Eels in the media

[Noise]

I doubt they will stay this way. Gutherson at least will end up back in the team.

At left centre, with Jennings on the right, French on the wing and Hayne at fullback

 

[Poupou Escobar]

At left centre, with Jennings on the right, French on the wing and Hayne at fullback

That's one possibility. But Gutherson's strength is his work rate, which is best utilised at fullback (or the halves).

 

[Noise]

That's one possibility. But Gutherson's strength is his work rate, which is best utilised at fullback (or the halves).

But his weakness is his knee. His other strength is one on one defence - perfect at centre. He will do the least running at centre and the best way to ease him back. Also I am predicting Hayne to fire at fullback , winning 3 of our next 4 and hoping BA learns from his fixing what isn't broken (Jennings on the right last year, left this year) and doesn't change a winning combo too much

 

[Happy MEel]

I doubt they will stay this way. Gutherson at least will end up back in the team.

For sure but that’s not the “wrong decision” we’re talking about because BA’s hands were tied with this one. These are the f**k ups im referring to:

1. French at Fullback
2. Jennings on the left, Hayne on the right
3. Leaving Kenny out of the round 1 side

 

[Poupou Escobar]

For sure but that’s not the “wrong decision” we’re talking about because BA’s hands were tied with this one. These are the f**k ups im referring to:

1. French at Fullback
2. Jennings on the left, Hayne on the right
3. Leaving Kenny out of the round 1 side

None of those things were f**k ups. All were done with good reason.

Ultimately every decision is a matter of assessing risk and reward. Just because in a couple of instances something did or didn't appear to work doesn't mean it is the only viable option. No more than flipping three straight heads means that the result of a coin toss is anything other than fifty fifty.

We have a few players in our squad (including Hayne) whose 'best position' is conditional. Nothing is a foregone conclusion. It's probably our biggest weakness.

 

[Happy MEel]

None of those things were f**k ups. All were done with good reason.

Ultimately every decision is a matter of assessing risk and reward. Just because in a couple of instances something did or didn't appear to work doesn't mean it is the only viable option. No more than flipping three straight heads means that the result of a coin toss is anything other than fifty fifty.

We have a few players in our squad (including Hayne) whose 'best position' is conditional. Nothing is a foregone conclusion. It's probably our biggest weakness.

Of course those things were done for a reason. If there was no reason for them they wouldn’t have been done. However, I am claiming that the reasons Noise, IALB and myself have identified for Edwards’ inclusion, French being moved to the wing and swapping Jennings to the right outweighed them. So the initial decision was “a mistake”.

 

[strider]

Of course those things were done for a reason. If there was no reason for them they wouldn’t have been done. However, I am claiming that the reasons Noise, IALB and myself have identified for Edwards’ inclusion, French being moved to the wing and swapping Jennings to the right outweighed them. So the initial decision was “a mistake”.

I think the 3 thingsnyou identified were pretty clearly logical decisions ...

Jennings has always favoured the left and hayne right when he has played a side

French was always been touted a fullback

Our forwards were a total coin toss as to who would miss out

 

[Noise]

I think the 3 thingsnyou identified were pretty clearly logical decisions ...

Jennings has always favoured the left and hayne right when he has played a side

French was always been touted a fullback

Our forwards were a total coin toss as to who would miss out

There was some logic behind the decision but still the wrong decision. I will bet we won't see any of them (French fullback, Jennings on the left and Edwards missing out) again for the rest of the season (barring injury/suspension)

 

[Happy MEel]

I think the 3 thingsnyou identified were pretty clearly logical decisions ...

Jennings has always favoured the left and hayne right when he has played a side

French was always been touted a fullback

Our forwards were a total coin toss as to who would miss out

Hayne’s defence in the centres has been suspect so pairing him next to Moses was ridiculous, particularly considering how successful Jennings was there last year in both attack and defence.

French may be touted as a fullback for the future but he certainly isn’t a quality one yet. With Guth out, both of these issues could have been soughted from round 1, which BA has now realised is best for the team, but plenty here proposed in the off season.

The Edwards ommission was a f**k up,
plain and simple. He’d be one of the first forwards picked in or 17 by the vast majority on here. If we can see it based on our previous performances BA should have as well. Thankfully he has seen sense.

 

[strider]

Haynes centre defense would probably be just as poor on the left ... norman aint a particularly great defender either

I get your points but i reckon they are al at least 50/50 calls

 

[Happy MEel]

Haynes centre defense would probably be just as poor on the left ... norman aint a particularly great defender either

I get your points but i reckon they are al at least 50/50 calls

Do you reckon 50% of people on here had Edwards out of their round 1 side?

 

[strider]

Do you reckon 50% of people on here had Edwards out of their round 1 side?

50% of people on here dont coach the team


I'd like to thank poupou escobar - he taught me everything i know

 

[Happy MEel]

50% of people on here dont coach the team


I'd like to thank poupou escobar - he taught me everything i know

Correct. Which goes to show how big of a f**k up it was.

 

[strider]

Correct. Which goes to show how big of a f**k up it was.

I personally would NOT have left kenny out - i think last year showed he provides great energy to our team

But i can see the choice was to leave one of - kenny, taka, moeroa - out of the team .... im just saying its not totally ridiculous that kenny was the one who missed out

 

[Happy MEel]

I personally would NOT have left kenny out - i think last year showed he provides great energy to our team

But i can see the choice was to leave one of - kenny, taka, moeroa - out of the team .... im just saying its not totally ridiculous that kenny was the one who missed out

And Kenny is the clear winner as an edge forward over them all. I’d also have him over Ma’u. Another option would have been having Moeroa play in the middle and dropping Matagi. It’s easy for me to say this in hindsight but we were also stating this in the lead up to round 1 after the side was announced.

So for mine, the decision was as ridiculous as you can get and the result tends to agree.

 

[El Diablo]

Do you reckon 50% of people on here had Edwards out of their round 1 side?

wasn't he unavailable due to injury?

 

[strider]

And Kenny is the clear winner as an edge forward over them all. I’d also have him over Ma’u. Another option would have been having Moeroa play in the middle and dropping Matagi. It’s easy for me to say this in hindsight but we were also stating this in the lead up to round 1 after the side was announced.

So for mine, the decision was as ridiculous as you can get and the result tends to agree.

The problem with dropping matagi is we end up with really only 1 middle forward who is prodominantly a hard ball runner - evans ... mannah, alvaro, brown, scott, moeroa are really workers .... i can understand picking matagi .... tho i also think he and evans have been a bit disappointing so far this season (mind you they are not on their own)

 

[Happy MEel]

wasn't he unavailable due to injury?

Nope. Not selected in round 1, injured for round 2

 

[strider]

wasn't he unavailable due to injury?

He was left out round 1

Having said that .... my mind wanders with conspiracy theories - left out round one, then gets a injury thats only a 1 week injury

 

[Happy MEel]

The problem with dropping matagi is we end up with really only 1 middle forward who is prodominantly a hard ball runner - evans ... mannah, alvaro, brown, scott, moeroa are really workers .... i can understand picking matagi .... tho i also think he and evans have been a bit disappointing so far this season (mind you they are not on their own)

That’s a fair point but I think we have sufficient go forward at the end and start of each half with Evans and Tep as our metre eaters, with Kenny given a roving licence to help out in the middle as well.