David "the half pom" Gower

[Noise]

Yep, Tepai is hopeless. He doesn't run good lines. And he often gets smashed and put on his back resulting in slow play the balls.

 

[Eelementary]

Yep, Tepai is hopeless. He doesn't run good lines. And he often gets smashed and put on his back resulting in slow play the balls.

It's puzzling to me why he doesn't use his massive frame to his advantage.

 

[JohnStoppafarty]

It's puzzling to me why he doesn't use his massive frame to his advantage.

Too much Clark Kent and not enough Superman.

 

[Cumberland Eel]

whoops wrong thread

 

[Happy MEel]

Gower is effective because he is smart. He runs an angle where there is a gap directly behind the ruck from the markers. At worst he is tackled from the side but is rarely wrestled front on and put on his back.

It blows my mind that he can do it so consistently (and has since he arrived at the eels), but every other middle merkin runs straight into the biggest merkins in the defensive line. I’d say he learnt it at Manly and brought it across with him. It is something our coaching staff have failed to install in our other middles.

 

[strider]

Yep, Tepai is hopeless. He doesn't run good lines. And he often gets smashed and put on his back resulting in slow play the balls.

I dont think Tepai is anything special - good defender, but not offering alot in attack

But all nrl,players get gang tackled and put on their back ... i think Tep is running harder now than he has and does skittle a few merkins at times ... but the best backrowers dont rely on running over people, they run good lines - and he just doesnt seem to

 

[Bazal]

I dont think Tepai is anything special - good defender, but not offering alot in attack

But all nrl,players get gang tackled and put on their back ... i think Tep is running harder now than he has and does skittle a few merkins at times ... but the best backrowers dont rely on running over people, they run good lines - and he just doesnt seem to

I think Tep is still suffering from being so far above the rest in NYC and even NSW Cup.

He just ran over pricks there, he never had to run lines. I think it's easy for a player to revert to type...he certainly CAN run a line, it's just not habitual and that's hard to change.

Whether he ever kicks on to the extent he promised will depend on him learning off a guy like Ma'u, who runs great lines.

I also think we forget sometimes that he's only about six months older than the bloke who made his FG debut yesterday...

 

[Twizzle]

Got some info yesterday that Stone is still in development squad (at the moment).
Apparently development squad players can be named in 21 but special dispensation/approval needed from NRL to actually play them in the 17.

I read an explanation of our development squad on FB this morning and the poster said Salmon was also in our development squad and can only play NRL if we have injuries this year

 

[Avenger]

I love this guy. Very impressive. His footwork at the line is something others need to learn. I reckon he has made easily over 150m and I haven’t even checked the stats.

 

[strider]

Legend

 

[Gazzamatta]

Credit where credit is due. He led the pack tonight. An enormous game. Well done old fella.

 

[Eelementary]

I love Gowie.

He's a legend - never lets us down, smart player, defensively solid...

And an absolute champion bloke, too.

 

[JohnStoppafarty]

I can't recall him ever having a bad game for us. How he isn't first picked every week and our captain is mind boggling to me. I love the bloke. Get him up here, I wanna boof him!

 

[Tooooks]

NRL stats show 18 runs for 173m, 5 TB, 1 LBA, 2 offloads and 18 tackles. Superb performance.

 

[strider]

Generally he is mr reliable and steady .... tonight he was almost best on field .... i kept thinking it was fergos bald head making breaks in the middle, but no Davey Gower!!!

 

[Twizzle]

he's like the eveready bunnie, he just keeps going

 

[hineyrulz]

And he is great off his pads as well.

 

[Kornstar]

If we had more players with his attitude and professionalism we’d be close to a top 4 team consistently.

Asset to the club and further to the game! Absolute champion on and off the field!!

 

[eel01s]

Excellent game. Our other forwards need to follow his lead.

 

[EelsFan05]

Love the Growler. Should be in the team every week.