Rd5 2024: 615pm Eels v Raiders GAME DAY THREAD @ GIO Stadium April 7th

[hindy111]

7 days ago before the Tigers game we were a 16 point victory away from being on top of the ladder.

Now were sitting in 14th with the a shit F/A.

Last night was expected not the scoreline but i think a loss was marked down on the calendar the moment Moses went down.

Its why games like last week when some on here shrugged off as its just round 4 was absolutely ridiculous.

Tigers at home was a gimme to get the No Moses period off on the right foot and steady the ship at the start.

We needed to bank in the winnable Commbank games as wins while Moses was away and if we scraped a win or 2 on the road then that was going to be bonus.

We are 1 game behind where we should be in the scheme of things. But i reckon mentally now we are miles off the pace. We are as good 2/3 wins behind the 8-ball now.

The most concerning part of last night was some of the efforts from some our of most experienced players its like its already got in too hard basket and its only round 5.

But our effort was there according to the coach.

Dogs where woefull against us and we had so much ball. A scrappy win. A good side wins by 50.

We played ok against Penrith but they bombed a few tries and played average.

Good effort against Manly but we still leaked over 20 points. Amd they chopped holes in our defense far to easily


Tigers played average. Dropped a lot of ball. Down to 12 men for 10mims yet still fought back and won.

Yesterday looked like we gave up after 25mins.

The biggest concern isn't just sides burning us outside but also easy breaks right up the middle. Huge holes. Manly did it multiple times, Tigers a fee and Canberra a few.

Our attack has zero flair or line break ability. We only can score by marching up field, pinning the side down and hope they fatigue enough for a crash play or a ball to SIVO one on one.
We have traded playing rugby league for safety and become one of the most predictable and boring side I've seen.
On top of that we do not hold players accountable. Part of the reason is the NSW CUP side has nobody even remotely capable of taking someone spot. Hands is the only one.
If Lussick isn't dropped this week I give up on the coach.

 

[Gronk]

Bailey on the wing, Harper at centre. Like in round 1 when sivo was also unavailable. It the best we can do. Sivo is not having a dig.

60's on TCT reckons Sanders and everyone shifts across, with Sivo the loser.

His reasoning is that maybe having a real halfback, will shock the f**kers into some sort of a regroup. I am not adverse to this, but Sanders not been that guy in cup. The opposite actually. What choice do we have right now ?

 

[hindy111]

Let’s state the blindingly obvious.
The roster is severely unbalanced and in no way reflects the current NRL, with no top speed in the backs and even worse no depth.
The recruitment team have more than dropped the ball, they havent even found it.
Merkins have been saying we need some decent backs for 2/3 years and have been delivered Harper, no reflection on him personally, more on that somehow he was the choice.
As a club we used to pride ourselves on depth, since ONeil and zRogers have had the reins of recruitment, it has got progressively worse.
How they hold their jobs with little comment from the media is astounding, and the coach has to take some of the blame too.

Every team opposed to us attacks from inside their own half and wide, as we have no ability to counter. Even the Dogs tried that, but failed as their forwards were dominated.

Too many words , but the club has to take a stand on what has happened and not assume it will get better, it won’t while the current staff are holding the reins , that includes the structure of recruitment immediate,y.

And some of this is on BA. The idea he has zero say on recruiting is ridiculous. I'd say maybe he had full backing prior but after going all out for Watmough and Foran they decided to review his choices a little.
If it is true he has zero say then may as well call it the worse run club in game cause that's just ridiculous a coach doesn't get a say on who he wants to keep or recruit.

 

[the phantom menace]

BA shook his head pretty quickly when Sanders was mentioned in the presser.

Game day prediction:

18. Asi - just so Blaize can go back to Cup and keep on learning
2. Sivo - won't get dropped after two tries
3. Penisini
4. Simonsson
5. Russell
7. Brown - he's not a team managing 7
1. Gutherson - why not try him at 7, at least for a week or two?

 

[King-Gutho94]

BA shook his head pretty quickly when Sanders was mentioned in the presser.

Game day prediction:

18. Asi - just so Blaize can go back to Cup and keep on learning
2. Sivo - won't get dropped after two tries
3. Penisini
4. Simonsson
5. Russell
7. Brown - he's not a team managing 7
1. Gutherson - why not try him at 7, at least for a week or two?

Has to be Asi we won 5/9 when he played in the halves last year. So he wasn't a disaster.

I think Blaize was the right call from the start even though i think he wasnt ready.

You would rather take a punt on a rookie to begin with then go back to the tried and true then the other way around.

But i think Blaize needs more time and its there to see which is fine. We have given a few games he now knows what to expect at that level.

Some of hot takes on here from some about Asi make him sound like he is worse then Ben Roberts. He seriously wasn't that bad we have had worse players in the halves in the past 20 years then what Asi dished up last year.

