Off-Season Remedies for 2011

[superparra]

Now that 2010 is over for us, another disappointment, I’ve been trying to figure out what went wrong and what we can do better. I jotted down all of my ideas and I’ve been in the kitchen for a while and tried to cook up an 10-step off-season remedy for Parra 2011. Tell me what you think.

1. Stop the leaks
People have been saying that Parra has more leaks than a plumber. All the rubbish about Caylo’s retirement and DA’s contract got out of control and it impacted on the field. The club needs to stop letting things get out and keep their mouths shut.

2. Get Jarryd’s ego under control
A lot of people also think that Hayne is lazy and doesn’t work hard enough. Some of the older guys need to sit him down and talk to him – that’s you, Luke Burt and Hindy. He’s still young and he has a lot of pressure on him. One of the older guys mentoring him would work wonders.

3. Don’t look at the odds
Is it just me or do Parra always fall short when they’re the favourites? I have a solution for this – don’t look at the money. If we don’t know whether we’re favourites or not, it can’t impact the game.

4. Stop rolling in butter before games
Coughing up the ball 10 metres from the try line just about kills every Parra fan. Also, butter is contagious and we’re getting it all over the other teams as evidenced by the Roosters and Rabbitohs games.

5. Learn to count
Like a lot of other fans, I often found myself screaming at the TV when the ball was kicked on the fourth tackle. It’s not a hard concept to learn – there are 6 tackles in a set. When the ball is kicked on the fourth tackle, the fifth tackle goes to waste. Wouldn’t it be better off being used?

6. Stop telling Hayne to do something
I’ve heard probably about 17 people this season say ‘go on Jarryd, do something!’ and I’m deadly sick of it. It’s not up to him to score a try every touch of the ball and win every game for us. Do people yell that at Billy Slater?

7. There’s no point offloading in your own half
I’ve seen us offload, run sideways and even backwards in own our 50. That sort of stuff is razzle dazzle attacking stuff and the try line is 50 metres away. Save it for the opposition half and give it to Lasalo or Horo to run hard and straight at the opponents when we’re in our own half. Or, save everyone the trouble and do it yourself.

8. Bandwagon fans evolve into die-hard fans
I’m starting to wonder about the ratio of bandwagon fans to die-hard ones and it’s making me realise that we really do have a heck of a lot of bandwagon fans. I’m sure I’m not the only one imagining what could happen if all our fans were die-hard ones.

9. Hindy, do up your shorts mate
On the Roast a couple of weeks back they were trying to figure out how to stop Hindy from mooning the crowd. A couple of suggestions were
a) sew his shorts to his jersey like a one-piece suit
b) paint shorts on him
c) just get him to tie up the drawstring properly

10. Buy Shane Hayne a plane ticket to Spain
To quote MG, let’s get rid of Shane Hayne. I know we can’t blame our season on stupid ref calls, but he really has to go.

 

[mrpwnd]

Just on the point of 4th tackle kicks, it's generally a fairly strategic option, teams usually do it to catch the fullbacks out of position as the wingers generally won't be defending as deeply. Although given our current halves it is pretty pointless.

 

[Fathead]

Agree about the leaks.
I think Hayne is unfairly treated. IMHO he always give 100%.
First thing we have to fix is finding a halfback to particpate in most plays. Scott Prince, Lockyer and Marshall all touch the ball in every attacking set.
Make the halves control the team not Hayne.

 

[Forty20]

I'm not sure where all this talk about Hayne's ego is coming from...sure he has areas in his game in which he could improve but on and off the field he hasn't done or said anything (beyond the Telegraph's sensationalist campaign) that would indicate he thinks he is bigger than the team.

On the field he is the centre point of attention for the opposition and despite all the extra coverage he still busts his chops trying to spark something and when he does make a mistake he is filthy with himself (see the Tigers game; Cayless' shocking 1st tackle offload to him which he dropped).

There is some serious tall poppy syndrome going on these days as Hayne, when considered overall, has improved as a player in 2010 from 2009 and despite that people are still calling him out.

 

[mrpwnd]

I'm not sure where all this talk about Hayne's ego is coming from...sure he has areas in his game in which he could improve but on and off the field he hasn't done or said anything (beyond the Telegraph's sensationalist campaign) that would indicate he thinks he is bigger than the team.

On the field he is the centre point of attention for the opposition and despite all the extra coverage he still busts his chops trying to spark something and when he does make a mistake he is filthy with himself (see the Tigers game; Cayless' shocking 1st tackle offload to him which he dropped).

There is some serious tall poppy syndrome going on these days as Hayne, when considered overall, has improved as a player in 2010 from 2009 and despite that people are still calling him out.

That's a pretty good point. IMO Hayne has been the shining light of our season so far. I don't think those 'Hayne's ego' calls wash, he's a completely different bloke to the 2006-2008 Hayne. Sure, there are lots of aspects in his positional play that seem 'lazy', but I can't say for sure that he's been a single bit lazy this season. Honestly, the amount of players opposition teams use to mark him in attack is pretty high compared to any other player, even then, he's still managed occasional traces of brilliance.

