Huge wrap on Parramatta Eels' 17-year-old Bevan French

[Gronk]

The swerve on Barba when he was off balance was freakish. Watching live I was sure he was gonna hit the ground.
He also pulled off another try saver as well.

The question is does he stay in the team, and if so at whose expense? We need Robson into the halves, and Taka is back next week. So either French drops out, or Gordon goes with Gutho to FB.

https://twitter.com/NRL/status/749428317237850112

 

[Sphagnum]

https://twitter.com/NRL/status/749428317237850112

That was pro. Great player in the making. Just needs to improve his defensive decisions which will all come with time and experience.

 

[hineyrulz]

Surely with our season gone the best for the club is to get as much game time for the likes of French and Guth???

That mean Gordon misses out IMO.

 

[Delboy]

Wouldn't Taka just go to 5/8 as before , not sure Robson has been at the club long enough to just go into the team. Edwards off the bench seems to suit him and the team style, energy when we rest Scott

 

[eels_fan]

Taka doesn't really offer that much more of a solid kicking game than Edwards, which is where we are coming undone at the moment, especially when Norman gets tackled on the 5th

 

[emjaycee]

The court may decide on Tuesday for us.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Surely with our season gone the best for the club is to get as much game time for the likes of French and Guth???

That mean Gordon misses out IMO.

I suspect French will head back down at some stage. He's had a taste of first grade and now he can go and practice his fullback play without hurting the team. Gordon is still the safer option, and we still want to win games.

 

[hineyrulz]

I suspect French will head back down at some stage. He's had a taste of first grade and now he can go and practice his fullback play without hurting the team. Gordon is still the safer option, and we still want to win games.

Whats the point??? What is French going to learn playing Nuffies??? The more first grade he plays the better. And will Gordon we such a huge loss anyway??? He won't be missed in attack.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Whats the point??? What is French going to learn playing Nuffies???

The same shit every young player learns in reserve grade. James Maloney had only played 16 first grade games before his 24th birthday.

The more first grade he plays the better.

That's not necessarily true. The pressure to win in the NRL is immense, and mistakes are punished often well out of proportion to the mistake. This can cause young players to learn bad habits and stifle their appetite for risk. Learning requires mistakes and the lower grades are a much better place to make those mistakes because nobody gives a f**k if they lose.

And will Gordon we such a huge loss anyway??? He won't be missed in attack.

He'll be missed in defence. And for a little bloke his go forward isn't too bad either. Finally, he just has a cool head due to all his experience. Don't think he's not important to this team. The plan is to be without him next year, but this year we need him. That's why we wouldn't release him early.

 

[Gronk]

The court may decide on Tuesday for us.

SKD was charged July 2015 and it only went to trial Feb 2016.

Semi won't be pleading guilty (cos it would finish or stall his NRL career), so unless the charges are withdrawn it will have to go to trial in 3/4/5/6 months time.

 

[hineyrulz]

The same shit every young player learns in reserve grade. James Maloney had only played 16 first grade games before his 24th birthday.



That's not necessarily true. The pressure to win in the NRL is immense, and mistakes are punished often well out of proportion to the mistake. This can cause young players to learn bad habits and stifle their appetite for risk. Learning requires mistakes and the lower grades are a much better place to make those mistakes because nobody gives a f**k if they lose.



He'll be missed in defence. And for a little bloke his go forward isn't too bad either. Finally, he just has a cool head due to all his experience. Don't think he's not important to this team. The plan is to be without him next year, but this year we need him. That's why we wouldn't release him early.

What does Maloney have to do with anything??? :?

This season is done, i'd rather BA do whats better for 2017 and beyond. And that's French or Guth at the back. not a 33 year old who won't be with us next season.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I guess we'll see. But if Gordon plays the rest of the year at fullback it doesn't mean you know more than Brad Arthur.

 

[lucablight]

So if you're not old enough you're not good enough. How many stints back in reserve grade did Haybe have?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Hayne wasn't a liability on the wing. He was strong in defence and offered good go forward. French is a great finisher but costs us in other areas. He is not a winger.

 

[Parra Pride]

Plenty of guys who couldn't defend for shit, or offer good forward, have had long careers playing first grade on the wing.

 

[lucablight]

Hayne wasn't a liability on the wing. He was strong in defence and offered good go forward. French is a great finisher but costs us in other areas. He is not a winger.

I'd say his positives far outweigh the negatives. Safe under the high ball, blistering speed and fantastic finisher. Taikarangi at five eighth with Gutherson in the centres and French on the wing is the best setup for the team right now IMO. What would you suggest instead?

 

[strider]

I think our priority right now is a 2nd kicker ... i think Taka has played well at 5/8 but i dont think he has that good a kicking game ... so maybe Robo needs to be fast tracked - i doubt we bought him to play for wenty

Having said that i would like to see French stay in the team

 

[lucablight]

I think our priority right now is a 2nd kicker ... i think Taka has played well at 5/8 but i dont think he has that good a kicking game ... so maybe Robo needs to be fast tracked - i doubt we bought him to play for wenty

Having said that i would like to see French stay in the team

Takarangi did pretty well against the Bulldogs. Norman does most of the kicking anyway. I wouldn't use Robson except as a last resort because I think his kicking game can be quite dreadful at times.

 

[strider]

Im willing to bet Taka wont be rushed back (our players never return as planned) - and Robo will get a run at half with kenny going back to the bench

 

[hineyrulz]

Plenty of guys who couldn't defend for shit, or offer good forward, have had long careers playing first grade on the wing.

Didn't stop the great Luke Burt being an all time great :sarcasm: