Rumours and Stuff

[T-Boon]

Parra should try to sign the cronulla winger Sione Katoa (Eels jnr) and then pester his brother Isaiah to join him when his contract is up with the Dolphins - agree or disagree.

 

[Jake the snake]

Merkins get your questions in!

Watch those f**kers go easy on the lawn mower specialist. Otherwise they won’t get sponsored by the leagues club.

 

[Soto]

Never said we should/or not sign Hastings...just he could make a good lock.

Anyhow what is wrong with 2 "Walker"type players in our top 17?

I actually think we do need another "Walker" type player in the 17. Hopgood isn't good enough in the role. While our attack needs someone for 80 mins doing it not just the 40-50 mins Walker does it.

Dogs who are coming first have 2 "Walker" type players in their 17. Hayward and Mann.

No no and no.
Dogs can afford it because they have an aggressive go forward pack. If anything we are a prop or backrow short that's why we get dominated and need the boot of Moses to get us out of trouble.
We don't need to copy other teams but need to play to our strengths.
Hopgood I agree doesn't deliver. Maybe he doesn't know what his job is. Maybe his back injury is still hampering him.
I reckon Williams should play lock and be given a licence to roam.
Anyway thanks but no thanks Hastings.

 

[eels_fan]

Merkins get your questions in!

Jim is going on the Talking Parra podcast on Tuesday night too

he’s doing the rounds…

 

[Avenger]

No no and no.
Dogs can afford it because they have an aggressive go forward pack. If anything we are a prop or backrow short that's why we get dominated and need the boot of Moses to get us out of trouble.
We don't need to copy other teams but need to play to our strengths.
Hopgood I agree doesn't deliver. Maybe he doesn't know what his job is. Maybe his back injury is still hampering him.
I reckon Williams should play lock and be given a licence to roam.
Anyway thanks but no thanks Hastings.

Hopgood is tragically terrible and has been for 2 years now.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

No no and no.
Dogs can afford it because they have an aggressive go forward pack. If anything we are a prop or backrow short that's why we get dominated and need the boot of Moses to get us out of trouble.
We don't need to copy other teams but need to play to our strengths.
Hopgood I agree doesn't deliver. Maybe he doesn't know what his job is. Maybe his back injury is still hampering him.
I reckon Williams should play lock and be given a licence to roam.
Anyway thanks but no thanks Hastings.

So you don't think we play better attack wise when Walker is on the field?

also you don't think dogs middle which is very light compared to other sides, go good because they have a "Walker" player on the field for the whole 80 mins...

Hopgood definitely knows he role, that's while he is always passing it.

Anyhow Williams isn't a "lock", ..,Williams doesn't pass, it aren't in his skillset. Williams playing lock would make Hopgood look good passing wise...

 

[Soto]

So you don't think we play better attack wise when Walker is on the field?

BTW - Hopgood definitely knows he role, that's while he is always passing it why your merkins think he is just doing it for fun!

Walker makes our attack look better the moment he comes on.
He's literally a halfback. But but but he can only be more effective if we have the platform laid. We don't need more players like him. One is enough.
We need more go forward. Then he and Moses can do their thing.
Hopgood needs a spell. Even when he tries to tuck the ball under the arm it looks he's running in quicksand or has the customary 1 or 2 handling errors.
Anyway I think Ryles will work it out and adjust. I don't think he will persevere with Hopgood if he continues to not deliver like ole mate would've...
Pick and stick regardless of the result...good ole mate BA

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Hopgood is tragically terrible and has been for 2 years now.

Actually no that's not correct!! he was very good last year.

He was averaging 14 runs 117 m / 1.6 tb / 1.8 ol / 93% defence, last year before his origin injury. Pretty much the same as 2023.

this year his form has dropped, is he injured? Or is it because he is playing a different role?

Maybe moving Hopgood to a prop role and signing another "walker" type middle could help....

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Never said we should/or not sign Hastings...just he could make a good lock.

Anyhow what is wrong with 2 "Walker"type players in our top 17?

I actually think we do need another "Walker" type player in the 17. Hopgood isn't good enough in the role. While our attack needs someone for 80 mins doing it not just the 40-50 mins Walker does it.

Dogs who are coming first have 2 "Walker" type players in their 17. Hayward and Mann.

Players like Hastings are well suited to the modern game. If he’s not a suitable signing it’s not because he can’t play.

 

[Pazza]

Actually no that's not correct!! he was very good last year.

He was averaging 14 runs 117 m / 1.6 tb / 1.8 ol / 93% defence, last year before his origin injury. Pretty much the same as 2023.

this year his form has dropped, is he injured? Or is it because he is playing a different role?

