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Rumours and Stuff

84 Baby

Referee
Messages
29,818
Mr negative nellie as always, they wouldn't, they won't so lets just not try it. You sound like our club's spokesman.
You get the irony of you calling someone negative after you've assumed with absolutely no evidence that the club gave Lomax no consideration, right?
 

ash411

Bench
Messages
3,411
All we have now is one petulant whiner that if he doesn't get his way chucks a tizzy fit and loses his whole game.
Can you give examples of this? I've never seem him throw a "tizzy" in a game and lose it all by himself.

I know I'm gonna get labelled a "Moses apologist" or whatever but I don't like it when people get unjustly vilified because it's become a meme to hate on them.

You're probably going to reference that one time Moses was caught yelling at Kenny Edwards during a game for being slow in the play the ball. And if yelling at a team mate to play the ball faster is "chucking a tizzy" then every half in the NRL should be doing that. We should be thankful that he cares that much that he's gonna blast a player for being lazy.

But hey, it's cool to hate Moses, cause the Tigers fans said so, right?
 

Bazal

Post Whore
Messages
103,518
Lomax is probably their 3rd choice centre atm after Hiku and Aitken so not guaranteed to play there. If Saints were desperate enough to take Norman they'd do a deal but we were the more desperate club, as always.

And if they lose Widdop Lomax is their first choice goal-kicker. Maybe even with Widdop there. They just re-signed Lomax for another two seasons, too. We might well have asked, and the Dragons probably laughed in our face

Aitken is on the outer after some poor performances. They've lost Mann, Nightingale and McDonald. Dufty is allegedly on the outer and may not play first grade. FFS Peta Hiku plays for the Warriors, which shows how much you've thought about this...

All you ever think about is how to bash the club, no matter how tenuous or illogical or downright idiotic the criticism is. And this one is probably the stupidest yet...
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
63,013
No we weren't, but what we were a chance of doing was play consistently well enough to actually win plenty of games even against the better teams and finish somewhere in the semis and actually excite us the fans that support the club.

Especially in a season that we have the privilege of playing at the best new stadium in the country and if we showed some promise could actually consistently draw over 25k crowds for the entire season and regain some lost support and respect before the hype of the new stadium pitters out. Which would make this coming season very memorable for all of us long time suffering Eels supporters, even if we aren't a snow chance in hell of winning it.

We at least had the potential of a good to great halves pairing if they both pulled their fingers out since they were both unsigned for 2020 and needed to impress to maintain their contract value and a much improved forward roster that could actually dominate the play the ball.

All we have now is one petulant whiner that if he doesn't get his way chucks a tizzy fit and loses his whole game. We now have a unsettled fullback, dummy half and half that will be the least experienced and probably the youngest in the NRL to partner the premadonna.

Our performances I believe will be all over the place. The only thing that may prevent the boys from totally chucking in the towel once the season is lost is that many of them are still unsigned. But our season has effectively been hobbled by in my opinion the dumbest coach in the NRL.

Another woeful season coming up. I can't believe that he has crippled this team again. Halves are the life of the team, forwards the power and backs the wings. This guy has taken 5 years to recognize the power part, now he is about to learn the hard way about the life part. His only chance is if pretty boy Moses comes out in full switched on mode and the rookie finds his feet real fast to at least be a foil for pretty boy, otherwise the opposition teams will quickly know shutdown pretty boy is the way you shutdown Parra.

Like I said before, I get that both Moses and Norman were on the nose, but to offload either at this stage without a ready made experienced half replacement would be lunacy. Well the coach has just shown me how out there he is. Look at the Dragons for example at the whiff of losing one of their halves, they immediately seized the moment to nab an experienced half replacement with a brilliant short kicking game.

What have we done to ourselves in return, created the most unsettled spine in the NRL with no certain option in any of the positions and that includes pretty boy Moses who could also be gash he can't get it together.

People say our halves where the problem. Once we had a reasonably fit side we where not that far off most teams. We are talking a try perhaps.
2018 was a disaster but there was a few disadvantages from the get go.Forget the last few games. That shit happens when nothing to play for and we had most our pack missing. Brown,Alvaro,Terepo,Manu.

1- No home stadium. Sure 2017 was same. But having a home stadium means you generally get some ref calls go your way and players are more pumped.

2 - Injuries. Brown,Gutherson,Hayne,Manu all missed a lot of game time

3 - Unlucky. Id say we bombed games against Saints,Knights,Dogs,Rabbits. And very unlucky against Panthers 2nd time, Brisbane & Warriors.
And with some luck I would argue the Sharks 2nd time and Pa thers 1st time around.

So now we must ask ourself these questions.

1. What players are on a sharp decline due to age? NONE. MJ and Mannah will be 31 and prob the oldest two in our top 17. MJ will be fine. One bad year doesnt turn someone into a bad player. And at 31 his body would not be that deteriorated .

2. What players most likey will improve due to age and experience ?

Gutherson,Bevan,Alvaro,Moses,G.Jennings,Salmon,Tepai,Niaukore,Kaysa

3. What Juniors or debutants are just about ready for NRL that where not in 2018.

Brown,Stefano,Kafusi,Mahoney,Parry,Dunster,Stone, Sivo

4. Who have we gained?

Junior, Ferguson, Lane

5 Who have we lost

Hayne , Norman

Who was gash and may add something

KE


For mine its now what is perhaps deadwood. Taka and Hoffman are the two I wonder about. Along with perhaps Bevan. I just unsure any are in the top 17 when all fit and there is close to 1 million right there.
 

