hindy111
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2020 - Parra Eels
The eels enter 2020 with high hopes. The squad has a certain feel and high aspirations. Brad Arthur's has slowly pieced together a side with character and personality which feels more like a team or family rather then an NRL side.
Gone are your troubled individuals which have been replaced by professional men. The mix of talented youth along with experienced players most reaching peak years makes for an exciting season. Let's break down a potential premiership winning side and what is needed.
Leaders - All sides need a leader otherwise come finals it becomes a fast exit. Cooper Cronk, Thurston,Cam Smith, Paul Gallen have all showed this in recent year.
A true leader must be vocal, inspirational and able to keep a cool head. Who fits the category for the blue and gold.
Enter Mitchel Moses. At an age where he should be entering his best years now. Mitch was fantastic in 2019 except in one area. Keeping focussed and a cool head in pressure situations. Some people are born with this while others develop it with maturity. For the eels to take the next step much relies on which direction Moses goes.
N.Brown, Gutherson, R.Matterson & Blake Ferguson will also bring leadership qualities to the team but Moses is the key figure. I feel he is ready.
- X factor - All sides need someone capable of a bit of magic. There are times where a game is in the balance and you need some spark in the dark. Don't matter where we sleep, don't matter where we park all we need is just a little spark in the dark.
I present you Sivo the Fijian magician. His 50mtr runs, powerfull charges and ability to find the try line give the fans a reason to want to come to games.
I'll also add Jnr Paulo. Many of our tries come from his offloads and 2nd phase play.By taking out three defenders and the ability to release the ball there will be space. Mahoney,D.Brown & the King should all be lurking around the big man.
Aggression - The soft pack we all become used to and accepted seems a distant memory.No more big pillows in the jersey as BA swung his axe and slowly sent them all to retirement. Forwards win matches and not only with their attack but using physical defense that can rattle the opposition and sap them of vital energy. N.Brown will lead the pack and is the type of guy the forwards need to follow. High octane and plenty of energy he sets the tone. RCG, K.Evans, Sivo, Fergsuon, Jnr all add to the physical make up of the defense. Ray Stone is another name I will throw in. Off the bench he can provide some jarring defense and plenty of aggression.
The Unkown - All though it is D. Browns 2nd season and Mahoneys technically 3rd both have played under 30 NRL games. I can see both transforming and rather then going the safe option begin to feel more comfortable rolling the dice and playing a bigger role in attack.. Mahoney showed late in the 2019 season he was prepared to take the heat with a kick here and there. One of his valuable skills. D.Brown oozes class and after a year under his belt can only start to gain confidence.
Heart, Desire & Belief
This is potentially the most important factor. The squad is skillful enough. It's big enough and fast enough. But how bad do the guys want it? How hard can they fight when the going gets tough and do they believe they are good enough. In the 2019 finals heading down to Melbourne the three things that stood out most was these these. Players seemed to lack beleif. And once that is gone it is game over. The desire slowly goes and that breaks the heart of the players and the fans. BA needs to put some more grit in the side. Teach them composure and how to adjust in a worse case situation. Basically ambush proof them. This will be the biggest uncertainty going into 2020 and what we all must hope BA has worked on most during the off season.
Overall wrap
Everything points to a successful campaign. A great team has been put together by BA that has the perfect mix to win a title. It is the biggest side I've seen since following the Eels. The backline is monster like, the forwards are powerfull and skillfull with aggression and the halves are potentially the best combination since Kenny & Sterling.
There is just a lot to love about our chances and I guess as Parra fans that is perhaps why we are so worried.
Let's go Parra
The eels enter 2020 with high hopes. The squad has a certain feel and high aspirations. Brad Arthur's has slowly pieced together a side with character and personality which feels more like a team or family rather then an NRL side.
Gone are your troubled individuals which have been replaced by professional men. The mix of talented youth along with experienced players most reaching peak years makes for an exciting season. Let's break down a potential premiership winning side and what is needed.
Leaders - All sides need a leader otherwise come finals it becomes a fast exit. Cooper Cronk, Thurston,Cam Smith, Paul Gallen have all showed this in recent year.
A true leader must be vocal, inspirational and able to keep a cool head. Who fits the category for the blue and gold.
Enter Mitchel Moses. At an age where he should be entering his best years now. Mitch was fantastic in 2019 except in one area. Keeping focussed and a cool head in pressure situations. Some people are born with this while others develop it with maturity. For the eels to take the next step much relies on which direction Moses goes.
N.Brown, Gutherson, R.Matterson & Blake Ferguson will also bring leadership qualities to the team but Moses is the key figure. I feel he is ready.
- X factor - All sides need someone capable of a bit of magic. There are times where a game is in the balance and you need some spark in the dark. Don't matter where we sleep, don't matter where we park all we need is just a little spark in the dark.
I present you Sivo the Fijian magician. His 50mtr runs, powerfull charges and ability to find the try line give the fans a reason to want to come to games.
I'll also add Jnr Paulo. Many of our tries come from his offloads and 2nd phase play.By taking out three defenders and the ability to release the ball there will be space. Mahoney,D.Brown & the King should all be lurking around the big man.
Aggression - The soft pack we all become used to and accepted seems a distant memory.No more big pillows in the jersey as BA swung his axe and slowly sent them all to retirement. Forwards win matches and not only with their attack but using physical defense that can rattle the opposition and sap them of vital energy. N.Brown will lead the pack and is the type of guy the forwards need to follow. High octane and plenty of energy he sets the tone. RCG, K.Evans, Sivo, Fergsuon, Jnr all add to the physical make up of the defense. Ray Stone is another name I will throw in. Off the bench he can provide some jarring defense and plenty of aggression.
The Unkown - All though it is D. Browns 2nd season and Mahoneys technically 3rd both have played under 30 NRL games. I can see both transforming and rather then going the safe option begin to feel more comfortable rolling the dice and playing a bigger role in attack.. Mahoney showed late in the 2019 season he was prepared to take the heat with a kick here and there. One of his valuable skills. D.Brown oozes class and after a year under his belt can only start to gain confidence.
Heart, Desire & Belief
This is potentially the most important factor. The squad is skillful enough. It's big enough and fast enough. But how bad do the guys want it? How hard can they fight when the going gets tough and do they believe they are good enough. In the 2019 finals heading down to Melbourne the three things that stood out most was these these. Players seemed to lack beleif. And once that is gone it is game over. The desire slowly goes and that breaks the heart of the players and the fans. BA needs to put some more grit in the side. Teach them composure and how to adjust in a worse case situation. Basically ambush proof them. This will be the biggest uncertainty going into 2020 and what we all must hope BA has worked on most during the off season.
Overall wrap
Everything points to a successful campaign. A great team has been put together by BA that has the perfect mix to win a title. It is the biggest side I've seen since following the Eels. The backline is monster like, the forwards are powerfull and skillfull with aggression and the halves are potentially the best combination since Kenny & Sterling.
There is just a lot to love about our chances and I guess as Parra fans that is perhaps why we are so worried.
Let's go Parra
