We need to bring home Mateo

[lucablight]

I'm sure many fans on here like myself are becoming increasingly frustrating at missing out on marquee players despite being cashed up for 2014. We all want to see Parramatta do well and it seems apparent that we urgently need to strengthen our playing roster. After everything that's happened one player we need to be chasing hard is Feleti Mateo. He is a genuine match winner and anyone who thinks he wouldn't be a great addition to our team is kidding themselves. Along with his ability to offload his yardage gain is a very underrated aspect of his game. He has also expressed a desire to return to Parramatta someday and now it is time! He should never have been let go in the first place. We are in a perfect position to land him and I would be very disappointed if we can't make it happen. Lets bring him home!

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I agree. For the right price.

 

[Eelogical]

I don't agree. At the time he was cut, most supporters agreed he was a "rocks and diamonds" player similar to Inu. I thought he was a "diamond" at the time but I can't see him back at the Eels. I can't give you a factual reason either other than a gut feeling.

 

[eels_fan]

I'd offer him whatever Papalii was going to get...

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

Mateo and Hock would be nice additions for 2014.

 

[Eelogical]

I'd offer him whatever Papalii was going to get...

He would knock back the offer anyway.......but you knew that.

 

[cv8z]

inu & mateo might be a chance to return in 2014

 

[Avenger]

inu & mateo might be a chance to return in 2014

Inu has another 2 years to run on his Bulldogs contract. Doubt he will return anytime soon. Mateo for $300K would be ok but anymore would be way too much.

 

[barney gumble]

Mateo has failed to live up to initial potential, stick with Paulo for this type of role.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

If he was happy to take an reasonable amount around 300k or so he would be a worth signing but I think he is looking for a pretty big contract - we need to be careful, while we need forwards we don't want to sign new players to contracts which will prevent us keeping our U20 3-4 star forwards.

I reckon we should be targeting Aiden tolman - he is one of those players which coaches love but fans don't appreciate what he does on the field - if josh was offered 500k from eels, Aiden would be worth at least 400k to us - I would prefer him over josh. He does a lot of work in the middle which we need.

 

[Noise]

Paulo is playing in the middle. Different role to Mateo who would play on the edge

 

[lucablight]

Inu has another 2 years to run on his Bulldogs contract. Doubt he will return anytime soon. Mateo for $300K would be ok but anymore would be way too much.

Always look forward to reading your posts because I think you talk a lot of sense. Can you think of any other player off contract who would be more valuable to our team?

 

[cv8z]

Inu has another 2 years to run on his Bulldogs contract. Doubt he will return anytime soon. Mateo for $300K would be ok but anymore would be way too much.

Whats a contract mean these days?
Inu had 2 years to run at the warriors
300k wont get Mateo at any club I don think

 

[lucablight]

Mateo has failed to live up to initial potential, stick with Paulo for this type of role.

Not saying it can't happen but at this stage Mateo and Pauli aren't even I'm the same universe in terms of ability. We tried the same thing by gambling on Horo over Mateo and we saw how that turned out. There's no substitute for quality.

 

[Eels Dude]

Mateo has failed to live up to initial potential, stick with Paulo for this type of role.

Paulo can't drag 3 or 4 defenders or break the line like Mateo can. The guy has great hands and a bit of an X factor because of it, but he's a powderpuff when he hits the line whereas Mateo is the opposite. I'd take Mateo back for 350-400k, he's still got a lot to offer and our backrow needs a strike weapon desperately.

 

[Chipmunk]

If he was happy to take an reasonable amount around 300k or so he would be a worth signing but I think he is looking for a pretty big contract - we need to be careful, while we need forwards we don't want to sign new players to contracts which will prevent us keeping our U20 3-4 star forwards.

I reckon we should be targeting Aiden tolman - he is one of those players which coaches love but fans don't appreciate what he does on the field - if josh was offered 500k from eels, Aiden would be worth at least 400k to us - I would prefer him over josh. He does a lot of work in the middle which we need.

The best thing I like about Aiden Tolman is that he is the one and only ex Storm player to perform at a similar or better level than what he did in the Storm's system.

This for mine is a very big indicator of a quality player.

Id spend all the Papali money on Tolman

 

[Avenger]

Always look forward to reading your posts because I think you talk a lot of sense. Can you think of any other player off contract who would be more valuable to our team?

Thanks brother. Look it's difficult but if I was running the club I would go all out for someone Jonathan Thurston and offer him over $1 million a year. Players like him attract other players. If we acquired him we then would have more chance of gaining a player like Matt Gillett who I rate highly and better than Papalii. If we cannot acquire someone like JT we would need to pay at least $600K to gain someone like Gillett and move him from his comfort zone in QLD.

I think Hock from what I have read would be a great addition. In relation to Mateo (whom I adored as a player) I think it is a dangerous signing more a decision made with the heart than head. (remember Todd Lowrie kept him out of the 2009 starting side). Pauli Pauli for mine is a player that we cannot lose. He is the best I have seen in many years. I'd go far as to say that he will be every bit as good as the player that just reneged on us.

 

[lucablight]

Paulo can't drag 3 or 4 defenders or break the line like Mateo can. The guy has great hands and a bit of an X factor because of it, but he's a powderpuff when he hits the line whereas Mateo is the opposite. I'd take Mateo back for 350-400k, he's still got a lot to offer and our backrow needs a strike weapon desperately.

I'm glad someone sees it like I do. People think Mateo is just all about offloads. He's a big unit and I don't think people realise how good he is at yardage gain and getting through the line.

 

[Chipmunk]

Thanks brother. Look it's difficult but if I was running the club I would go all out for someone Jonathan Thurston and offer him over $1 million a year. Players like him attract other players. If we acquired him we then would have more chance of gaining a player like Matt Gillett who I rate highly and better than Papalii. If we cannot acquire someone like JT we would need to pay at least $600K to gain someone like Gillett and move him from his comfort zone in QLD.

I think Hock from what I have read would be a great addition. In relation to Mateo (whom I adored as a player) I think it is a dangerous signing more a decision made with the heart than head. (remember Todd Lowrie kept him out of the 2009 starting side). Pauli Pauli for mine is a player that we cannot lose. He is the best I have seen in many years. I'd go far as to say that he will be every bit as good as the player that just reneged on us.

I think if we got Thurston we would being able to sign heaps of other players. The question is, how much is the amount you say that is "too much" to pay Thurstom, because we would have to pay him over $1 million a year to get him here. The only way we could have Thurston is if we virtually "swapped" Sandow for him, because were paying Sandow for the next 3 years whether he performs or not.

Big fan of Gillett, I think he is someone to definately have a look at

 

[hineyrulz]

I'd offer Feliti 300k and no more, if he wants to finish his career at home that is more than enough for him.