Rd17 2024: 530pm Eels v Knights GAME DAY THREAD @ MJ Stadium June 29th

[the phantom menace]

The good:
- Mitchell Moses having a huge game, backing up from Origin as well.
- Matt Arthur got through his debut 30min stint against real/all age players without injury or incident.
- I'm thinking Joffa really might be our best forward, he and Doorey were the only ones with no missed tackles.

The bad:
- 53 missed tackles according to NRL.com? f**k me dead Trent...
- We are regularly outpaced in mid-field when defending, which allows the opposition to get overlaps wide too often. Sorry, but I'm looking at Junior as the main offender being too slow these days?
- Gee that Talagi has some mistakes in him... sure he can finish some movements for tries, but he cost (or very nearly cost) us lots of points today too. Back down to Cup until you are smashing it there (attack and defence) kid - or at least until you've signed a 2025 Eels contract.
- Errors a plenty - Dylan Brown and Shaun Lane (and of course Talagi) to name just a couple of notable offenders.

The almost as bad:
- Some of Sivo's defensive choices - almost as bad as Talagi's general lack of defensive brain or capability.
- Having listed his debut without incident among the good, I do have to say Matt Arthur's dummy half delivery looks so slow, and his choice to run seems so telegraphed/pre-meditated. Not yet reading/feeling the play as well as say Hands, imo.

 

[DaveMc]

We don't play as a team..

When Paulo got driven back in the second half he should have had another run that set instead he sat back and watched as his job was done...

When players are taking a run 12 other players are standing their watching them not backing them up.

In defense our players don't put any fear into the attack we stand their waiting for them..

Paulo seems now to be either unwilling or unable (or a mix of both) to do the hard yards. He nearly got put into touch from the kick off of the second half for f**ks sake, because he didn’t run it straight and went into the ruck soft.

His and Matterson’s inability to just take a f**king tackle rather than looking to push an offload is as predictable as it is ineffective.

So I think there’s something to this - with a handful of exceptions, the team currently looks like a bunch of individuals who just want to do what they want to do, without regard to their team mates. I’ve been in workplaces where this has happened before - it doesn’t lead to happy or successful outcomes …

 

[Gherkin]

Anyone on here that has seen Arthur play this year was saying it was probably too soon for him to debut. I thought he did ok but needs to speed up his passing. Hard to be too critical of anyone in their first game.
The positive is that players like him, Talagi, hopefully Guymer and a few others get a taste of it this year, understand what’s required to cut it in 1st grade and put in a big off season and come back better next year.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Talagi scored. A couple of blades of grass but he f**king scored.

Absolutely. Old mate in the bunker must have had 12 schooners.

 

[JokerEel]

Anyone on here that has seen Arthur play this year was saying it was probably too soon for him to debut. I thought he did ok but needs to speed up his passing. Hard to be too critical of anyone in their first game.
The positive is that players like him, Talagi, hopefully Guymer and a few others get a taste of it this year, understand what’s required to cut it in 1st grade and put in a big off season and come back better next year.

The best thing about MA playing is that Lussick should never be seen again..

CUP has Luke and Smith who I think both could be first grade hookers..

Smith has a lot of potential..

 

[Angry_eel]

lol so Brad’s hand chosen assistant isn’t up to it? Who’d have thought!

He tried the Chris Rock trick of making a Mexican the Vice President. Didn't work!

 

[the phantom menace]

We are now equal favourites for the spoon according to the bookies. Amazing…..

But entirely deserved, based on our performances.

 

[the phantom menace]

I honestly thought highly of Russell before this season....I can't believe how shit he is. He's not even a reserve grader. He belongs in Park footy.

I thought he was our equal best centre/winger tonight... which says a lot about the quality of the squad BA has left us with.

 

[the phantom menace]

He has missed the most tackles in comp by a prop

And RCG is Pou's favourite forward... figures.

 

[hineyrulz]

We're gunna get the spoon

Congrats Brad.

 

[the phantom menace]

He's doing fine for a nineteen year old in his first year of first grade. He will improve, the only real issue is that his merkin of a manager is trying to fleece us and commentary is on board jerking the kid off to talk him up.

I actually don't think he has what it takes... in the brain department, and the defence department. I was surprised with his lack of speed too, after f**king up so much tonight you think he'd be motivated to chase fast to make up for it.

Talagi to Cup from next week for mine, and let his manager walk him to some other contract if he hasn't already signed a 2025 deal with us (after rejecting the player option to stay).

 

[the phantom menace]

Both Saifeces brothers at once!

You could say our pack was double penetrated by the Saifitis today... entirely with consent, it appears.

 

[the phantom menace]

Moses playing wider, Trent coaching ?

I was thinking it might be Moses coaching that move for his try... something he brought back from Origin camp and Madge even?

 

[the phantom menace]

Blaize Talagi is a gimp. I don’t see it. Not quick, can’t defend, can’t f**kING CATCH A f**kING BALL

Waqa Blake Mark II. Smart opposition will single him out now.

Maybe Talagi has peaked already, and is starting to regress among our amazing NRL leadership and culture....

 

[the phantom menace]

Once again we score five tries and lose

Time for a change of tactics and emphasis perhaps... maybe on some better defense to accompany the attack?

 

[DaveMc]

Waqa Blake Mark II. Smart opposition will single him out now.

Maybe Talagi has peaked already, and is starting to regress among our amazing NRL leadership and culture....

Honestly, I this is pretty over the top. I haven’t been particularly impressed by Talagi for the most part, but saying he might have already peaked strikes me as being too much. He’s still got a hell of a lot to learn though, and I don’t know if he’s worth persisting with too hard unless he comes to the table with reasonable salary expectations.

 

[the phantom menace]

Masterstroke playing Lane for 80 minutes

Can't believe Doorey's stint from the bench wasn't used to give Lane a breather.

 

[the phantom menace]

54% possession but still lost.

Whoah. That makes tonight's effort even more shit knowing that.

 

[the phantom menace]

Surely the new coach just says to every single player that if you're not happy then the club is happy to terminate your contract effectively immediately and we can all just start fresh.

Trouble is, none of them would get more money elsewhere then they/their greedy managers screwed us for... so they would all likely be "happy" until their contract runs out.

A line has to be drawn in the sand with that shit under the new coach, and if Talagi and his manager signing elsewhere for 2025 is the first casualty then so be it.

 

[Soto]

Honestly, I this is pretty over the top. I haven’t been particularly impressed by Talagi for the most part, but saying he might have already peaked strikes me as being too much. He’s still got a hell of a lot to learn though, and I don’t know if he’s worth persisting with too hard unless he comes to the table with reasonable salary expectations.

Let's not forget he's not a winger. He can finish a try.
He's young but there are some huge flaws in his game.
In my humble opinion if he hasn't signed with us then dump him and promote Cini or Tago or Mulitalo or a Flegg winger.
Barrett needs to be ruthless now.
We have just cemented ourselves as specials for the spoon. What a dogshit of a season.
Again this is the previous coach's fault with his garbage style, stubborness, inability to adapt to new style of game, reluctance to dump and promote.
He has just sent the club back 3 years.
Well done u fraud