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2019 Rd2: Parramatta v Bulldogs LIVE GAME DAY thread March 24th

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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91,262
I remember when the wallabies board were fuming that we snatched Tepai from them. He came with huge wraps. He was a phenomenal athlete who was at a Olympic level at shot put. People were saying he was the greatest union junior of all time. At this stage I wouldn’t mind offloading him. He’s just a standard NRL player. That’s all.
Teams don't need standard NRL players?
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,336
He was in a moon boot all week and in doubt right up until late in the week. He was obviously told not to run much to minimise the risk to his ankle (or whatever is injured). He made 31 tackles in 44 minutes.

Yeah he was on the field when the dogs had all the ball. He hits hard too, he stopped a few of their forwards in their tracks.
 

hindy111

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62,867
He was in a moon boot all week and in doubt right up until late in the week. He was obviously told not to run much to minimise the risk to his ankle (or whatever is injured). He made 31 tackles in 44 minutes.

And let in one with a stupid attempt of a big hit.
I am a Tepai fan. But he needs to be consistant. Has he ever had a mom perofrmance. It's rare I see him feature on here in the 3,2, 1
 

hindy111

Post Whore
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62,867
Yeah he was on the field when the dogs had all the ball. He hits hard too, he stopped a few of their forwards in their tracks.

Yes I am not basing it on just yesterday. If you had Manu,Brown back and lets say Kafusi form steps up and can't be held back who makes room? Nikuore and Lane may have overtaken him outwide.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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91,262
And let in one with a stupid attempt of a big hit.
I am a Tepai fan. But he needs to be consistant. Has he ever had a mom perofrmance. It's rare I see him feature on here in the 3,2, 1
Because he’s not an attacking player. That’s why he plays in the middle now. He’s also had a lot of injuries. That can’t have helped his development.
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,889
Is it just me or does Tepai seem overrated? He came in with huge wraps as a junior. He just hasn’t fully bloomed. It’s like we are all waiting for him to have that break out year. It’s just not happening.

He is a dud. He would be on around 400-500k mostly like you said on potential and the wraps that he was getting coming through the lower grades, but he has lived up to none of them. He is a bit of a defensive work horse and that is about it.

So he is on overs for what he has produced almost from the start. When dose his contract end? I would not offer him more then 200k next time around. For what he offers, virtually nothing in attack and 25-35 tackles a game we can get virtually any palooka to do that from our lower grades on minimum coin.

On that saving, I would seriously see if we could entice Tevita Pangai Junior to our club. He would be worth around 900k to 1 million. This at the moment would be doable for us with so many players coming off contract. If we don't renew the contracts of players such as French, Hofman, Smith, Ma'u, Moeroa, Gower is retiring, Pritchard is gone and M Jennings a reduced offer, we would have more then enough to offer him. Each one of these players would be on around or above 300k except Smith and Pritchard who would be on less.

Yes I know pou, we still have to fill all those places with other players, sure, but that is why we are very fortunate that our juniors are coming to the point of NRL selection. So we can fill those places with minimum pay guys just like the Roosters do. Besides look at the players that I have cut, they are all very expendable or fringe, but would be all on decent coin, so there is a lot of money tied up in them. Like I said we should be able to have a good shot at him and if our team plays well this season, no scandals and we attract huge crowds at our new home, surely our management can somehow attract a TPA or two for such a player.

Yeah I know, clubs aren't involved in TPA's, and then there is the real world. At the very least we can make it very difficult for the Broncs to keep him. But if we could get such a destructive force in our pack, plus the current nucleus of our pack, we would have a very explosive and powerful team with a lot of skill.

But then again, we could wait and see what our young forwards coming through are capable of and go from there. I haven't seen enough of them to know if we have one or two standouts that will give us that type of high quality, SOO or international level player with size, power and intimidation to elevate our pack into premiership contenders.

Maybe others here know the answer to this and can share please?
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
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77,580
I was pretty sure that was a mistake that the media just sort of ran with.

Sure it was reported originally as a three year deal with an option for a fourth

So these quotes are made up ?

  • April 4, 2018 3:02pm
  • NATHAN RYAN

“It’s not until June I need to make a decision,” Jennings told Market Watch.

“It’s my option if I want to stay another two years or look anywhere else.
 

Bazal

Post Whore
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103,009
So these quotes are made up ?

  • April 4, 2018 3:02pm
  • NATHAN RYAN

“It’s not until June I need to make a decision,” Jennings told Market Watch.

“It’s my option if I want to stay another two years or look anywhere else.

Iunno, I don't read every single article

Just going off what was reported. Like you, which is my point.
 

Soren Lorenson

First Grade
Messages
7,571
Bevan sent me a text the other day about my birthday. How about I ring him and ask for Menning's number then we can find out direct from the man himself.
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,336
Tepai was the best player on the ground in the 2017 Final against Melbourne, before succumbing to injury.

And he also helped in limiting Taumalolo to under 150m a few years back. He just lacks a bit of consistency to his game. Needed to spend more time in reserve grade. Look at how much time Marata was given in reserve grade and he's seemingly going to put out strong performances each game.

I'd like to see us give our young forwards at least a year in reserve grade before bringing them up full time. That's why I don't like the talk of bringing Kaufusi up. He has only played a handful of ISP/CC games and apart from a few he has been average, which is relatively good as he was only 19 last year and turning 20 this year.
 

Homo man69

Juniors
Messages
500
And he also helped in limiting Taumalolo to under 150m a few years back. He just lacks a bit of consistency to his game. Needed to spend more time in reserve grade. Look at how much time Marata was given in reserve grade and he's seemingly going to put out strong performances each game.

I'd like to see us give our young forwards at least a year in reserve grade before bringing them up full time. That's why I don't like the talk of bringing Kaufusi up. He has only played a handful of ISP/CC games and apart from a few he has been average, which is relatively good as he was only 19 last year and turning 20 this year.
So true. I’m noticing players coming through aged 22-23 seem to do a lot better than players brought in any earlier. Unless they are absolute freaks. I think a lot of players careers are ruined cause they are brought in to early and are never able to fully catch up. I think Luke Brooks is one of those players.
 

Gronk

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Staff member
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77,580
He said in the media this is his last year here and doesn’t want to leave on a sour note.

Do you mean this one ? If you read the quotes in isolation, the final year vs two more years is still unresolved IHO.


Jennings looking to end Parra chapter on right note

Michael Jennings concedes he got too comfortable last season during Parramatta's toughest time and wants to make amends in possibly his final year at the club, starting against his old side Penrith on Sunday.

The 30-year-old took the first step to redemption in the pre-season by knocking back an offer from Newcastle to see out the final season of a four-year contract he agreed to when joining the Eels in 2016.

Despite playing in every game for the blue and gold last season, Jennings referred to an unhealthy diet and skipping key "one percenters" as factors in his underwhelming form.
"I guess just handling situations differently," Jennings said, when asked what he had learnt from the 2018 season.

"I think I got too comfortable and just thought things would happen. The little extras, little one percent stuff that I used to do I fell away from that. Just relied on talent and things will be right, but they weren't alright last year.

"I think the easy side is the footy stuff for me but it's the off-field stuff that I had to fix up."


The Tongan international said speculation around his future had unsettled him but also delivered a wake-up call he needed.

An honest chat with Eels coach Brad Arthur, who too will enter the 2019 season under pressure to deliver results, was the catalyst for a shift in focus.

"Yeah, it was frustrating because, you know, I wanted to stick it out here and I didn't want to leave on bad terms and bad form," Jennings said.

"I wanted to leave on my own terms and yeah that's frustrating to hear that stuff but I got through it.

"I've put in a hard pre-season and really self-reflected on last year and just looking forward to a big one this year."


As part of his turnaround, Jennings has ditched the temptation of junk food.

He highlighted salt and vinegar chips as a personal favourite that he needed to let go.

"Just don't eat crap, that was the thing and being comfortable sitting in front of the television and stop snacking," he said.

"I've been working hard in the gym and have changed my diet and doing all the off-field stuff helping me at training.

"My speed isn't as fast as when I was younger but it's still up there. I'm feeling good."


https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/03/17/michael-jennings-looking-to-finish-eels-chapter-on-right-note/
 

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