Bolgeel

Juniors
Messages
278
Not quick? In what terms? He isn't as quick as say French, Addo Carr or Roberts but he's plenty quick enough to play fullback.

I also don't agree with the little to no skill. Again he doesn't have the flashy pass of Bevan but he uses it more effectively.

I don't think either fullback is necessarily better than the other one. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I see French as a fullback you use when your one of your halves is weak in ball-playing ability and he can step-up and be that second "five-eighth". Would be a good fullback if we were to have Salmon or even Gutherson in the halves. I can't see either in the halves when we're at full-strength, I think they'll be moses and Brown and I think Guth will work better with their styles than French would.
I’d say gutho’s ball playing ability is twice that of bevans and plenty quick enough
Gutho #1 long live the king!
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
63,013
2018 sucked cause we didn't have any young guys we could throw in who where actualy ready for NRL and would benefit from experience.
Our replacements where guys who where tried and tested at NRL level and just where not as good as what we had so as much as I hate to admit it, BA squad had not options.
When you have young guys at start of careers it is worthwile blooding them for experience and improvement. Bringing in guys like say W.Smith,King,Matagi,Hoffman is time wasting long term.

2019 is a different ball game. There will be all these young guys ready to play NRL. Some will sink while some will swim. This is how you need your squad set up.
And in 2020 lets hope we have another 3 guys who are perhaps ready. I am sure with Shcneider,Stefanos brother and N.Akafalou we already have that.
 

ash411

Bench
Messages
3,411
2018 sucked cause we didn't have any young guys we could throw in who where actualy ready for NRL and would benefit from experience.
Our replacements where guys who where tried and tested at NRL level and just where not as good as what we had so as much as I hate to admit it, BA squad had not options.
When you have young guys at start of careers it is worthwile blooding them for experience and improvement. Bringing in guys like say W.Smith,King,Matagi,Hoffman is time wasting long term.

2019 is a different ball game. There will be all these young guys ready to play NRL. Some will sink while some will swim. This is how you need your squad set up.
And in 2020 lets hope we have another 3 guys who are perhaps ready. I am sure with Shcneider,Stefanos brother and N.Akafalou we already have that.
I'm actually starting to agree with you on that one.

I have a feeling we may see a 2020 baby eels side...
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
63,013
Not quick? In what terms? He isn't as quick as say French, Addo Carr or Roberts but he's plenty quick enough to play fullback.

I also don't agree with the little to no skill. Again he doesn't have the flashy pass of Bevan but he uses it more effectively.

I don't think either fullback is necessarily better than the other one. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I see French as a fullback you use when your one of your halves is weak in ball-playing ability and he can step-up and be that second "five-eighth". Would be a good fullback if we were to have Salmon or even Gutherson in the halves. I can't see either in the halves when we're at full-strength, I think they'll be moses and Brown and I think Guth will work better with their styles than French would.


Issue is what do we do with Bevan? It is sad to think him and Hoffman and Taka will be wasting cap space in Wenty.
For mine it comes down to Salmon vs Bevan.A backline of
2 x Jennings,Salmon,Gutherson, Fergo does lack speed to scare teams. Moses would outrun all them.

People should watch this before give up on Bevan so quickly and remember he has equivalent of two full nrl seasons.

 

Avenger

Immortal
Messages
34,114
French will only benefit the team when we gain another metre eater up front. When I see him taking the ball up I always expect very low impact. He is like Luke Burt with a dislocated ankle.
 

Gary Gutful

Post Whore
Messages
53,065
French will only benefit the team when we gain another metre eater up front.
2017_2_ubk_base.jpg
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,375
Issue is what do we do with Bevan? It is sad to think him and Hoffman and Taka will be wasting cap space in Wenty.
For mine it comes down to Salmon vs Bevan.A backline of
2 x Jennings,Salmon,Gutherson, Fergo does lack speed to scare teams. Moses would outrun all them.

People should watch this before give up on Bevan so quickly and remember he has equivalent of two full nrl seasons.


With a Top 30 and only 17 players playing first grade you're gonna have at most 13 players "wasting cap space" in Wenty.

What to do with Bev? Play him at fullback in Wenty let him dominate there, wait for an injury and bring him in. Because he started junior reps later in age than most players do he didn't get that tutelage that most players get. In hindsight he needed to spend more time in Wenty learning how to use his ball-playing abilities against men rather than kids and learning how and when to hit the ground when rucking the ball back.

I don't see how getting another big body in the middle, who don't touch the ball as often as your back 3 do in a regular set helps Bev's lack of involvement in returning the ball.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
63,013
French will only benefit the team when we gain another metre eater up front. When I see him taking the ball up I always expect very low impact. He is like Luke Burt with a dislocated ankle.

What would you do with French? He does give the backline something it lacks in speed. I also am unsure.As good as G.J is at working the ball put of own end. Bevan is far more dangerous and a better finisher. Also better under the high ball and I reckon in general reads the game far better in attack and defense. Bevan is still the type of player that scare opposition a little.
Give him any space and he will exploit it.
 
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