 

[crocodile]

He must be 20 years older then me.

I am entering my 30s in June and seen SFA.

I'll probably be 50 by the time I see a premiership.

I’ve been waiting 38 years.

 

[Gronk]

BA shook his head pretty quickly when Sanders was mentioned in the presser.

Game day prediction:

18. Asi - just so Blaize can go back to Cup and keep on learning
2. Sivo - won't get dropped after two tries
3. Penisini
4. Simonsson
5. Russell
7. Brown - he's not a team managing 7
1. Gutherson - why not try him at 7, at least for a week or two?

Asi was selected as 18th man until he got a HIA in cup. 18th man usually is an insight into BA's head, so you are probably right.

Sivo needs a rest. I think he's injured. Even if he's not, he needs time off to think about if he really wants this.

 

[Noise]

I’ve been waiting 38 years.

Everyone over the age of 38 has been waiting 38 years

 

[Legal Eel]

60's on TCT reckons Sanders and everyone shifts across, with Sivo the loser.

His reasoning is that maybe having a real halfback, will shock the f**kers into some sort of a regroup. I am not adverse to this, but Sanders not been that guy in cup. The opposite actually. What choice do we have right now ?

Much prefer this to the Harper option.

We are getting toweled with Sivo or with Harper, so playing the following can't Hurt:

1. Gutho
2. Russell
3. Penisini
4. Talagi
5. Simmonson
6. Brown
7. Sanders
8. Offa (assuming Reg gone)
9. Hands (Lussick has to go at least for a week)
10. Paulo
11. Tuilagi (Matto bench middle)
12. Lane (persist with Brown and Talagi on the edge)
13. Hoppy
14. Moretti
15. Matto
16. Greig
17. Asi (would keep him as back up as Brad barely uses 17 anyway)

 

[Soren Lorenson]

People are focusing a lot on the recruitment of outside backs, but f**k, we also don’t have a second string halfback. So many failings.

 

[Gronk]

Much prefer this to the Harper option.

We are getting toweled with Sivo or with Harper, so playing the following can't Hurt:

1. Gutho
2. Russell
3. Penisini
4. Talagi
5. Simmonson
6. Brown
7. Sanders
8. Offa (assuming Reg gone)
9. Hands (Lussick has to go at least for a week)
10. Paulo
11. Tuilagi (Matto bench middle)
12. Lane (persist with Brown and Talagi on the edge)
13. Hoppy
14. Moretti
15. Matto
16. Greig
17. Asi (would keep him as back up as Brad barely uses 17 anyway)

Well the opposition seems to be from some who think that Blaize needs to go back to reggies and "learn".

 

[Legal Eel]

Much prefer this to the Harper option.

We are getting toweled with Sivo or with Harper, so playing the following can't Hurt:

1. Gutho
2. Russell
3. Penisini
4. Talagi
5. Simmonson
6. Brown
7. Sanders
8. Offa (assuming Reg gone)
9. Hands (Lussick has to go at least for a week)
10. Paulo
11. Tuilagi (Matto bench middle)
12. Lane (persist with Brown and Talagi on the edge)
13. Hoppy
14. Moretti
15. Matto
16. Greig
17. Asi (would keep him as back up as Brad barely uses 17 anyway)

Either that or play Asi in 7 and lussick on bench and leave the rest the same.

 

[Legal Eel]

People are focusing a lot on the recruitment of outside backs, but f**k, we also don’t have a second string halfback. So many failings.

Its why I want Turuva even more than Lomax.

 

[Gronk]

People are focusing a lot on the recruitment of outside backs, but f**k, we also don’t have a second string halfback. So many failings.

Sanders has been tremendously disappointing in cup. I know that he's only played a handful of games in senior footy, but I think everyone expected him to take to it like a duck to water.

 

[Legal Eel]

Well the opposition seems to be from some who think that Blaize needs to go back to reggies and "learn".

no I would persist with Blaize in the centres - I don't think Harper is a defensive upgrade - so if we are going to cop it anyway, we may as well develop Blaize.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Its why I want Turuva even more than Lomax.

How does that solve our back up half problem?

 

[Legal Eel]

How does that solve our back up half problem?

no - it solves back up fullback

maybe it would also allow Gutho to shift to the halves in the event of a half injury, as we would have a dynamic fullback

 

[JokerEel]

You revel in this shit you sick little prick. I’d sack you before anyone at the club and muzzle you for good by taking the internet off you. That’s all you have.

This is Pou after a loss .

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Sanders has been tremendously disappointing in cup. I know that he's only played a handful of games in senior footy, but I think everyone expected him to take to it like a duck to water.

He may have in a team that was full of confidence with leaders in the pack, a competent 5/8 and regular outside backs. But it appears that’s too much to ask.

 

[Twizzle]

and when you consider the players he has around him in Cup, its a big ask to get that backline firing