Eels in the media

[I'm a loser baby...]

Very. Runs a lot of the skills work. Seems to have an endless supply of new drills

There's a 'Tigers' fan in here who'd like to meet this guy.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Very. Runs a lot of the skills work. Seems to have an endless supply of new drills

I bet he doesn't have as many as @Old tiger 79

 

[Poupou Escobar]

There's a 'Tigers' fan in here who'd like to meet this guy.

ffs

 

[parra pete]

Very. Runs a lot of the skills work. Seems to have an endless supply of new drills

TCT is a great service provided by a wonderful group of Eels and Rugby League fanatics.
I really look forward to reading EVERY post..
In my opinion - There is no better fan page on www . The Cumberland Throw has IT ALL.
Thanks PTAT and SIXTIES for your dedication.....OUTSTANDING..better than anything in MSM..

 

[Avenger]

Well you seem to think all clubs and teams are equal, with the only difference being the head coach.

No, they're not but not always the best team wins. Sometimes a team that has its backs to the wall can win in big games and defeat the better teams. We can't because we have a soft underbelly which has been our problem for decades now.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

No, they're not but not always the best team wins. Sometimes a team that has its backs to the wall can win in big games and defeat the better teams. We can't because we have a soft underbelly which has been our problem for decades now.

'Soft underbelly' = f**k all big game experience

We have played in six finals matches in the last ten years. In that time we have provided eight players to Origin for a total of 29 appearances. If you take out 2020 (the first time we've made the finals in consecutive seasons since '07) that's only four finals matches and five players for 21 Origin appearances in nine years. Absolutely atrocious.

Teams without 'soft underbellies' will have a very different level of big game experience in their most recent decade of footy.

2020 represents a real turning of the corner for us. Not only the consecutive top five finish but we've provided over a quarter of the Origin representation of the past decade in a single year.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So with our 2011-2020 decade of:
6 finals appearances
8 Origin players for 29 games

We can contrast this with the two not-soft-underbelly teams of the era:
Storm '11-'20
29 finals appearances
15 Origin players for 122 games

Roosters '11-'20
19 finals appearances
16 Origin players for 99 games

And you blame the f**ken coach for our inexperience in big games?

 

[Avenger]

So with our 2011-2020 decade of:
6 finals appearances
8 Origin players for 29 games

We can contrast this with the two not-soft-underbelly teams of the era:
Storm '11-'20
29 finals appearances
15 Origin players for 122 games

Roosters '11-'20
19 finals appearances
16 Origin players for 99 games

And you blame the f**ken coach for our inexperience in big games?

Yes, I think the f**king coach is average at best.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yes, I think the f**king coach is average at best.

Why do you think above average coaches avoid our club?

 

[84 Baby]

Why do you think above average coaches avoid our club?

Shit fans?

 

[hineyrulz]

Shit fans?

Our home ground slopes upwards????

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Shit fans?

Have we possibly had some structural disadvantages limiting our ability to compete?

 

[Avenger]

Why do you think above average coaches avoid our club?

Because we have a soft underbelly.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Because we have a soft underbelly.

So good coaches don't think it's something they can fix?

 

[Avenger]

So good coaches don't think it's something they can fix?

Are you now accepting the soft underbelly? We’ve always f**king had it and it’s a known fact amongst every team in the NRL and it’s been there since 1987.

 

[Avenger]

In an hour I’m going to go to a local Xmas get together and there will be some Sharks NRL staff there. I’ll ask them about your circular logic and our underachievement. Hopefully they’ll have a laugh.

Ho ho ho.

 

[hineyrulz]

Are you now accepting the soft underbelly? We’ve always f**king had it and it’s a known fact amongst every team in the NRL and it’s been there since 1987.

Since the day Pricey retired god damn it!!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Are you now accepting the soft underbelly?

At least for argument's sake. I'm trying to see how you draw the line between "always had a soft underbelly" and "its Arthur's fault".

We’ve always f**king had it and it’s a known fact amongst every team in the NRL and it’s been there since 1987.

I do agree, however I don't think the problem is with coaching, it's with recruitment/retention. Did you know that of our 29 Origin appearances since 2011, nearly half have been outside backs (Hayne, Hopoate, Jennings, Ferguson, Gutherson):

Hayne (fullback): 6 games
Mannah: 4 games
Paulo: 3 games
Brown: 2 games

It says something that the best players we can sign or keep play furthest from the middle of the field. The best forwards and spine players in the game are all at the best clubs. The rest of the clubs are stuck in bidding wars for downhill skiers like Josh Addo-Carr.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

In an hour I’m going to go to a local Xmas get together and there will be some Sharks NRL staff there. I’ll ask them about your circular logic and our underachievement. Hopefully they’ll have a laugh.

Ho ho ho.

It's not circular at all. We struggle to attract the most influential personnel. That is the core of our problem.

 

[Gronk]