2011 is not a rebuilding year

[Ike E Bear]

It isn't. In a rebuilding year, you're building to something. You're working on combinations. You're developing players. Most importantly, you have something to show for it at the end, even if that's only improvement that can be built upon.

In reality, this season is an experimental season and 2012 is the true rebuilding season. That's a very scary realisation.

I'm not interested in attributing blame for the situation we're now in ... I just want to get a grip of what we're facing and address the issue of expectations.

I say 2011 is an experimental season because Kearney is using a lot of different players, combinations and strategies as if he's trying to find what works and what doesn't, and - more importantly - WHO works and WHO doesn't. The Eels are a team in flux.

Anyone else notice that we nabbed Joseph Paulo, slotted him straight into first grade, he was responsible for (or at least badly contributed to) some bad defence in the middle, was replaced and never seen again? Apologies if he was injured, but it looked like he was hooked.

Next year, we'll replace at least half our backline and most likely both our halves. I'll be amazed if all that immediately gels.

I'm hoping for the best in 2012, but I think it's realistic to expect that it will be the REAL rebuilding season.

 

[SDM]

I agree, we should have spent the year building on combinations, and allowing Sandow and Roberts to get used to playing in the team and linking up with Hayne and Keating.

 

[Haynzy]

I think many of those chopped and changed combos are due to injuries.

 

[Joely01]

I think many of those chopped and changed combos are due to injuries.

x2
Are poeple actually surprised about this season?
we have had a pretty bad run with injuries, and were well bellow the salary cap. at the start of the year many of us on here didnt have very high hopes at all, so yes the results are dissapointing but, really are you actually surprised?

 

[hindy111]

Its more like a gap year

 

[84 Baby]

I agree that next year will be something of a rebuilding year with the addition of new core players. Fingers crossed the rebuilding is mostly done in February and not with 8 rounds left in the season. That in my books will determine Kearney's fate. Realistically I (and probably many fans) expect the team to be in the top 8 around the halfway point next year. If we're not, Kearney should then come under the same review that Ando did last year.

But I disagree that this was an experimental season. First half of the year was crap with the occasional glimmer. But we did build and showed great performances against Dragons, Storm, Manly and Tigers. Up until last night I felt the season was going as I expected it would at the start of the year. Given our season is 4 games from completion, you'd expect a few extremely frustrating games (last night went even beyond that). Think back to what we did to teams in 2009 at a similar stage. It will be how we bounce back over the next month that will gauge how much we've built this season. That in my books will determine the players' fates. Any, absolutely ANY, player that shows the same mentality that they displayed last night should begin figuring out the best route to Ringrose and hire a psychologist until they are mentally fit to play first grade.

 

[Ike E Bear]

I agree, we should have spent the year building on combinations, and allowing Sandow and Roberts to get used to playing in the team and linking up with Hayne and Keating.

I'm not suggesting that we could or should be doing anything differently in 2011, only that there isn't a lot of rebuilding going on.

This isn't a criticism of 2011, but rather a musing that 2012 probably isn't going to deliver instant success.

The implied promise in a "rebuilding year" is that we're building to something. Next year, we're going to have much better playing resources and that shoudl help the team achieve much better results, but I think the real success that we all crave can't reasonably be expected in 2012.

The only team that has undergone changes like we're seeing next year and enjoyed almsot instant success was the Bulldogs when they bought Kimmorley and Ennis.

 

[TheParraboy]

I think Suitman is the only one around here qualified on building and rebuilding matters

Looking forward to seeing what he has to say tbh...

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The only team that has undergone changes like we're seeing next year and enjoyed almsot instant success was the Bulldogs when they bought Kimmorley and Ennis.

Don't forget the Eels in '05

 

[Mighty Mick Cronin]

when they read the record books in 20 years time - there wont be an asterix next to wooden spoon - parramatta eels - saying it was a rebuliding year, its a whole season wasted

 

[Y2Eel]

The only team that has undergone changes like we're seeing next year and enjoyed almsot instant success was the Bulldogs when they bought Kimmorley and Ennis.

The only problem is that the next 2 seasons they sucked ass.......

You need structure going out buying players is good for a season or 2 but you need to be producing those juniors to replace the aging players in your team...

The Broncos are great at it and i think that is what the eels want to achieve long success..

Have a look at the Titans watch them go great next season and fall in a slump again much like the roosters of 2010 Bulldogs of 2009..

