My Forecast For The Eels This Year

[j-boog]

2006 is going to be an exciting year for the eels both on and off the field with the recruitment of the new coach Michael Hagan and for once no new players in the fold. we have lots of exciting young guys coming up from the big success in premier league being grand final champions and that should bone the team in good stead for the upcoming season with players competing for spots in all positions. only Nathan Hindmarsh and specailised goalkicker Luke Burt seem assured of there spots for now. following is my thourough opinion of the battle for each position and who will win:

FULLBACK- there are many players from the new coach to choose from, no less than Wade McKinnon, Luke Burt, Kris Inu, Marcus Perenara and Matt Peterson. there will be a tussle throughout the season but i expect Wade to fulfill his duties out the back well. He is like the engeriser bunny and the rest are charged by Duracell.

WINGERS- Eric Grothe seems like an obvious choice for the wing position but who else will play? I like the looks of Peterson and coach Hagan may choose to shift Tahu out to the wing where he was so successful for newcastle. Watch for youngsters Anderson and my hot tip John Williams to make a big impact sometime in the season.

CENTRES - Ben Smith was exciting against the opposition last season before going a bit silent at the end of the season. I think he will be back for another big season and it will be exciting to see him continue to play his exciting brand of football that no other young centre in the NRL can offer.

5/8 - 5/8 is a tough position and John Morris filled the boots well last season the best we had since Beuttner in 2001. However Morris will be challanged from the likes of Marcus Perenara and Daniel Wagon to keep his position in first grade but a challange i feel he is up to myself.

HALF BACK - Tim Smith was the sensation of the rugby league world last year and hopefully he can continue that into 2006 and play even more exciting football for the Eels. Hagan will be able to teach him lots after all he has taught Joey for many a year now.

LOCK- Watch for Glen Morrison to shift to lock to make way for Dean Widders in the second rowers. Daniel Wagon and a freshly slimline Justin Tsulous are the other favourites to gain this position once the season starts.

SECONF ROW - Mathan Hindmarsh and Dean Widders have the inside running to be the Eels second row for the year and they will form an exciting partnership that will be the envy of all other clubs. watch for exciting youngsters Oake and Afamasaga(sp?) to push for positions in the team too.

PROP - Captain Cayless will be out to prove that hes a worthy captain and player for our team. he will be up next to Vella and watch out for Fui Fui to make a surprise comeback once his suspension is finished with into the season. Paul Stringer can also not be forgotten

PROPS - Mark Riddell and P.J. Marsh should share hooker duties again. a fat man for the toughness of the start of the game and the little guy to tear a part the tired defenses at the end of each half with exciting ball movements. I predict Marsh will encapture the form that had him selected to the Qld origin team all those years ago and piggy may earn rep honours too.

thats just my opinion what do you all think????

 

[shaun]

well. i think Hagan wont be coaching till 2007 and brett anderson is playing with Nth Qld.


Im hoping Cannings has a big year. He is one player that has lots of room for improvement. Hes a big unit and can be damaging in attack and defence but often had very quiet games last year. i think a bench with Moi Moi and cannings would be a very attacking team.

 

[eloquentEEL]

Correct. Brett Anderson has gone to Townsville.

Marcus Perenara is not a fullback... it will be between McKinnon and Joel Reddy.

The "second" wing spot will be between Burt and Petersen. I still can't see Williams getting past these two and Hayne is still a little young. Ash Graham may still get a run on the wing but unless he can somehow convince BS that he really can handle first grade again, he may have run out of chances. Josh Davis is also a dark horse.

Tahu will not be moved from the centres after last season and neither will Benny. To cover them when they're unavailable, Brett Delaney, Luke O'Dwyer and Ash Graham would still be considered the best backup. Again, Josh Davis is also a dark horse later on in the year, as is Kris Inu.

John Morris will miss the start of the year, so 5/8 will be the most hotly contested spot. Marcus Perenara, Jeremy Smith, Blake Green and Feleti Mateo all have claims for a shot in the trials. Delaney is another that may get a shot and did actually play a trial in that position one or two years back. Another I'd personally like to see have a go at 5/8 is Widders. I think everyone has their fingers crossed that Wagon's days at 5/8 are well and truly over.

