Benny's next on the hit list.

[Stagger eel]

I was tipped of earlier this week that Benny has been given an ultimatum that is, if you want to stay at the club it'll be in the backrow where you'll replace Robo and Wags.

I believe he's not crazy about the idea but is giving it some thought.

btw, Hages still rates him and wants him at the club but definitely not as a centre.

 

[junior009]

I think this has probably been on the cards for a while now.

Just out of curiosity though, if ?Hayne and Inu are our centres, Grothe is one winger....who will be the other??

 

[Stagger eel]

I think this has probably been on the cards for a while now.

Just out of curiosity though, if ?Hayne and Inu are our centres, Grothe is one winger....who will be the other??

the question has been thrown about for some time, I'd say it's between Etu, Reddy and Taulima.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Atleast Hagan realises that he isn't the solution, however i doubt he'll be a gun in the forwards either, unless he develops an old Hindy/Menzies game plan of running outwide or off a half or 5/8?

 

[Stagger eel]

Atleast Hagan realises that he isn't the solution, however i doubt he'll be a gun in the forwards either, unless he develops an old Hindy/Menzies game plan of running outwide or off a half or 5/8?

they're looking at him similar to a Menzies style of player, obviously a project for the coaching department to turn him into into that and they think they can do it.

 

[parra-matters]

sounds like a good idea provided he is happy enough to stay and play that style.

 

[Phillips]

Chad Robison needs to be resigned

 

[Avenger]

Ben Smith is expendable. I would not re-sign him. We have good backrowers in the club. Nathan Hindmarsh, Chad Robinson, Tony Williams, Wellar, Mateo, Mark Riddell and even Todd Lowrie are ahead of him.

 

[parra-matters]

Lets see him play back row 1st before making a judgement.

 

[COACH STERLING]

Its centre or nothing.
We have a whole stack of dynamic second rowers at the club who can fill the lock/second row position.
I would leave if I was Benny. A club like the tigers would suit him.

 

[yy_cheng]

Why Menzies?

They should play him either 2 ways:

a) like Moimoi - run hard, no jinking or shuffle and use his upper body like grothe does
b) like Gene Miles. Run hard wide in between 2 players and use the wingers

 

[Redback71]

His a great player in my opinion and is sound in defence and can score trys would be a shame to loose him.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

just watched our rd 12 clash versus the tigers from last year, the tigers only try came from a Ben Smith f**k up in defense.

 

[Gronk]

Eels fight for Smith
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph

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By James Hooper

February 03, 2008 12:00am

PARRAMATTA have hatched a plan to turn forgotten centre Ben Smith into a wide-running backrower as the Eels fight to sign him ahead of a March 1 deadline.

With rival NRL clubs circling, Smith's agent and the Eels have set a 28-day time frame to either broker a new contract or begin testing his value on the open market.

Parramatta coach Michael Hagan has indicated a desire to retain Smith, 23, but the move would mean a positional switch to develop him into a backrower beyond 2008.

The positional switch for Smith is designed to accommodate rising international stars Krisnan Inu and Jarryd Hayne, who will form a fresh centre partnership for Parramatta in 2008.

"I'd be happy to stay with Parra, but I guess in terms of the future with Jarryd Hayne and Krisnan Inu, they're obviously stars," Smith said.

"So I'll probably start in the centres. But down the track, if I stay I dare say I'll have to move into the back row to make way for Inu.

"I'm happy to do that if that's what's best for the team. I'd be happy to stay, I think the next couple of years are going to be good for Parra, it's a young, exciting team.

One of the stars of Parramatta's surge to the 2005 minor premiership, Smith is currently recovering from an off-season left knee reconstruction and shoulder surgery.

While the back row would represent uncharted territory for Smith, Hagan believes he could be developed into a destructive wide-running forward.

"We're in the process of trying to sort out a longer-term deal for Ben to stay at Parramatta. That would be our next priority, I suppose, and we would like for him to stay," Hagan said.

"Given what he offers defensively as a centre, in a lot of ways the role of a wide-running backrower and a centre are not dissimilar anymore."

Parramatta football manager Andrew Hill has met Smith's agent Daryl Mather and further discussions are expected on March 1.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23149574-5006066,00.html

 

[Gronk]

I was tipped of earlier this week that Benny

Get the early edition again Stagger ? ;-) :lol:

 

[Stagger eel]

Get the early edition again Stagger ? ;-) :lol:

normally I would, last night i didn't infact i spoke about this earler in the evening over dinner with Hellsy, holic, eelz47 and Nikki present...

 

[eelz47]

yep, mr info tipped us off by say 7.32pm

 

[fish eel]

from Gronks article sounds like Benny's manager is doing is job.

I wonder just how many 'rival nrl clubs' are circling? Given there is no June 30 anymore, wouldnt they just jump in of they wanted him?

 

[Stagger eel]

from Gronks article sounds like Benny's manager is doing is job.

I wonder just how many 'rival nrl clubs' are circling? Given there is no June 30 anymore, wouldnt they just jump in of they wanted him?

it depends what you mean by "Jump in" the NRL are sailing on unchattared waters with all this there doesn't appear to be any players jumping ship so I would imagine that the clubs are only concentrating on their current roster before they really rip in with external signings.

 

[Kornstar]

Chad Robison needs to be resigned

Chad will most likely be heading to England