Parramatta Eels win race for Ben Roberts

[Cocidius]

I think you can get their signatures on contracts, but the contracts will not be registered by the NRL until July 1, giving their existing club a shot at them until then.

Yep thats correct. Hence why clubs do the media release...more pressure on the player not to back out of the deal...
Just goes to show how spineless the rabbits and Inglis were in regards to his signing...

 

[Gigolo]

I see the eels next year as the dogs of this year! New halves paring with some other key positional changes.
One thing dogs halves have is they are consistent on the little things; but in saying that, Sandow has been very consistent this year and probably souths best player on a weekly basis!
If we can get that out of Roberts too, we will have a very strong halves pairing!
People dont forget, when roberts was playing...he was playing with the holdsowrths of the world! IMO play him in the current line-up with the dogs form atm...he would kill it!

IMO taking off my eels glasses a 1. Hayne, 6. Roberts and 7. Sandow is potentially alot more potent then what the dogs have atm...

Good point re Holdsworth, he is officially the worst player to ever play rugby league.....he made Paul Carige look like Johnny Raper...absolute oxygen thief

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Lasalo needs good halves giving him good ball on the edges

Exactly.
Plenty of promise with lasalo.
By next year he runs slightly better lines, put on a little more size, get better service and handle the workload better.

Maguire has been good. worth keeping for one more year.

With Friend signing with the Warriors.
Wouldnt be suprised if Kearney looked at some of the warriors hooking stock.

While Mara will probably hang around, Heremaia will be looking for a new club.
Also, Darren Kingi from the Vulcans is a beast of a player and i rate him above heremaia and mara.
He was a gun junior and one of the best domestic players last year and carving for vulcans - just needs an opportunity.

 

[oldmancraigy]

He is quick off the mark, the fact he has the worst kicking game in the history of the NRL doesn't take away his zippyness.

As for your forwards, they're not too bad but I think Souths are probably stronger.

I thought Lasalo was going to be anything earlier on, he's s strong runner but seems to have lost a bit of confidence

I think there's a big difference between a "better pack" and having "better go forward

The Eels have some of the best "forward momentum" in the NRL for a halfback to operate behind.

It's the job of the props to churn the meters and open up the space for the halfback with the "quick play the ball".
Just so happens that Parramatta are blessed with 3 guys who are career "engines" in the go-forward department (Mannah, MoiMoi and Poore) - and Shackleton is certainly very handy in that vein too.

The backrows low "forward meterage" is due more to the lack of someone to pass them the ball in half a gap as much as anything else. A good half or 5/8 opens up the game for a backrower just as much as a prop opens up the game for a halfback.

I don't think there are many teams in the competition with a front row clearly better than Parramatta -> and I'm CERTAIN that no team in the competition has worse halves than Parramatta.

 

[oldmancraigy]

IMO taking off my eels glasses a 1. Hayne, 6. Roberts and 7. Sandow is potentially alot more potent then what the dogs have atm...

With my Eels glasses on, I looked at the Dogs at the beginning of the year and thought that Roberts was a better option than KK in the 6 jersey. I thought they signed KK for "depth" because Roberts dealt with some nasty injuries last season.

But I have some issues re: KK - I don't rate him at all as a playmaker!!! So perhaps don't listen to what I say there....

 

[hindy111]

new halves for next year

 

[Cocidius]

With my Eels glasses on, I looked at the Dogs at the beginning of the year and thought that Roberts was a better option than KK in the 6 jersey. I thought they signed KK for "depth" because Roberts dealt with some nasty injuries last season.

But I have some issues re: KK - I don't rate him at all as a playmaker!!! So perhaps don't listen to what I say there....

Thing is KK does not let the team down; the coach knows he probably wont win you alot of games but understands that on weekly basis his performance will be solid.
These sought of players a great around dominant halfbacks, and the bulldogs are hoping Hodkinson develops into one, although this season his form has been down from last year!
KK is lucky that Roberts was coming off a long injury spell, he had first bite of the cherry and you cant really drop him on his performances, its been solid.
IMO Roberts is exactly the player we need....a traditional 5/8th. Strong running game with the ability to kick and pass. Hayne and Sandow will still be doing a lot of our attack next year, we just need Roberts to run the ball and get the defence double guessing itself when his got the ball. His ability to kick and find players running into holes is a bonus...

