly not as simple as sacking merkins.

 

[emjaycee]

Hands for as long as possible with Jrthur or if necessary Hodgson at the death

So Jake for a period of 20-30 mins at hooker is better than Hodgon for the same amout of time?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

They chased Nrown out of the club to allow us to spend and we have failed to sign anyone. Obviously a personality clash. Super professional stuff. Club first.

Have some patience. Moses is yet to officially re-sign so any unused cap space might be used to frontload him. That would be exciting.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I just had a look but I didn't see you give your current opinion on BA and MON in the NSW Cup thread or the stats thread? It would seem odd to give your opinion on BA in the NSW Cup thread, Cayless is the coach.

The head coach is responsible for preparing and developing the players in the top 30, and the NSW Cup team is headlined by half a dozen or more top 30 merkins.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

And 7 mins drive to the training ground...

They just need to get Parrafit BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Sensei Cobra]

This could be fun...

The cashed up Raiders are set to wreak havoc on NRL market... and these stars could be in their sights

The cashed up Raiders are set to wreak havoc on NRL market... and these stars could be in their sights

www.foxsports.com.au

As If no one wants to play in canbra for Ricky