Maybe moving Hopgood to a prop role and signing another "walker" type middle could help....

if Ryles wants his lock to be a ball player, walker or any other player. why not use matterson? hes got one of the cleanest passes for a big man ive seen. he was highly effective there before hopgood arrived at the club.

 

[Tiger5150]

Players like Hastings are well suited to the modern game. If he’s not a suitable signing it’s not because he can’t play.

He is the perfect player for Parramatta. Turns out that Parramatta may have dodged a bullet and been kissed on the d*ck by a fairy in missing out on Galvin if it now means that they could sign Hastings.

 

[T-Boon]

Players like Hastings are well suited to the modern game. If he’s not a suitable signing it’s not because he can’t play.

He would be a better version of Dean Hawkins for sure. If he was cheap he could play half. I don't like him at 5/8. Maybe switch Moses to 5/8.

 

[Soto]

He would be a better version of Dean Hawkins for sure. If he was cheap he could play half. I don't like him at 5/8. Maybe switch Moses to 5/8.

If we were to remotely consider that you would be going for Toby Sexton every day of the week.
We shouldn't be considering Jackson Hastings for a minute..
He's not a bad player but that's not the direction we should be heading in.
We have lots of good young halves who have better days ahead of them instead of an almost 30yr old half who is on the nose at every club he plays for within 12 months or so.
If we accept mediocrity the mediocre results will continue..

 

[T-Boon]

If we were to remotely consider that you would be going for Toby Sexton every day of the week.
We shouldn't be considering Jackson Hastings for a minute..
He's not a bad player but that's not the direction we should be heading in.
We have lots of good young halves who have better days ahead of them instead of an almost 30yr old half who is on the nose at every club he plays for within 12 months or so.
If we accept mediocrity the mediocre results will continue..

I don't see the point in holding on to Brown for the rest of this season.
I am just suggesting we give Brown to the Knights and take Hastings probably just for the rest of this year to essentially "kick the tyres" - he is on a fair bit less than Brown and in my opinion would not be too much of a downgrade. If it doesn't work out this season he can depart for England.
I also do not have any confidence about any of our jnrs coming through. That is an old Eels myth that has been around for decades.

 

[Grigor]

Hastings would be a typical eels signing , pointless and make's limited sense , in an era where the game has gone professional we can't compete with a lot of clubs , the eels as a club have everything but in reality we have nothing

 

[Poupou Escobar]

if Ryles wants his lock to be a ball player, walker or any other player. why not use matterson? hes got one of the cleanest passes for a big man ive seen. he was highly effective there before hopgood arrived at the club.

It's not just the passing, it's the decision making (whom to pass to and when) as well as the speed/agility to react to the defence and get into the right positions.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Watch those f**kers go easy on the lawn mower specialist. Otherwise they won’t get sponsored by the leagues club.

I think the other poddy with that Adam guy are advertising a similar interview, question time with Jim. Looks like he's doing the rounds.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Walker makes our attack look better the moment he comes on.
He's literally a halfback. But but but he can only be more effective if we have the platform laid. We don't need more players like him. One is enough.
We need more go forward. Then he and Moses can do their thing.
Hopgood needs a spell. Even when he tries to tuck the ball under the arm it looks he's running in quicksand or has the customary 1 or 2 handling errors.
Anyway I think Ryles will work it out and adjust. I don't think he will persevere with Hopgood if he continues to not deliver like ole mate would've...
Pick and stick regardless of the result...good ole mate BA

Is Walker better at the play maker role than Moses? I think maybe he is. Moses has the kick and speed but is he an elite play maker?

 

[Soto]

I don't see the point in holding on to Brown for the rest of this season.
I am just suggesting we give Brown to the Knights and take Hastings probably just for the rest of this year to essentially "kick the tyres" - he is on a fair bit less than Brown and in my opinion would not be too much of a downgrade. If it doesn't work out this season he can depart for England.
I also do not have any confidence about any of our jnrs coming through. That is an old Eels myth that has been around for decades.

Correct but when we have no semis to play for I'd rather give papali/volkman a good go at 5/8 and see if they cut the mustard.
As long as we dont get the spoon then its OK where we finish. All if not most of these young blokes will be much better for the experience next yr

 

[Soto]

Is Walker better at the play maker role than Moses? I think maybe he is. Moses has the kick and speed but is he an elite play maker?

I'm with you Gazza...Walker is very creative and organises well. Look at Isiaya Katoa he is always and near around the ball...he doesn't just live on one side of the field