Eels in the media

[Poupou Escobar]

He obviously wasn't ready this year. His performances in reserve grade prove that. He might be ready to play a few games next year and he still might. He's more likely to be ready in 2021 but it's a long way away. It's not a risk we need to take. Hughes is contracted until the end of 2021. Maybe he'll be ready by then. Maybe we'll get the chance to find out before he's off contract.

Utoikamanu had this year to show he was ready for first grade and he failed. I was disappointed every week reading his stats sheet, and the few times I was able to see him play he performed just like his stats indicated.

 

[Cumberland Eel]

He obviously wasn't ready this year. His performances in reserve grade prove that. He might be ready to play a few games next year and he still might. He's more likely to be ready in 2021 but it's a long way away. It's not a risk we need to take. Hughes is contracted until the end of 2021. Maybe he'll be ready by then. Maybe we'll get the chance to find out before he's off contract.

Utoikamanu had this year to show he was ready for first grade and he failed. I was disappointed every week reading his stats sheet, and the few times I was able to see him play he performed just like his stats indicated.

Mitch Butfield is probably thinking “ffs where’s my $800,000 contract?”

 

[Happy MEel]

He obviously wasn't ready this year. His performances in reserve grade prove that. He might be ready to play a few games next year and he still might. He's more likely to be ready in 2021 but it's a long way away. It's not a risk we need to take. Hughes is contracted until the end of 2021. Maybe he'll be ready by then. Maybe we'll get the chance to find out before he's off contract.

Utoikamanu had this year to show he was ready for first grade and he failed. I was disappointed every week reading his stats sheet, and the few times I was able to see him play he performed just like his stats indicated.

This is a fair point. The games I watched this year he offered no more than Kaufusi and perhaps the recruitment team felt it was one or the other. Kaufusi has returned to preseason in excellent shape so perhaps it came down to attitude and a desire to wear the blue and gold.

 

[Eelementary]

Dare I say it - I have complete faith in our staff.

I think Utoikamanu is a real prospect - but he also had some real drawbacks to his game (lack of mobility, lack of leg drive, and low involvement).

Kaufusi has already played First Grade, and handled it quite well - maybe the staff felt that Kaufusi was the one worth keeping?

 

[Twizzle]

Obviously we rated Stefano given we increased our offer twice once The Tigpies became interested.
Its now also been commented that our final offer wasnt far removed from The Tigpies with the determining factor being a promise of greater opportunities at Wests.
Correct decision or not I have no idea. Only time will tell.
I wouldnt be surprised if playing a badly out of form Tepai and a declining Gower ahead of giving the Kid a sniff last year created a seed of doubt. 15 minutes may have been a real positive negotiation tactic. How many times last season did our 17th man get very little game time?
I guess we will soon know if our decision was correct.
Given hes an Eels junior I wish him well.

maybe his dad got the shits when we signed RCG as he may have expected NRL game time this season, he's pretty young so I guess you'd have to expect his parents to influence his decision making

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

maybe his dad got the shits when we signed RCG as he may have expected NRL game time this season, he's pretty young so I guess you'd have to expect his parents to influence his decision making

He should've told his parents to get f**ked. But he didn't and now he's going to a shit club.

 

[Gronk]

maybe his dad got the shits when we signed RCG as he may have expected NRL game time this season, he's pretty young so I guess you'd have to expect his parents to influence his decision making

I reckon there's some truth in this.

He should've told his parents to get f**ked. But he didn't and now he's going to a shit club.

There is deffinately some thruth in this.

 

[lingard]

The spin is coming from the wrist slitters. OH NOEZ WE LOST SOME SLOW MIDGET WITH THE SAME SURNAME AS MICK CRONIN TO THAT POWERHOUSE THE TITANS SOME OF THESE KIDS PLAYED AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLBOYS LIKE JAMAL FOGARTY THIS WILL COME BACK TO BITE US ON THE ARSE!!!

Very good points.

 

[Gronk]

 

[strider]

We've been dudded!!

 

[T.S Quint]

Didn’t we also lodge a complaint about the Warriors offering Drown a contract, but nothing came of it?

I’m not expecting anything from this either.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Jennings to re-sign - headline claims we have cap issues:

https://amp.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/aeb25187492ff27af5ef09f0ef631d1e

Eels at risk of losing Kafusi:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp...u/news-story/c77f8953865d78ed65a4e1d6bedb3173


But behind paywalls so can’t post details

 

[Pazza]

All the backups on minimum salary are what makes the cap work, and we must have plenty of them in our top 30 or we wouldn't have such an exciting top 17.

Developing your own talent and not having to compete for talent on the player market for the majority of the squad is what makes the cap work.

Is the top 17 that exciting?

Its a good team but its still not a top 4 team.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

Its a good team but its still not a top 4 team.

Isn't true until after the season is over. It doesn't look like a top 4 team to you.

 

[hineyrulz]

Jennings to re-sign - headline claims we have cap issues:

https://amp.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/aeb25187492ff27af5ef09f0ef631d1e

Eels at risk of losing Kafusi:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp...u/news-story/c77f8953865d78ed65a4e1d6bedb3173


But behind paywalls so can’t post details

Development club........

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Developing your own talent and not having to compete for talent on the player market for the majority of the squad is what makes the cap work.

Is the top 17 that exciting?

Its a good team but its still not a top 4 team.

Except you do have to compete. When they come off contract they want top dollar and a top 17 spot from more desperate clubs.

 

[Eelementary]

Didn’t we also lodge a complaint about the Warriors offering Drown a contract, but nothing came of it?

I’m not expecting anything from this either.

I suppose the difference is that DylBro didn't sign a contract, whereas Utoikamanu did.

 

[strider]

Development club........

I dont get the point of your sarcasm. We are certainly developing. Perhaps we just shouldnt publicly state it.

 

[Noise]

I dont get the point of your sarcasm. We are certainly developing. Perhaps we just shouldnt publicly state it.

Yep, we shouldn't have made a big song and dance about being a 'development club'. Really we are just doing the same as almost every other club.

 

[Bazal]

I dont get the point of your sarcasm. We are certainly developing. Perhaps we just shouldnt publicly state it.

I would suggest it must make him feel better, but years of posting history doesn't seem to agree with me