 

[boxhead]

We are definitely looking to the long term future, not the short term, which ultimately is a good thing but only if you are doing the right thing. Take Arsenal for example. Building a great young squad for years but a lack of direction and effective recruitment has let them down (this is not a dig at Arsenal, guys, just pointing out what the majority of their fans say-remember I support them as well!). We can't expect to win a premiership in the next year no matter who we recruit. We have to find the best solution to an ongoing problem, and frankly I am very happy that the club is investing a lot more time in it's juniors and talent identification systems. That is one of the key factors required for consistent success.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

this is not a dig at Arsenal, guys, just pointing out what the majority of their fans say-remember I support them as well.

Have you ever even been to London?

I don't get people who follow a team they have no real links to. I watch a lot of sport and prefer some teams to others but the only club I could ever truly love is the Eels.

And even then I hate them sometimes.

 

[Y2Eel]

We are definitely looking to the long term future, not the short term, which ultimately is a good thing but only if you are doing the right thing. Take Arsenal for example. Building a great young squad for years but a lack of direction and effective recruitment has let them down (this is not a dig at Arsenal, guys, just pointing out what the majority of their fans say-remember I support them as well!). We can't expect to win a premiership in the next year no matter who we recruit. We have to find the best solution to an ongoing problem, and frankly I am very happy that the club is investing a lot more time in it's juniors and talent identification systems. That is one of the key factors required for consistent success.

It took Bellamy 5 seasons to win a premiership with the storm The same with Dessie Hasler at Manly.. I think the Club needs stability how many coaches has there been here in 6 seasons?

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I reckon it is a rebuilding year, we are cleaning out our roster, re signing a lot of juniors, changing our playing structure and signing players which the coach obviously thinks fit into his plan, sacking coaches - so yes I say it is a rebuilding year.

 

[Parra Pride]

Have you ever even been to London?

I don't get people who follow a team they have no real links to. I watch a lot of sport and prefer some teams to others but the only club I could ever truly love is the Eels.

And even then I hate them sometimes.

They may frustrate me at times, but I could never hate them.

 

[The EELiminator]

It isn't. In a rebuilding year, you're building to something. You're working on combinations. You're developing players. Most importantly, you have something to show for it at the end, even if that's only improvement that can be built upon.

In reality, this season is an experimental season and 2012 is the true rebuilding season. That's a very scary realisation.

I'm not interested in attributing blame for the situation we're now in ... I just want to get a grip of what we're facing and address the issue of expectations.

I say 2011 is an experimental season because Kearney is using a lot of different players, combinations and strategies as if he's trying to find what works and what doesn't, and - more importantly - WHO works and WHO doesn't. The Eels are a team in flux.

Anyone else notice that we nabbed Joseph Paulo, slotted him straight into first grade, he was responsible for (or at least badly contributed to) some bad defence in the middle, was replaced and never seen again? Apologies if he was injured, but it looked like he was hooked.

Next year, we'll replace at least half our backline and most likely both our halves. I'll be amazed if all that immediately gels.

I'm hoping for the best in 2012, but I think it's realistic to expect that it will be the REAL rebuilding season.

sometimes you have to knock everything down to the foundations before you can rebuild

 

[btaag]

It is a rebuilding year - so plainly obvious as to make this original post and thread unduly negative (surprise, surprise). Still, each to their own.

 

[bartman]

I think we overachieved in 2009 in the first year under coach who hadn't yet had a say in the roster. Then we underperformed in 2010 and also I would say in 2011 - under a different coach who also hadn't yet had a say in the roster.

There is some hope in thinking that this is a rebuilding year, and next year gets better when the coach has more of the roster he wants... but as 2010 shows, that doesn't always happen in that order. I have hope looking at the roster we're assembling, but I also didn't think we'd go so shit this year, with the roster we have had...

 

[yy_cheng]

I think we overachieved in 2009 in the first year under coach who hadn't yet had a say in the roster. Then we underperformed in 2010 and also I would say in 2011 - under a different coach who also hadn't yet had a say in the roster.

There is some hope in thinking that this is a rebuilding year, and next year gets better when the coach has more of the roster he wants... but as 2010 shows, that doesn't always happen in that order. I have hope looking at the roster we're assembling, but I also didn't think we'd go so shit this year, with the roster we have had...

I knew we would go crap when our halves were consistently named as

6. Mortimer
7. Robson

On top of that, Tahu and Grothe leaving and Poore injured, where else would we have been?

I was actually surprised in the last 8 weeks how close we got to some of the top teams. But that also coincided with the splitting of our Grand Final halves pair.