Fa'aoso up front at Eels

[The Colonel]

Fa'aoso up front at Eels

by Phil Sim
New Eels recruit Richard Fa'aoso is hoping to impress enough in his debut year with Parramatta in order to earn an extension on his one-year deal with the club.

Speaking to 1Eyed Eel, Fa'aoso said he was glad to back in Australia after a couple of years playing for the Castleford Tigers in the English Super League. Fa'aoso joined Castleford after stints with both the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers but said "England's not for me, Australia is".

"I'm hoping to have a really good year and hopefully sign for a couple of years because I'm really enjoying the club," he said. "My last couple of years haven't been so good, so I've really got to pull my finger out and start playing some good footy".

Parramatta signed Fa'aoso after releasing long-time Eel Michael Vella to English Super League rookies Hull Kingston Rovers. Although, better-known to Australian League fans as a second rower, Fa'aoso confirmed that he would be aiming to break into the Eel's first side via the engine room.

"If I'm any chance of playing first grade this year, I've got to play up from and then maybe slip back to back row. I'm training well, I'm just hoping to do my best and whereever I end up, I end up."
http://www.filthy_spammers.com/article.php?id=2241

 

[Utey]

I like 1 yr deals.

 

[BlueNGoldBlood]

Fa'aoso had some huge wraps on him when he first emerged at the panthers, hence why the roosters bought him.

If he lives up to his potential, same with cannings, they both could be very hard to keep out of the top side.

 

[Twizzle]

he seems to have the right attitude

now let's see if he can walk the walk

 

[bartman]

He impressed me in the Tonga v Samoa game at Leeds a few months back.

He outclassed guys like Hutch Maiava easily, was probably on Fui Fui's level in that match, although Solomon Haumono dominated on the day. If he's out to prove himself, then he should give us pretty good value this year.

 

[Stagger eel]

I have a feeling he's the sort of guy we're going to know what he's like after 1 trial. I'm not expecting too much tbh.

 

[Phillips]

i hope he brings us more aggression

 

[Stagger eel]

i hope he brings us more aggression

that's probably the best part in his game, i'm more concerned about his fitness and attitude.

 

[caylo]

i think him wanting to play as a frontrower could be a big mistake, he seems to only want to play there because he thinks it will be easyer to get a spot as a prop, then a secondrower. i realy think he would suit the backrow, but he would have to work on his fitness, and him and fui could realy feed off eachother

 

[yy_cheng]

If Cannings and Dick can get there games together, hitups from Caylo first, Fui 2nd and Cannings third with Dick replacing Fui or Cannings off the bench should get us on the front foot. Then Hindy and either IHindy, Wags, Lowrie, Robbo can clean up in defense.

 

[cardinal]

I have a feeling he's the sort of guy we're going to know what he's like after 1 trial. I'm not expecting too much tbh.

Never underestimate a desperate player. This might be his last chance at the nrl and he knows it. Players attitude and desire can change, a lot of people thought Brian Smith was a fool when he got Fui from souths overweight and with a bad attitude but look how that turned out.

 

[Stagger eel]

Never underestimate a desperate player. This might be his last chance at the nrl and he knows it. Players attitude and desire can change, a lot of people thought Brian Smith was a fool when he got Fui from souths overweight and with a bad attitude but look how that turned out.

well yes but with every success story there's also a couple of failures too, at the moment he could easily be one or the other.

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

i think him wanting to play as a frontrower could be a big mistake, he seems to only want to play there because he thinks it will be easyer to get a spot as a prop, then a secondrower. i realy think he would suit the backrow, but he would have to work on his fitness, and him and fui could realy feed off eachother

He played most of his football in the front row for Castleford and for the Roosters, it's not like he is making a desperate switch to get a spot in the side, he has played most of his first grade career in the front row.

 

[The Colonel]

for the Roosters,

Castleford maybe, but at the Roosters he alternated between centre, backrow and Premier League. He was also ten kilos lighter at the Roosters than he was now.

The trials should show if he can handle the front row or is better suited to the backrow - it will hopefully show that for a number of our front row hopefuls.

 

[BlueNGoldBlood]

The best part that i see from all of this is, that there is alot of healthy competition for spots in the top side.

Not that many people have their spots safely sewn up atm, anything can happen.

 

[Stagger eel]

The best part that i see from all of this is, that there is alot of healthy competition for spots in the top side.

Not that many people have their spots safely sewn up atm, anything can happen.

we could of said the same last year, more so infact...I believe there's a slight issue with depth across the board.

 

[The Colonel]

I believe there's a slight issue with depth across the board.

Depth in the centres is a concern but overall I think experience is more of an issue at this point.....

 

[BlueNGoldBlood]

we could of said the same last year, more so infact...I believe there's a slight issue with depth across the board.

Very true about the depth, but we do have quite a good group of juniors and semi - experienced players to call up though imo.

On the other hand, injuries to key players *touchwood* would deffinately hurt us ALOT more then say last year.

Hence why i said "anything can happen" at the end of my last post

 

[Stagger eel]

what concerns me greatly as that although we have a very talented squad several players have a long history of long term injuries we need a bit of luck in that area before i start thinking beyond September.

It's just how I feel at the moment.

 

[Jake the snake]

b4 the season starts everyone is excited...... but its different when the seasons starts when reality sets in. I have to say, I'm excited about the Juniors that we have coming through the ranks. feleti,INU,Huaraki, Cordoba etc.