Rumours and Stuff

[Twizzle]

Well OK then, keep him on the wing. The backline below looks quite lethal to me for 2026(if Gutho comes back to something like his former self) compared to what we currently have.

Gutho
Votano
Lomax
Penisini
TBA

salary cap mate

I think we'd need to nuke Junior or RCG or similar, that TBA bloke could also cost us on top of Votano unless we retain Russell

 

[yy_cheng]

salary cap mate

I think we'd need to nuke Junior or RCG or similar, that TBA bloke could also cost us on top of Votano unless we retain Russell

I said a while back that we should've kept 1 of each

Paps or Marata
and
Junz or RCG

Back then I though Paps and Junz but in hindsight

Paps and RCG would be good. Paps is young and can run hard

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I disagree in that we can't really score in the opposition 20. It's been like this for years.

Unless you think we score more than our share of long range tries (with all our speedsters) then this isn't true. This is where we rank for tries scored (per game) every year since 2014, along with some readily available defensive stats (where 1st is the best team and 16th/17th is the worst):

Year	NRL rank (tries scored)	NRL rank (points conceded)	NRL rank (missed tackles)
2023	5th	11th	10th
2022	6th	8th	2nd
2021	7th	4th	5th
2020	9th	3rd	8th
2019	3rd	7th	14th
2018	14th	13th	10th
2017	6th	8th	11th
2016	12th	5th	6th
2015	7th	13th	12th
2014	7th	13th	14th

Our defence is the problem, and has been every year except 2020-'21 (and 2016). Surely you can still blame coaching for that? You don't have to make stuff up.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Sounds a reasonable assumption mate. The other option would have been to evolve our D. Regretably that has proved impossible under the current watch.

Not true. See above.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The game has changed its dynamism over those 4 years from a power dominated , forward heavy style to a more dynamic speed generated style.

Tell me something I don't know:

Sure but it's a lot quicker changing your style to suit your players than rebuilding your roster to suit a particular style. Arthur had us playing this style because it was what worked best in 2018 and 2019 when we decided we needed to spend so much on powerful forwards (the Broncos were another club who did this). Prior to that we played a very different style, attacking the edges, which was nullified in 2018 with teams getting up quickly after slow play-the-balls. The best teams were all attacking through the middle and we needed to adapt. So we brought in Paulo and Ferguson (and then RCG) and shortly after the f**ken rules changed again. It reminds me of the 2002 ruck interpretation that killed our small, speedy pack.

Eels in the media

Chicken and egg mate. Sure but it's a lot quicker changing your style to suit your players than rebuilding your roster to suit a particular style. Arthur had us playing this style because it was what worked best in 2018 and 2019 when we decided we needed to spend so much on powerful forwards...

forums.leagueunlimited.com

 

[84 Baby]

Votano

Serious question because maybe you have and can readily identify where you have, but you consistently throw up these names of players you’ve scouted on YouTube, have any of them actually become good players?

 

[Gazzamatta]

I don't believe that or club should be content with merely making the Finals 4 years running, including a Grand Final - the goal should be to win a Premiership.

And to follow up a Grand Final appearance with one - possibly two - seasons of not even making the 8, should not be acceptable.

While there are mitigating factors (last year, we had a horror injury toll, and poor discipline, which lead to players being unavailable; it's a similar story this year), the way this team capitulates under the slightest bit of pressure is just not First Grade NRL standard.

We owe Brad Arthur a great deal of gratitude for guiding us through some difficult periods over the last 11 years, but he's peaked - he can't get any better, and he certainly cannot extract the very best from his troops any more.

A change is needed, and I'd suggest the first place to start should be the board - we should have cut-throat business people, demanding success, running the club.

Then it should trickle down to the Head Of Football, and the Coach - by all means, recruit a superstar; but invest in signing talented young players for peanuts, so if your star goes down, you have a cheap, quality option to replace them with.

The Eels have failed here, too, and while our failures can be rationalised, what needs to happen is change .

