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SneakyEel

Juniors
Messages
616
As I said before Momoisea is our new right-edge backrower. He has now been officially named in the 12 for the trial against Penrith, Doorey on the bench. Pretty solid trial team:
Eels team: 1. Sean Russell 2. Matthew Komolafe 3. Samuel Loizou 4. Zac Cini 5. Isaac Lumelume 6. Jordan Rankin 7. Jakob Arthur 8. Ofahiki Ogden 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Ky Rodwell 11. Shaun Lane 12. Jirah Momoisea 13. Ryan Matterson 14. Matt Doorey 15. Mitch Rein 16. Wiremu Greig 17. Makahesi Makatoa 18. Toni Mataele 19. Jayden Yates 20. Dan Keir 21. Luca Moretti 22. Tevita Taumoepenu 23. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa 24. Daejarn Asi
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
Bloke in the bar podcast made an interesting point about Papa.

Papa was good, and took a lot of runs.

We obviously have to offset his attacking contribution with other players (I reckon his edge defence is poor, thus we probably improve there with the replacement).

However on the same edge we also have Will P, who is still young and developing. He is quite a stronger runner of the ball. His improvement/more experience could offset some of the attack Papa provided……even though we did use Will in some nice set plays (raiders / Storm games), we can made Will more the attacking point on that edge.

Thus we don’t necessarily need Papa’s replacement to be as good as him, as we can offset his contribution.
Exactly. You can replace a player’s attack with contributors at other positions. It’s in defence that you need to worry about a like-for-like replacement. In this way Papali’i will be easy to replace; we do have other merkins who can take those runs. But in defence, at right edge forward we just need to replace all those missed tackles.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160

In-demand Eels star Mitchell Moses plans to have future sorted before round 1​

He’s the most sought after player on the market, but speculation around Mitch Moses’ future should be over within weeks.

Mitch Moses’ teammates jokingly stood around as he did interviews on Tuesday afternoon hoping to catch some breaking news, but the Eels halfback was tight-lipped about his future that he hopes to have sorted in the next few weeks.
The flashy playmaker is the most sought after player on the market, with the Wests Tigers reportedly willing to break the bank to lure him back to the club that handed him his NRL debut.


Mitch Moses wants to sort out his future within the next four weeks. Picture: Richard Dobson
Moses and the Tigers parted ways midway through the 2017 season and it wasn’t the cleanest break-up, which is why the 28-year-old has taken a mature approach to the current contract situation.

He still has an option in his favour to stay at the Eels in 2024, but his preference is to get a deal sorted before the beaten grand finalists open the season against the Storm on March 2.

“I would like it done before the start of the year,” Moses told the NCA NewsWire.

“I’ve left everything up to my manager so all my focus has been on the new season. I’ve got full trust in him that he can do what he thinks is best to make sure I can play my best footy.

“I told him to do all the talking and look after all the meetings, and when he’s ready, he can let me know.

“I think I’ve handled this situation a lot better than what I have in the past. I’m fully focused on Parramatta and coming to training where I can rip in with the boys.

“Hopefully, everything else sorts itself out before the new year.”





Dylan Brown and Moses combined to take the Eels to last year’s grand final. Picture: NRL Photos
This is the biggest decision Moses has had to make in his footy journey, with the Eels desperate to keep him after seeing what he and halves partner Dylan Brown were able to achieve last year.

The pair took Parramatta to its first grand final since 2009, and while they were well beaten by Penrith, there is a firm belief out west that they can compete for the next few titles if they can retain the core of their squad.

That was helped in December when Brown signed a unique extension, and the five-eighth hopes Moses will be there alongside him for many years to come.

“I don’t really have a pitch for him, but my main focus is to play good footy which will allow him to play good footy. We all owe it to him because he’s done so much for us as a team,” Brown said.

“I feel like if we continue to play the way that we have been playing then he won’t want to leave – whether that’s for money or any other reason. He loves Parra and we want him to stay.”

Because he knows his value has peaked.
 

yy_cheng

Coach
Messages
18,007
As I said before Momoisea is our new right-edge backrower. He has now been officially named in the 12 for the trial against Penrith, Doorey on the bench. Pretty solid trial team:
Eels team: 1. Sean Russell 2. Matthew Komolafe 3. Samuel Loizou 4. Zac Cini 5. Isaac Lumelume 6. Jordan Rankin 7. Jakob Arthur 8. Ofahiki Ogden 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Ky Rodwell 11. Shaun Lane 12. Jirah Momoisea 13. Ryan Matterson 14. Matt Doorey 15. Mitch Rein 16. Wiremu Greig 17. Makahesi Makatoa 18. Toni Mataele 19. Jayden Yates 20. Dan Keir 21. Luca Moretti 22. Tevita Taumoepenu 23. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa 24. Daejarn Asi

"He has now been officially named in the 12 for the trial against Penrith"

Huh, Your logic doesn't make sense. The team are mainly NSW Cup players except Lano and hodgo.

Ryan doesnt count as he's suspended
 

SneakyEel

Juniors
Messages
616
"He has now been officially named in the 12 for the trial against Penrith"

Huh, Your logic doesn't make sense. The team are mainly NSW Cup players except Lano and hodgo.

Ryan doesnt count as he's suspended
How doesn't it make sense? He was named ahead of Doorey like I predicted.
 

emjaycee

Coach
Messages
12,868
As I said before Momoisea is our new right-edge backrower. He has now been officially named in the 12 for the trial against Penrith, Doorey on the bench. Pretty solid trial team:
Eels team: 1. Sean Russell 2. Matthew Komolafe 3. Samuel Loizou 4. Zac Cini 5. Isaac Lumelume 6. Jordan Rankin 7. Jakob Arthur 8. Ofahiki Ogden 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Ky Rodwell 11. Shaun Lane 12. Jirah Momoisea 13. Ryan Matterson 14. Matt Doorey 15. Mitch Rein 16. Wiremu Greig 17. Makahesi Makatoa 18. Toni Mataele 19. Jayden Yates 20. Dan Keir 21. Luca Moretti 22. Tevita Taumoepenu 23. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa 24. Daejarn Asi
Pretty solid trial team, but no Drown Gutho, Moses, Sivo, Penisini, RCG...
 

Eelementary

Post Whore
Messages
56,108
Wasn't he the guy Pou talked up? What a plodder Alvaro was.
Makatoa thing is he has a big engine. He can do a job. But yes working in an offload would help his game.

Alvaro was very good defensively - brought down players in his own, and wrestled well.

He just was a waste of a hit-up.

I'd rather someone like Rodwell, over Makatoa, but if Makatoa is picked, I'll cheer him on, as he is representing my club.
 

Eelementary

Post Whore
Messages
56,108

Man, some people spin crap...

"It'll be the hardest decision of my career," would mean to most rational people, "I'm tossing up whether to stay for less, and genuinely compete for a Premiership, or take more money, and go to a basket case of a club."

And we're supposed to feel nervous?

If he takes the Tigers deal, then good luck to him.

But it would take a bold man to leave the Grand Finalists to join a rabble for more money.
 
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