Rumours and Stuff

[Gazzamatta]

Matto activated that PO quicker then when he said I am taking the 3 match ban instead of a 4k fine

New season, new allocation of sickies.

 

[Zoso]

Option madness: Why Eels have hamstrung themselves on 2026 transfer market

The Eels recruitment policies are hurting them again.

www.zerotackle.com

interesting take on our moves on contracts and recruitment, understandably Pou will circularly argue it’s a good problem and the R&R team did them for a very good reason. There are reportedly moves to see if 5hey can be removed for the good of the club go8ng forward, doesn’t seem they were favourable to the club from the get go.

Hopefully we come out the other side without getting bitten in the rear

He mentions five players;
Lane - re-signed the other day, yeah?
Matterson - we shopped him earlier without success, didn’t we?
Penisini - called him one of the best centres in the game. Big call, atm I’d call him ‘slightly above average with plenty of upside potential’. Might become one of the best, this year I think we’ll see how he goes with different setup and specific centre training from Gas.
Brown - has shown what he can do but isn’t a consistent game breaker, yet. I’m almost, kinda with Avenger on this guy…replaceable as he is but a must keep if he played near or at his best consistently.
Pryke - yet to prove anything

A few fair points but hardly like we have a lot to worry about there. That said, I’d like Mitch stitched up.
Edit: Matterson took up his option, yeah?

 

[Twizzle]

Penisini - called him one of the best centres in the game. Big call, atm I’d call him ‘slightly above average with plenty of upside potential’. Might become one of the best, this year I think we’ll see how he goes with different setup and specific centre training from Gas.

I'm not convinced about Penisini, not yet anyway, I don't know why he would be highly rated.

He could be one day but he regressed last season for mine.

 

[Zoso]

I will maintain if Andrew Ryan scores that try at 18-0 we go onto to win that game.

18-6 instead of 24 nil they scored almost straight after and it’s a total different ball game. Newcastle front loaded their efforts areas that game and didn’t have a lot left in the tank that second half.

“Newcastle front loaded their efforts areas…”
Did they chase the collision too Hiney??

 

[Obscene Assassin]

So we have now signed Jack Hudson? he is 19 years old and a couple years off?

That means we now have 4 rakes on the books? Lussick, Hands, Smith and Hudson?

It seems we have opted against an experienced 9. How does all that work out...

At best I'd say he'd be D6 in 2026, more than likely a train and trial contract.

 

[Avenger]

I'm not convinced about Penisini, not yet anyway, I don't know why he would be highly rated.

He could be one day but he regressed last season for mine.

He’d be on close to what Kotoni is on at the Broncos. Who would you rather have?

 

[Twizzle]

He’d be on close to what Kotoni is on at the Broncos. Who would you rather have?

Kotoni is on Broncos dollars which is way more. Will not in that class yet, assuming he ever does.

 

[Gherkin]

I think Penisini will have a big year. His fundamentals with defensive positioning and knocking on every time there was a loose ball on the ground let him down.
I'll reserve judgement on all our returning players until a few games in because I expect we'll see some big improvements with the change in coaching.

 

[T.S Quint]

I'm not convinced about Penisini, not yet anyway, I don't know why he would be highly rated.

He could be one day but he regressed last season for mine.

He's top tier when running the ball.
Unfortunately his decision making, especially in defence are poor.

 

[Pazza]

The 2022 GF can possibly show us that the options are a good thing because we were able to put together a GF side by using them. Would we have been able to put together such a side withouth them?

The grand final squad was already put together before optioned contracts were signed by matto, lane, sivo, brown, moses and penisini.

How does our current roster state have us view these options? Have we missed out on signing any players due to these options?

We're in that process now, like the article states we have 2 mil in cap space in limbo until options are taken up or rejected. It's all be spoken about here ad nauseas. Going to be an interesting off season.

 

[Pazza]

He mentions five players;
Lane - re-signed the other day, yeah?
Matterson - we shopped him earlier without success, didn’t we?
Penisini - called him one of the best centres in the game. Big call, atm I’d call him ‘slightly above average with plenty of upside potential’. Might become one of the best, this year I think we’ll see how he goes with different setup and specific centre training from Gas.
Brown - has shown what he can do but isn’t a consistent game breaker, yet. I’m almost, kinda with Avenger on this guy…replaceable as he is but a must keep if he played near or at his best consistently.
Pryke - yet to prove anything

A few fair points but hardly like we have a lot to worry about there. That said, I’d like Mitch stitched up.
Edit: Matterson took up his option, yeah?

Sounds lIke you don't rate many of these guys, if you were Ryles, would you wanna move some of them on. Go to the market and look for a replacement?

 

[Happy MEel]

New season, new allocation of sickies.

Matto busts out this Xmas carol from November 1:

“it’s the most wonderful time of the year”

 

[RustedonEel]

The 01 GF was a choke of Reilly Reid proportions.

Another gift from the myth that was Brian Smith

 

[oldmancraigy]

The pool of people willing and able to make decisions at the very top of the organisation, and their relationships, is a significant resource.

Sure - but in common parlance (ie around here, in the papers, in most instances in general footy conversation) people who use the word resources use it to talk of stuff and not people.
Surely you can see that?


Thus has all been done before.
#dejavu

 

[RustedonEel]

Newcastle front loaded their efforts areas that game and didn’t have a lot left in the tank that second half.

And they obviously "chased the collision"

 

[Matty Bhoy]

Hands and Russell have extended through to the end of 2026. Source - Members email.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Great to see Brendan Hands extend i think he has been developing nicely despite being shunted to reggies to play 5/8 at one point.

He never complained and got on with the job.

Seems like a hard worker and a good club man.

Wouldn't cost an arm or a leg either and with some different coaching coming in has the potential to kick on.