Looking at the number of younguns we have bought into our system from far and wide, Id suggest that is a priority for the club. I guess the questions remain, are they the right kids and do we have the coaching in place to support and develop these kids. Re point 2, I think not and my thoughts aligned to this include what appears to be a one club mentality supporting and following our redundant style driven by our head coach. Our future years are in jeopardy should this continue. Id suggest many gooduns have been lost under this regime and style already.
Then again, what the fu*k would I know.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Great comments and nice to have a rational response for a change.
I bolded all the bits I agree with.

What - you don't agree with the fact that there are only 3 coaches who have coached more games with no premiership!! Haha!

I think I'm on your same page - and desperately hoping we bounce back after the bye with a huge win, go on to win the premiership, and extend BA (which he would deserve in that case). Hopes vs reality though...

 

[oldmancraigy]

I disagree in that we can't really score in the opposition 20. It's been like this for years.

.

True - although I think we tend to score more of our points from inside the 20 than from long range (!!) - I agree our attack inside 20 is fairly ordinary in the most part, but bailed out by the outstanding kicking game of Moses, and Guthos long ball cut-out to a rampaging Sivo.

9 crash plays in a row (which includes a 6 again) is mildly frustrating.....

 

[oldmancraigy]

FFS!! It's disgraceful how many people keep overlooking this.

Maybe I'm just sensitive because I'm bald?
Or maybe not?

 

[TheCrowe]

Serious question because maybe you have and can readily identify where you have, but you consistently throw up these names of players you’ve scouted on YouTube, have any of them actually become good players?

Ram can spot the difference between an athlete and a footballer.

 

[emjaycee]

What - you don't agree with the fact that there are only 3 coaches who have coached more games with no premiership!! Haha!

I think I'm on your same page - and desperately hoping we bounce back after the bye with a huge win, go on to win the premiership, and extend BA (which he would deserve in that case). Hopes vs reality though...

Not being the Forum's Resident Fact Checker, I cannot confirm or deny the accuracy of any factual statement you made and therefore I chose to refrain from agreeing with them.

 

[eels_fan]

I always thought if Lussick was fit for the Penrith semi-final and not Ray Stone we probably win.

I almost think that’s a fact.

 

[oldmancraigy]

We know the Panthers spent $17M in 2019: https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2022/05/02/panthers-reveal-the-price-of-success/

While our total football spend that year was $10M: https://www.parraleagues.com.au/annual-report/

In fact our spend in 2023 (our highest ever) was still only $12.5M

That doesn't imply any likelihood at all. If we aren't spending as much as them it means we are likely spending less for each given staff role.

Your numbers may not reflect total football spend, and may not represent at all what people are being paid.

Edited this so that instead of asking a snarky question I'm posing a thought:
Sad truth is that our financials indicate $x in spending on football related matters, and almost $10M more (for years) in football related income (even assuming catering and bar sales account for $0). So if the spend is lower, why is that?

We're a $100M/ year business that exists to run a competitive footy team.

 

[Stevie]

Can someone add a poll FFS?!
Wayne, Wallace, Cheika, Assistant from Melb etc.

 

[TheCrowe]

Can someone add a poll FFS?!
Wayne, Wallace, Cheika, Assistant from Melb etc.

And Brian McDermott. The more I learn about him the more he sounds like exactly what we need.

 

[Noise]

I like who they are considering if my mail is correct. Was also under considerstion in 2022 before our run to the GF.

I hope it’s not Ryan Carr

 

[hindy111]

You merkins are going in roundabouts
BAs gotta go

The end

 

[hindy111]

salary cap mate

I think we'd need to nuke Junior or RCG or similar, that TBA bloke could also cost us on top of Votano unless we retain Russell

Medically retire the King and try and move LANE on. Jnr and RCG still offer something.

 

[gaffer]

Medically retire the King and try and move LANE on. Jnr and RCG still offer something.

and sivo in the move on squad