Riddell/Morris

[Hurriflatch]

I've been thinking about this for a while. Since the rumours of Riddell started but now that it is official.

Riddell won't play 80 mins even if he losses weight.

Morris is an 80 min player.

What I think will happen

Morris starts the game at hooker with Riddell on the bench.

After about 30 mins, Riddell comes on either straight swap for Morris or for Cayless (2nd rower) with Morris & Riddell sharing the dummy half duties.

I really think that Riddell will be used as an impact player in a similar vein to how Brad Drew was very successfully used during to 2001 season.

 

[Twizzle]

we have a long time to wait and see

 

[Stagger eel]

between them they can play every position on the field! depending on what happens between know and next year we could see Riddell in 9 Morrie at 6!

 

[eels_fan]

Whilst i can see your point of view i some what disagree

I can see Riddell starting the game at hooker and Morris will be one the bench.

At Newcastle, Morris was a very successful utility player, and his game was very similar to that of Craig Wing, and i think that it where his role within our team will lie. Coming into the game when opposition forwards tire, and bursting from dummy half with explosive runs, and a good kicking game. I think he'll suit that position well. Im sure Riddell will also be switched into the 2nd row as well at various times throughout the year.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Why put Morris on the bench, he goes well when he starts.

 

[mickdo]

Riddell is awesome when he runs from dummy half, so having him and Morris on the field at the same time would be very handy.

 

[eelandia]

I've been thinking about this for a while. Since the rumours of Riddell started but now that it is official.

Riddell won't play 80 mins even if he losses weight.

Morris is an 80 min player.

What I think will happen

Morris starts the game at hooker with Riddell on the bench.

After about 30 mins, Riddell comes on either straight swap for Morris or for Cayless (2nd rower) with Morris & Riddell sharing the dummy half duties.

I really think that Riddell will be used as an impact player in a similar vein to how Brad Drew was very successfully used during to 2001 season.

I don't think Riddell has any visions of grandeur about playing 80-minutes unlike Drew did. He'll be happy playing 50 minutes and he's most effective only playing that amount of time. I think he'll complement our pack perfectly.

 

[Misty Bee]

I'm happy with the Ridell purchase, but I'm also happy with Morriss at hooker.

I fear that it will mean seeing Morris at 5/8, where I am not as happy with him.

Hopefully Huriflatch is right, but I wonder what Morris feels right now. Was Smith's mind made up in that oeriod where he dropped Morris?

 

[Eels Dude]

Morris in my opinion plays his best football from dummy half. He can play 5'8th but he looks much more dangerous at hooker. What I don't get is why Smith payed all this money to lure a hooker to the club when we already have a very good one. Our priority should be signing players for our weak positions, like the centres and possibly the back row.

 

[HRVTSKA]

hell! Riddell is comin we cant change that ur comments will be more uslfully serverd suggesting ways they should be played!
Ridell is not only a player..his a commodity. Other big names will se him here n gives us a better chance of signing them...very good advertising tool aswell...it is wihout doubt a beneficail signing on all parts

 

[GAME FIRST]

Spot on CROAT, i would not have chosen him as we need class halves and have needed good halves for 10 years now however he is a commodity and personality player who hopefully will attract Orford and others!

 

[HRVTSKA]

thats right!
I would sign orford but not if it ment witt goes!!
I will also give an option as he wants a one yr deal where we give him that deal with an exta two yr as the option!
So if he chooses not to go to the central coast or they dont enter the comp we got him for an extra two yrs!
in this contract i would also make it that he does get his 400k the first yr but if he is to stay its rduced n varied based on performace!

 

[GAME FIRST]

You have chief executive talents, excellent point and that is the way to go so we at least have a top notch half- however we should have got Firman who is such a dominant personality and brilliant player- we seem to get always thhe next best-which we have to accept- But we must keep MWitt- he has time and class out there when he plays-the weaknesses Smithy picks out can be fixed in first grade1

 

[Pazza]

Firman has had a number of season ending injuries, i dont think he is a wise investment.

 

[HRVTSKA]

Very true!
we should just persist with him caus when ur that young confidence is a big thing and when ur confident that when young players are playin well!
People say freshy is crap!!! center is a position is where if the team is playin shit they really look crap!
Please i can tell u 100% that if bulldogs were havin a bad trot tonga would look like a fool like our centers did at the start of the season!
At least with freshy his experiece is benefical and knows what steps to take in order to change our club around!!!!
Tonga would have fallen apart if he had to go through what we did at the start of the season.

 

[GAME FIRST]

But Tonga is all class and makes things happen even in origin last week- Freshy has been down for a long time now and does not chase the ball enough- but is supposed to be more experienced.

 

[bartman]

While Morris goes well at starting hooker, I think one thing we lack in attack (compared to say 2001) is that unpredictability. That knowledge that there's several players that can create things for others in the team in a snap, and knowing that the opposition has no clue what we'll do next.\

Dykes hasn't been the answer in that regard in my opinion :arrow: , whatever the reasons. I see a Riddell and Morris pairing on field to give us back that dynamic, and throw in a good halfback (or a more confident version of one of our current options), and we could have that real attacking flair back again

 

[Parraren]

thats right!
I would sign orford but not if it ment witt goes!!
I will also give an option as he wants a one yr deal where we give him that deal with an exta two yr as the option!
So if he chooses not to go to the central coast or they dont enter the comp we got him for an extra two yrs!
in this contract i would also make it that he does get his 400k the first yr but if he is to stay its rduced n varied based on performace!

I agree and I'm sure 99.9% of Eels fans agree that letting Witt go would be a massive mistake.

Imagine if we let Witt & Dykes go so we could get Orford and then Tim Smith signs up with Manly :? Orford could turn around after 1 year and leave as well and we'd be up sh!t creek again :evil:

Witt & Tim Smith must be retained! :evil:

 

[The Colonel]

I'd say the chances of Orford coming got decidely smaller today with the fact that Johns will go to Union. The Knights will go hammer and tongs at Orford and being so close to his beloved Central Coast its likely thats where he will end up.

With any luck we will keep Witt and Smith from that move. But again who knows what Smith's thinking is.

 

[Parraren]

I'd say the chances of Orford coming got decidely smaller today with the fact that Johns will go to Union. The Knights will go hammer and tongs at Orford and being so close to his beloved Central Coast its likely thats where he will end up.

With any luck we will keep Witt and Smith from that move. But again who knows what Smith's thinking is.

Regardless of where ever Orford ends up Colonel, it's the thinking process behind his recruitment that scares me the most. I know it's only rumours re Witt & T.Smith but I always fear with Brian Smith's recruitment/retention history that it's 1 step forward 3 steps back :?

As I said, hopefully it's all just crap rumours about Witt and we re-sign Tim Smith quick smart or else the good feelings surrounding Riddell's signature will be very quickly replaced with OUTRAGE!