Parramatta Eels Juniors

[Stevie]

Iongi

Maybe you deliberately missed the question. Are you saying we should just keep the 800k + a year and do nothing with it?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'm saying we don't need to spend it on more 'strike'. Only five teams scored more tries than us after 24 rounds. We have plenty of strike. What we need to spend Gutherson's money on is better defenders. Only the Tigers were worse this year, and last year only five teams were worse (but we had the sixth best attack). Even in 2022 we had the worst defence in the top eight.

 

[Stevie]

I'm saying we don't need to spend it on more 'strike'. Only five teams scored more tries than us after 24 rounds. We have plenty of strike. What we need to spend Gutherson's money on is better defenders. Only the Tigers were worse this year, and last year only five teams were worse (but we had the sixth best attack). Even in 2022 we had the worst defence in the top eight.

Ok so would you like to suggest some defensive players that make a difference to our side? You know, for some discussion?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'd rather just criticise everyone else's suggestions tbh

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Nah I dunno. Who's available? Williams will turn out to be a great signing I reckon. We need a hooker and an edge forward, but the quality we want is unlikely to be available for 2025. Maybe the Knights will let Brailey go? He will chew up a fair chunk of Gutherson's wad. No he's not a star, but he is a first grader and hookers aren't cheap. They are the only member of the spine that defends in the middle after all.

For 2026 signings there's Robson. He would be the second highest paid hooker after Grant, maybe on par with Koroisau. But since we now have a much cheaper fullback than we did, maybe we can justify Robson's cost. I haven't looked at which edge forwards are available.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

There's a few second rowers that are available for 2026 and defend well. Nikora or Wilton perhaps? Connelly Lemuelu? Dylan Lucas? Pearce-Paul might be the best of the lot. Jacob Host is unexciting but solid, which is probably what we need. It's about correctly balancing the cap. Egan Butcher is similar to Host but younger. But my first choice is Jackson Ford. Very good defender and in 2026 he'll be at his peak with a few years still in front of him. And there should be less demand for him than for Kai Pearce-Paul, making him more affordable.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

He would still be better placed for the second carry on the other than wing than at centre.

We would lose his defence against the high kick.

Yes. There are positive and negatives for him playing each position. I'd rather him play wing but I can see why he and Ryles will want him playing centre if they choose to go that way.