 

[oldmancraigy]

the bulldogs are hoping Hodkinson develops into one, although this season his form has been down from last year!

Do you believe that?

IMO Hodkinson has been the same this year as last year (if not better?).

He had 2 really good games at the start of last year, then vanished completely. Manly fans were not at all sorry to see the end of him.

If Barba gets injured, expect the Bulldogs to struggle mightily to put points on the board.

 

[Cocidius]

Do you believe that?

IMO Hodkinson has been the same this year as last year (if not better?).

He had 2 really good games at the start of last year, then vanished completely. Manly fans were not at all sorry to see the end of him.

If Barba gets injured, expect the Bulldogs to struggle mightily to put points on the board.

Im not sure...last year he seemed to take controls of play and know exactly what he wanted to do...from what ive seen this year, its like his double guessing himself! I could be wrong..just what i think i see...

 

[hineyrulz]

Finally we have halves!!! Now for a centre and a wide running back rower.

 

[hindy111]

This is how i see it
KK -solid-trys hard and is a first grade player.Wont win you a game on his own.But he will do some nice things
Roberts-Inconsistent at times-Hast reached his full potential-Will get a few man of the match durng the season-Twice the talent of KK when he is at his best.

 

[Bigfella]

I think there's a big difference between a "better pack" and having "better go forward

The Eels have some of the best "forward momentum" in the NRL for a halfback to operate behind.

It's the job of the props to churn the meters and open up the space for the halfback with the "quick play the ball".
Just so happens that Parramatta are blessed with 3 guys who are career "engines" in the go-forward department (Mannah, MoiMoi and Poore) - and Shackleton is certainly very handy in that vein too.

The backrows low "forward meterage" is due more to the lack of someone to pass them the ball in half a gap as much as anything else. A good half or 5/8 opens up the game for a backrower just as much as a prop opens up the game for a halfback.

I don't think there are many teams in the competition with a front row clearly better than Parramatta -> and I'm CERTAIN that no team in the competition has worse halves than Parramatta.

I agree that we have improved out of sight in terms of playing tough, especially in the front row and early in our sets. The props and hooker have done well over all - very well in fact.

However IMO we are still missing a massive amount of punch from our backrow. Our backrowers simply don;t score tries or bust holes like other sides do.

And our third and fourth tackle runs are generally lacklustre, and with slow play the balls.

The number of times our first or second received is under pressure on fifth tackles is still a massive concern.

We have been getting out of our end ok. But I can't fairly say that our halves are playing against retreating defenses every week - or at all.

 

[eels81236]

I agree that we have improved out of sight in terms of playing tough, especially in the front row and early in our sets. The props and hooker have done well over all - very well in fact.

However IMO we are still missing a massive amount of punch from our backrow. Our backrowers simply don;t score tries or bust holes like other sides do.

And our third and fourth tackle runs are generally lacklustre, and with slow play the balls.

The number of times our first or second received is under pressure on fifth tackles is still a massive concern.

We have been getting out of our end ok. But I can't fairly say that our halves are playing against retreating defenses every week - or at all.

I stopped reading there. We are STILL physically and mentally weak as piss at 1 thru 17. We get beaten at every collision. It has been this way for years. And before anyone says anything... no I don't blame SK...

 

[barney gumble]

From the little I've seen of Ben Roberts you generally get diamonds or stones. Probably better than what we've got now though. Sandow and Roberts, brilliant in attack, not sure about their defence though.

 

[Parra Pride]

Sandow and Roberts halves pairing will take all the pressure off of Rogers and allow him to play his brilliant best.

 

[hindy111]

Billy Rodger will play for Australia one day-Mark my words-the kid is that good

 

[The EELiminator]

Billy Rodger will play for Australia one day-Mark my words-the kid is that good

on the bench? ;-)

 

[Parra Pride]

on the bench? ;-)

His moral support play is just that damn good.

 

[hindy111]

Surely he must have some wraps on him thou? I reckon he may become a good player-Its jsut odd he gets used for 15 mins a game

 

[Parra Pride]

Surely he must have some wraps on him thou? I reckon he may become a good player-Its jsut odd he gets used for 15 mins a game

That 15 minute stint on the field is actually Kearny giving him a break from cheering the boys on.