I'm sure his positional play and ability under the high ball will improve significantly during the off-season as did his playmaking skills last year. What i'm more worried is whether the rest of the team will improve themselves.

 

[superparra]

That's a pretty good point. IMO Hayne has been the shining light of our season so far. I don't think those 'Hayne's ego' calls wash, he's a completely different bloke to the 2006-2008 Hayne. Sure, there are lots of aspects in his positional play that seem 'lazy', but I can't say for sure that he's been a single bit lazy this season. Honestly, the amount of players opposition teams use to mark him in attack is pretty high compared to any other player, even then, he's still managed occasional traces of brilliance.

I'm sure his positional play and ability under the high ball will improve significantly during the off-season as did his playmaking skills last year. What i'm more worried is whether the rest of the team will improve themselves.

I'd have Hayne in the team in a heartbeat. I don't have a problem with him, I have a problem more with the load he seems to be carrying. At the moment I think it seems like he's just not at the level of maturity that being the team's spark needs. He's improved a lot and I think he'll continue to do so but he needs more support from the senior players if he's going to carry the load that's being thrust upon him.

 

[mrpwnd]

I'd have Hayne in the team in a heartbeat. I don't have a problem with him, I have a problem more with the load he seems to be carrying. At the moment I think it seems like he's just not at the level of maturity that being the team's spark needs. He's improved a lot and I think he'll continue to do so but he needs more support from the senior players if he's going to carry the load that's being thrust upon him.

Yeah, I see your point now.
I've been pointing out for a while now that this reliance on Hayne is cause for a major worry factor.

I think either Hayne or Mannah will eventually captain the eels, but the amount of burden Hayne carries and has had to carry all year despite his age is way too much. TBH, I haven't seen him play as a fullback all year, it's just been him at either 5/8 or halfback.

 

[oldmancraigy]

No offense mate, but I think your 10 points suck.

There is 1 simple point:

HALFBACK.

That is all.

Had we a marginally decent halfback this season, we'd still be dreaming of premiership glory.

 

[lucablight]

Find touch from penalties.

 

[eel01s]

I'll have a go at playing coach:

Get the attitude in the squad right. Easier said than done, going by the last few years. Show players that unless they put in for 80 minutes and can follow the gameplan, they won't be picked. Discipline goes a long way.

Get a half back that can lead the side. Again, easier said than done. If Brad Murray gets the gig, we can't expect too much in his debut year.

Make sure the players are fit come round 1. We need to win games early in the season to build confidence.

 

[hineyrulz]

No offense mate, but I think your 10 points suck.

There is 1 simple point:

HALFBACK.

That is all.

Had we a marginally decent halfback this season, we'd still be dreaming of premiership glory.

Add in a decent 9 and we are cooking with gas.

 

[TheParraboy]

Peter siddle being nowhere near the ashes XI would be a good remedy for the summer for starters

 

[hineyrulz]

Peter siddle being nowhere near the ashes XI would be a good remedy for the summer for starters

Word!!

 

[drago brelli]

Why have the Eels signed Webb. He's 30 next year and has lost his zip. The only person he can perform for is Wayne Bennett. He a bit like Costigan. He performed for Bennett. Foe some reason he can get the best out of types like that. Matuia, waste of money. Parra have heaps of young players in their ranks.

 

[Parra Steve]

Eels fan remedies - go to the pub and drink so much that 2010 seems like a bad dream, sober up by march 2011

 

[The Engineers Room]

Our biggest issue this year was we obviously didn't train to support the ball carrier. There is no one running lines and the offloads didn't come early in the season because we tried to play like the Dragons, percentage footy and it was all conserving energy in attack rucking it out. The problem is one out hitups will get you dominated in defence. They need variety and to try and get attackers one on one with defenders.

The halves need to be able to go to the line with multiple passing options so that they can pass or run and not be forced to meekly take the tackle.

 

[mrpwnd]

Our sliding defense is terrible.
I still remember the glory days of 09, particularly the finals game against the dragons.

Boyd put Morris into space on our own 10 metre line and Reddy looked to be isolated, then within a split second 3-4 parra boys come in and throw Morris away.

This year, even slow blokes like Kenny-Dowall could score off our edges.
Horrible...Simply horrible.

 

[NorthShoreEel]

Some of the players need to be Danny Green sparring partners for a while & grow some backbone.

I don't think Fui played with the same intensity as last year, in some games. (was last year a contract signing year?)

 

[strider]

IMHO tony archer is about 1000x worse than shayne hayne - so if we are buying shayne a ticket to spain then we need to buy tony one to the moon

 

[Stagger eel]

I don't think we'll be any worse than we were this year, however I do have doubts as to whether we'll actually see any improvement.