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Rumours and Stuff

hineyrulz

Post Whore
Messages
148,287
I refuse to derail LU with TCT's laundry so I will limit myself to one post on this matter. TCT has only ever made a significant effort to block a commenter three times since our inception. Yourself, Sinbad and Snake are on that honour roll for either trying to stir up drama on TCT due to a perceived slight over a brand split with the other supporter site or for simply been extremely disruptive to any sort of civil discussion.

You in particular were not banned for 'one comment' but for spamming the site over the course of months after multiple warnings but that isn't anywhere near as interesting a story for LU is it?

We have always maintained that critical discourse of the team and club has its place and we gave plenty of leeway throughout this finals series to robust discussion about the team's prospects. I don't have any delusions of grandeur as to what TCT is, when all is said and done it is the weekly reactions and opinions of a few fans but after seeing what the other support site devolved into I will never regret holding our comment section to a higher standard.

Thanks for listening to my TED Talk.
Where the hell you been champion???? You and Stagger in one day. We getting the band back together???
 

Forty20

First Grade
Messages
7,677
Where the hell you been champion???? You and Stagger in one day. We getting the band back together???

You get lazy and start lurking and then lurking becomes a habit and then finally the norm. I guess I was obliged to play Jake to Stagger's Elroy today. :p
 

Johnny88

Juniors
Messages
1,195
Danny's Sunday piece

Brad to worse
Parramatta have a growing problem: the division between general manager of football Mark O’Neill and coach Brad Arthur.

In the days since the Eels went out of the finals in straight sets, losing 38-24 in dramatic fashion to Souths last weekend, Arthur has been under real pressure – somewhat unfairly, considering they were a Mitchell Mosespenalty miss and a Damien Cook non-sin binning from potentially playing in a preliminary final this week.

The core of the problem is the division between O’Neill and the coach, but the cracks at the club are threatening to grow. The players and the football department are on one side; O’Neill is on the other, with the support of the club’s executive.

Minor Premiers Penrith Panthers take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs for a place in the grand final against the Melbourne Storm.

No one at the club denies the Arthur-O’Neill rift – just the level of tension between the pair.
O’Neill has been in his role for two years and, in fairness, the Eels have had considerable success in that time. But they now want a premiership and Arthur knows where the drive to change his approach is coming from.

There was a line that got under his skin this week. “The team is not going to improve by doing another three laps of the oval,” an Eels official told me.

It’s pointed criticism, implying that Arthur’s old-school approach won’t deliver the ultimate prize and end the club’s 34-year premiership drought.

The criticism of Arthur came at a sensitive time for the club as it dealt with the stunning positive drugs test for veteran centre Michael Jennings on the morning of last Saturday’s semi-final loss to the Rabbitohs. Jennings denies being a drug cheat and says he will fight to clear hisname.

The Eels think the next stage in their development will come from improving the team in a holistic sense. A major criticism of the Eels has been that they are fragile and get frazzled when the blowtorch is applied.


The club has done plenty of work in the area of mindfulness and mental strength. I had lengthy chats with Ryan Mattersonthis year about the work he did in that area and his approach has been adopted by other players.

Perhaps part of the issue here is that Arthur, while allowing this work to go on, wasn’t driving it. O’Neill is a big believer in courses and development. He is a disciple of a man named Shane McCurry, who has had success with Richmond in the AFL. McCurry is described as a “thought leader” and he clearly wants the Eels to be the Richmond Tigers of the NRL.

While Arthur is criticised for being too old-school and not taking on new ideas, O’Neill and the Eels football department are castigated throughout the NRL for being “too bureaucratic”. Their slow decision making and negotiating frustrates many. Managers say, along with Wests Tigers, they are the most cumbersome club to deal with.

Last year’s negotiations with club captain Clint Gutherson were a case in point. Rightfully, Gutherson felt disrespected and he has proved himself to be their best player. It was not how their leader deserved to be treated and every signing the club makes is like pulling teeth.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mi...world-of-state-of-origin-20201017-p56630.html
 

hineyrulz

Post Whore
Messages
148,287
Danny's Sunday piece

Brad to worse
Parramatta have a growing problem: the division between general manager of football Mark O’Neill and coach Brad Arthur.