I can't see Morrison switching from the 2nd row back to lock unless Hindy is not in the team. Morro at lock and Hindy in the 2nd row was a failed experiment last year and they need to divide the field up in half so that they don't get in each others' way. The thought of Tsoulos at lock made me laugh and no matter how much he may have slimmed down, he'll still be a prop. Lock will be contested between Wagon, Robinson, Henry Perenara, O'Dwyer and Mateo. BS may also consider seeing how Widders goes in a starting side (at lock) but will most likely continue using him from the bench.

We have solid depth in the props with Caylo and Stringer likely to remain starting props. Vella, Moi Moi, Cannings, Peek & Tsoulos will all find themselves coming off the bench at various times and filling in for the starting props when they're not available. I'm expecting Vella and Moi Moi to be the regulars with Cannings & Tsoulos to be the ones pushing them the most. Unfortunately I can't see Peek improving any further as he's been around for a long time and while he's reliable, he'll be there less rather than more. With that said however, this is Brian's last shot so he'll be less interested in future development and more interested in calling on whoever he thinks will get the premiership this year, so Peek may still be called on a fair bit more than he otherwise would have. Cordoba, Oake, Taia & Hauraki will also all be knocking on the door.

 

[Eelementary]

I'd like to think that nobody is assured of a spot.

But if anyone, the following players when in form are certainties for any team:

Cayless
Hindmarsh
Morrison
Stringer
Grothe
Tahu
Tim Smith
Ben Smith

Hell let's just cut to the chase and say the entire 17!

 

[Eelementary]

Over all, though, a good, enthusiastic post.

I think that, as well as Burty played in the latter half of the season, his and John Morris' spots will be the most hotly contested.

 

[eloquentEEL]

lock will also be hotly contested, as will spots for bench prop

 

[Eelementary]

True.

But I meant it in the sense that, while we have proven performers like Robinson and Wagon for lock and guys like Stringer, Cayless, Peek, Vella, Moi Moi and Cannigns for prop, Burt (unfortunately for him) will have to be on his toes, as will Morris, because these two are the positions where we have a long list of players that are willing to play lol.

 

[headache]

I never want to see Wagon with the No 6 on his back ever again , he is NOT a 5/8.He is ok as a lock. As for Widders i think he is best off the bench as an impact player.

 

[eeladdick]

i still got this gut feeling joel reddy is gonna contest full back and mckinnon may struggle to claim the no1
also i reckon widders is definatly a bench player ... his attack from the bench is awsome it is as if he studies the game and looks for the weakness's then comes off the bench and lifts the whole team..then try time...imo
and morrison at lock ...i dunno he came here to cement a second row rep spot so i can't see it

 

[Avenger]

I like Reddy but the position is Wade's to lose.

 

[shaun]

i think Mckinnon showed last year that he was clearly the number one choice at full back. reddy will have to improve lots to surpass him

 

[yy_cheng]

Widders is one of my top 3 players that I like. However, I am not sold that he is a 5/8th YET.

Last year, he tried TOO MUCH when playing at 5/8th and it was like throw the ball to widders and let him do some magic. He has to learn from an experienced (or retired) 5/8th to teach him to when to chime in and when to go wide.

I see Widders playing the same bench role as he did last year. He mentioned he wants to start so that it helps his rep chances but I doubt Brian would start him. If it was to keep him at Parra for his next contract, it would probably be a command from Dennis rather than BS to let him start.

 

[eloquentEEL]

John Morris will miss the start of the year, so 5/8 will be the most hotly contested spot. Marcus Perenara, Jeremy Smith, Blake Green and Feleti Mateo all have claims for a shot in the trials. Delaney is another that may get a shot and did actually play a trial in that position one or two years back. Another I'd personally like to see have a go at 5/8 is Widders. I think everyone has their fingers crossed that Wagon's days at 5/8 are well and truly over.

From the SMH article, looks like BS is thinking along the same lines.

 

[Stagger eel]

From the SMH article, looks like BS is thinking along the same lines.

good call, my issue with that is the limited kicking game, I guess Wade McKinnon and Burty will come into play to put some pressure of Tim.