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Players to target for next year

lucablight

First Grade
Messages
6,063
Even Ricky Stuart conceded tonight that our playing roster is simply not good enough. So who do we target for season 2014? I say

Sonny Bill Williams: Yes he's off contract. Unlikely to get him but potentially the best player in the game. Go all out!

Feleti Mateo: Don't care what anyone says. Anyone watch SBW tonight? See what a genuine ball playing back rower can do for your attack?

Frank Pritchard: Big, strong and can bend the line. Something out current backrow lacks. Goes missing at times but huge improvement on what we've got.

Aiden Tolman: doesn't bend the line but is a tackling machine and will keep hitting it up all day.

Josh Reynolds: unlikely to get him but this guy is a gun. Very good ball runner. Didn't he play hooker at junior level? Very good ball runner.

Todd Carney: Again unlikely to get him but don't need to say how good he is.

Kevin Kingston: Do we go there again? Might be past his best but an improvement on what we have now.

If we can buy a few quality players for next year ala 2005 we can be competitive again
 

Djay

Juniors
Messages
1,827
Anyone of contract is an improvement on what we have. We have reserve graders, the guys you mentioned are all first graders we can only go up. Unfortunately none are realistic bar Feleti who I think is an absolute gun.
 

lucablight

First Grade
Messages
6,063
i bet we don't even talk to any of those players you mentioned.

That's just not good enough then is it? Why can't we attract players of the calibre above? Why can the roosters struggle and sign the likes of Jennings, SBW and Maloney while we sit here and laugh at the very idea? We're supposedly cashed up, have the former nsw and origin coach and are one of the biggest clubs in the NRL. Can't stand this beaten before we've even tried attitude.
 

Joely01

Bench
Messages
4,553
Why does a signing thread get started everytime we lose? Everyone on here know the players off contract this year we don't need to be told for the 20th time, by another new thread.

Watch the press conference, Ricky looks a shattered man, I believe we have the right coach to get us out of this mess we have ourselves in thanks to a previous coach. When we have some quality players in multiple positions and Ricky's passion rubbing off on them will we be a force. Unfortunately that isn't happening this year and again we will lose more then we win, but stick solid guys because we finally have a coach with direction. We all knew this year would be tough, compare our roster to the one we played tonight and welcome to how most game will be this year.
 
Messages
511
I don't even think we need a big signing just need half a dozen good experienced NRL level players. Think Penrith are really signing and building in the way we should !

Like Manu, Segeyaro, Brown, Taylor etc.
 

Wally21

Bench
Messages
3,513
I don't even think we need a big signing just need half a dozen good experienced NRL level players. Think Penrith are really signing and building in the way we should !

Like Manu, Segeyaro, Brown, Taylor etc.

Spot on. Just some good, solid first graders would be a bonus. The only blokes in our team that ran out tonight who would make first grade at most teams would be Mannah, Reni, Sandow, lussick, loko and Hayne. Kelepi, Allgood and Sio would be fringe and the rest would be running around in feeder clubs.
 

lucablight

First Grade
Messages
6,063
I wouldn't be using Penrith as an example of how to build a roster. They let go of Jennings, Luke Lewis and Michael Gordon and none of their replacements are anywhere near as good. Fact is there's no substitute for quality. Obviously you can't have an entire team of superstars due to salary cap constraints but solid first graders don't win you premierships.
 

Joshuatheeel

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
19,581
Players I would target

M Weyman
M prior
C King
A tolman
J Thompson
J Bukuya
M Gillet
C Timu
G Eastwood
K Keating
K Sims
D Tyrell
K Galloway
M groat
M Rein
B creagh
 

Stagger eel

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
65,417
Players I would target

M Weyman
M prior
C King
A tolman
J Thompson
J Bukuya
M Gillet
C Timu
G Eastwood
K Keating
K Sims
D Tyrell
K Galloway
M groat
M Rein
B creagh

Any 2 or 3 of the above will do me... Strategically sensible!
 

Chipmunk

Coach
Messages
16,148
I think it is pointless targetting any quality backs for next year. Im pretty sure we will re-sign Loko so we are pretty much 'stuck' to the following-

1. Hayne
2.
3. Hopoate
4. Loko
5.
6. Norman
7. Sandow

We can probably develop a few players we already have to fill the 2 and the 5.

We are also stuck with Luke Kelly, Ken Sio and Joseph Paulo for next year.
 

Chipmunk

Coach
Messages
16,148
If this Pritchard is going to be the goods at dummy half then we dont really need a great player for a long period of time.

Nathan Fien or Nathan Friend anyone? Certainly could help develop Pritchard along if he is going to be the one for the future
 

Pazza

First Grade
Messages
8,501
Even johnny Morris would be better than than the idiots we got in dummy half ATM!

We need forwards, guys like Smith, Keating and Paulo are garbage!
 

Eels Dude

Coach
Messages
19,065
I think it is pointless targetting any quality backs for next year. Im pretty sure we will re-sign Loko so we are pretty much 'stuck' to the following-

1. Hayne
2.
3. Hopoate
4. Loko
5.
6. Norman
7. Sandow

We can probably develop a few players we already have to fill the 2 and the 5.

We are also stuck with Luke Kelly, Ken Sio and Joseph Paulo for next year.

Kelly is off contract this year. He didnt offer much last night to earn himself a new contract. I hope recruitment is focused on forwards first and foremost now. No point bringing in Hoppa and Norman unless we have 3 to 4 grunt forwards added to our pack to win the ruck. Players like Smith, Paulo, Ryan, Allgood, and dare I say it Fui just cant cut it any more.
 

84 Baby

Referee
Messages
28,032
Kelly is off contract this year. He didnt offer much last night to earn himself a new contract. I hope recruitment is focused on forwards first and foremost now. No point bringing in Hoppa and Norman unless we have 3 to 4 grunt forwards added to our pack to win the ruck. Players like Smith, Paulo, Ryan, Allgood, and dare I say it Fui just cant cut it any more.
This. We have an okay backline. Hayne is genuine rep level, he has big shortcomings in certain areas but I think Stuart is the type of coach he needs for those areas and given Stuart's mindset (i.e. writing this season off) he'll have more time to develop those areas. Sio, Blair, Toutai & Morgan may not be up to scratch but they are also relatively cheap and so must either improve or will be cut. Loko looks good so far & hopefully Hoppa will return as he left. Sandow's been our best so far this year and Norman realistically can't be worse than the current crop. Kelly is realistically an above average back-up half. Great for injury mitigation but that's about it. Roberts isn't what we need.

So really I hope Stuart is now only concerned with the forwards of which one current evidence we have at most one and a developing but perhaps a little too old players, being IMO Mannah our one definite & Ryan who appear to have the attitude and smarts but he needs to develop probably quicker than he can. Maitua & Lussick are fringies at best, capable but not top class forwards, & Fui is showing signs of age.

As sad as it is because your support of the Eels tends to transfer to individual players but Allgood, Keating, Paulo & Smith just aren't up to being first-grade regulars and particularly for Keating & Smith if they aren't by now, how much better are they going to get between now & retirement?

So IMO the following players are on the chopping block and even improved performances for the rest of the season may not save them:
  1. Allgood
  2. Fui
  3. Keating
  4. Maitua
  5. Paulo
  6. Roberts
  7. Smith
The ones above are first team regulars, other players who aren't regulars (e.g. Lasalo) are always on the block with the qualifier that if they haven't been given adequate exposure (e.g. Kelepi) than Stuart better be damned sure they can't cut it.
 
Messages
13,874
just some forwards we need about 3 big good forwards.
Ben Smith is doing his best but he is shot, knees gone can still tackle but has nothing in attack last night he made 15mtrs. Tell me any other forward in a starting side in the NRL that played more than 60mins this round who made less than 20mtrs?
I think really we need to see what some of the young fella's have got, give one or 2 a run every week like we have with Vai and Kelepi. Send those 2 back to wenty and give another 2 a go next week, give them a taste and send them to play NSWcup for a while and if they seem hungry enough bring them back.
 
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