In the days since the Eels went out of the finals in straight sets, losing 38-24 in dramatic fashion to Souths last weekend, Arthur has been under real pressure – somewhat unfairly, considering they were a Mitchell Mosespenalty miss and a Damien Cook non-sin binning from potentially playing in a preliminary final this week.

The core of the problem is the division between O’Neill and the coach, but the cracks at the club are threatening to grow. The players and the football department are on one side; O’Neill is on the other, with the support of the club’s executive.

Minor Premiers Penrith Panthers take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs for a place in the grand final against the Melbourne Storm.

No one at the club denies the Arthur-O’Neill rift – just the level of tension between the pair.
O’Neill has been in his role for two years and, in fairness, the Eels have had considerable success in that time. But they now want a premiership and Arthur knows where the drive to change his approach is coming from.

There was a line that got under his skin this week. “The team is not going to improve by doing another three laps of the oval,” an Eels official told me.

It’s pointed criticism, implying that Arthur’s old-school approach won’t deliver the ultimate prize and end the club’s 34-year premiership drought.

The criticism of Arthur came at a sensitive time for the club as it dealt with the stunning positive drugs test for veteran centre Michael Jennings on the morning of last Saturday’s semi-final loss to the Rabbitohs. Jennings denies being a drug cheat and says he will fight to clear hisname.

The Eels think the next stage in their development will come from improving the team in a holistic sense. A major criticism of the Eels has been that they are fragile and get frazzled when the blowtorch is applied.


The club has done plenty of work in the area of mindfulness and mental strength. I had lengthy chats with Ryan Mattersonthis year about the work he did in that area and his approach has been adopted by other players.

Perhaps part of the issue here is that Arthur, while allowing this work to go on, wasn’t driving it. O’Neill is a big believer in courses and development. He is a disciple of a man named Shane McCurry, who has had success with Richmond in the AFL. McCurry is described as a “thought leader” and he clearly wants the Eels to be the Richmond Tigers of the NRL.

While Arthur is criticised for being too old-school and not taking on new ideas, O’Neill and the Eels football department are castigated throughout the NRL for being “too bureaucratic”. Their slow decision making and negotiating frustrates many. Managers say, along with Wests Tigers, they are the most cumbersome club to deal with.

Last year’s negotiations with club captain Clint Gutherson were a case in point. Rightfully, Gutherson felt disrespected and he has proved himself to be their best player. It was not how their leader deserved to be treated and every signing the club makes is like pulling teeth.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mi...world-of-state-of-origin-20201017-p56630.html
Watching the Eels the last 8 o 10 weeks was like pulling teef.

Another Parra smear job for clicks article.
 

Pazza

First Grade
Messages
8,492

parra pete

Referee
Messages
20,533
Danny's Sunday piece

Brad to worse
Parramatta have a growing problem: the division between general manager of football Mark O’Neill and coach Brad Arthur.

In the days since the Eels went out of the finals in straight sets, losing 38-24 in dramatic fashion to Souths last weekend, Arthur has been under real pressure – somewhat unfairly, considering they were a Mitchell Mosespenalty miss and a Damien Cook non-sin binning from potentially playing in a preliminary final this week.

The core of the problem is the division between O’Neill and the coach, but the cracks at the club are threatening to grow. The players and the football department are on one side; O’Neill is on the other, with the support of the club’s executive.

Minor Premiers Penrith Panthers take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs for a place in the grand final against the Melbourne Storm.

No one at the club denies the Arthur-O’Neill rift – just the level of tension between the pair.
O’Neill has been in his role for two years and, in fairness, the Eels have had considerable success in that time. But they now want a premiership and Arthur knows where the drive to change his approach is coming from.

There was a line that got under his skin this week. “The team is not going to improve by doing another three laps of the oval,” an Eels official told me.

It’s pointed criticism, implying that Arthur’s old-school approach won’t deliver the ultimate prize and end the club’s 34-year premiership drought.

The criticism of Arthur came at a sensitive time for the club as it dealt with the stunning positive drugs test for veteran centre Michael Jennings on the morning of last Saturday’s semi-final loss to the Rabbitohs. Jennings denies being a drug cheat and says he will fight to clear hisname.

The Eels think the next stage in their development will come from improving the team in a holistic sense. A major criticism of the Eels has been that they are fragile and get frazzled when the blowtorch is applied.


The club has done plenty of work in the area of mindfulness and mental strength. I had lengthy chats with Ryan Mattersonthis year about the work he did in that area and his approach has been adopted by other players.

Perhaps part of the issue here is that Arthur, while allowing this work to go on, wasn’t driving it. O’Neill is a big believer in courses and development. He is a disciple of a man named Shane McCurry, who has had success with Richmond in the AFL. McCurry is described as a “thought leader” and he clearly wants the Eels to be the Richmond Tigers of the NRL.

While Arthur is criticised for being too old-school and not taking on new ideas, O’Neill and the Eels football department are castigated throughout the NRL for being “too bureaucratic”. Their slow decision making and negotiating frustrates many. Managers say, along with Wests Tigers, they are the most cumbersome club to deal with.

Last year’s negotiations with club captain Clint Gutherson were a case in point. Rightfully, Gutherson felt disrespected and he has proved himself to be their best player. It was not how their leader deserved to be treated and every signing the club makes is like pulling teeth.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mi...world-of-state-of-origin-20201017-p56630.html

There has never been a statue erected for a critic....
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,457
1. French
2. Sivo
3. Drown
4. Blake
5. Fergo
6. Gutho
7. Moses

As long as French can use a step and some pace and is prepared to take a heavy hit at times, there is no reason he can't be as good a fullback as Gutho. In fact his better speed may see him able to make more breaks when backing up in the middle and better cover some of the tries we have conceded when Gutho simply hasn't got there in time.

Gutho would be fine as a replacement for Drown at 6 as their kicking games are probably on par and with more of a roaming (left and right side) commission as a 6 he would be as effective as Cody Walker has been the backend of this season. His energy alone would ensure that.

Drown has the speed and the defense to play in the centres, and it would be a great way to further develop his ball skills until Moses leaves and he moves into the 7 jersey.

I know people will claim Gutho has made the number 1 his own (and he has), but I reckon the overall backline is strengthened with more speed and the overall team is not weakened (given we have to find a replacement centre anyway).

This will not work. French is soft and only a fair weather player. He can't play tough. He is going to stuff our whole team up by putting out at least two players in Gutho and D. Brown by moving them out of their favoured positions and for who/what? An unsuccessful failure that we are hoping has come good. What a joke it true.

I say we will go backwards if this scenario comes to fruition. A total stuff up waiting to happen. If it goes the way I say and expect, BA should be given the arse as soon as the season starts to implode.

Here's a thought BA, why don't you try getting a player like Tyrone May, who is surplus to requirements at the Panthers and a damn fine centre in waiting. Then look for a speedster on the wing and at least one quality forward that can help with our bench rotation. Also a backup dummy half wouldn't be a bad idea either you fraud.

Pulling and pushing our roster out of whack to fit in two fullbacks is not the way to go about building a premiership team. There will be significant resentment and failure just waiting to happen.
 

Mr Parramatta

Juniors
Messages
410
This will not work. French is soft and only a fair weather player. He can't play tough. He is going to stuff our whole team up by putting out at least two players in Gutho and D. Brown by moving them out of their favoured positions and for who/what? An unsuccessful failure that we are hoping has come good. What a joke it true.

I say we will go backwards if this scenario comes to fruition. A total stuff up waiting to happen. If it goes the way I say and expect, BA should be given the arse as soon as the season starts to implode.

Here's a thought BA, why don't you try getting a player like Tyrone May, who is surplus to requirements at the Panthers and a damn fine centre in waiting. Then look for a speedster on the wing and at least one quality forward that can help with our bench rotation. Also a backup dummy half wouldn't be a bad idea either you fraud.

Pulling and pushing our roster out of whack to fit in two fullbacks is not the way to go about building a premiership team. There will be significant resentment and failure just waiting to happen.
Well said!
 
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