Squad succession

[Poupou Escobar]

patronizing comments like this doesn't work for me

Still nah...

 

[Twizzle]

Put him on Ignore Pou!! Oh wait………….

one of the disadvantages........

 

[the phantom menace]

FFS! Matt Arthur, top 30 2026...

 

[Happy MEel]

Edit

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So the 2024 pre-season has commenced and the club didn't say "Bye!" to Ogden:

* = player option
¢ = club option
" = mutual option
^ = development contract

2024
Utility: Asi (24), Brown, Gutherson, Kalache (21)^, Momoisea (26), Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Cini (24)^, Dunster, Harper (26), Penisini, Russell, Simonsson (26), Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Lussick
Edge forward: Cartwright, Doorey, Lane, Mataele, Matterson, Tuilagi
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Greig, Hopgood, Makatoa (31), Ofahengaue, Ogden (28)¢, Paulo, Rodwell (25)

2025
Utility: Brown, Gutherson (31), Talagi (20)^*
Fullback: -
W/C: Dunster (26)", Penisini (23), Russell (23), Sivo (32)
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands (26), Lussick (30)
Edge forward: Cartwright (31), Doorey (25), Lane, Mataele (23), Matterson, Tuilagi (26)
Middle: Campbell-Gillard (32), Greig, Hopgood (26), Ofahengaue (30), Paulo

2026
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses
Hooker: -
Edge forward: Lane (32)", Matterson (32)*
Middle: Greig (27), Paulo (33)

2027
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2028
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses (34)*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2029
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2030
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2031
Utility: Brown (31)*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

So we (officially) have 27 merkins in this year's top 30, and 20 in the 2025 squad.

 

[King-Gutho94]

SAM TUIVAITI​

Age: 18
Games: 0 (2023 games: 0)
Contract ends: 2025
The biggest rap you can give this young bloke is recalling how Junior Paulo said he got flashbacks watching Tuivaiti run around in SG Ball this year. Has a huge frame and the footwork, ball skills and work ethic to go with it.

LUCA MORETTI​

Age: 23
Games: 10 (2023 games: 10)
Contract ends: 2025
Was the NSW Cup player of the year who is on a development deal in 2024 before moving up into the top-30 in 2025. Already has a taste of NRL so that can all be fast tracked.

ARTHUR MILLER-STEPHEN​

Age: 20
Games: 1 (2023 games: 1)
Contract ends: 2025
The departure of Blake Ferguson last year and now Waqa Blake has really opened up some opportunity for the young outside backs at the Eels. And there is a real buzz about this Mackay junior who represented Queensland at under-16s and 18s, after Miller-Stephen scored on debut in round 23 game against the Dragons.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/parramatta-eels-2024-roster-rater-every-player-rated-from-1-to-32/news-story/cc8a5c15f28b891edf3585fc2e1d440f

 

[King-Gutho94]

SAM TUIVAITI​

Age: 18
Games: 0 (2023 games: 0)
Contract ends: 2025
The biggest rap you can give this young bloke is recalling how Junior Paulo said he got flashbacks watching Tuivaiti run around in SG Ball this year. Has a huge frame and the footwork, ball skills and work ethic to go with it.

LUCA MORETTI​

Age: 23
Games: 10 (2023 games: 10)
Contract ends: 2025
Was the NSW Cup player of the year who is on a development deal in 2024 before moving up into the top-30 in 2025. Already has a taste of NRL so that can all be fast tracked.

ARTHUR MILLER-STEPHEN​

Age: 20
Games: 1 (2023 games: 1)
Contract ends: 2025
The departure of Blake Ferguson last year and now Waqa Blake has really opened up some opportunity for the young outside backs at the Eels. And there is a real buzz about this Mackay junior who represented Queensland at under-16s and 18s, after Miller-Stephen scored on debut in round 23 game against the Dragons.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/parramatta-eels-2024-roster-rater-every-player-rated-from-1-to-32/news-story/cc8a5c15f28b891edf3585fc2e1d440f

@Poupou Escobar

More information for you on the contract list with some of the young players

 

[hineyrulz]

Merkin is too busy putting people on ignore to do his f**king job ffs!!

 

[T.S Quint]

Merkin is too busy putting people on ignore to do his f**king job ffs!!

He’s put his f**king job on ignore, ffs!

 

[Gronk]

Merkins waiting for Pou to unblock them.

 

[T.S Quint]

Merkins waiting for Pou to unblock them.

View attachment 81560

I'm guessing that's El Diablo on the left.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Merkins waiting for Pou to unblock them.

View attachment 81560

They’re a bunch of dopey smartarses with nothing worthwhile to say. They are a waste of my time.

 

[hineyrulz]

They’re a bunch of dopey smartarses with nothing worthwhile to say. They are a waste of my time.

 

[Avenger]

He reads everything. He’s too twisted not to. BTW, f**k yourself Pou.

 

[Twizzle]

everybody loves Pou, they just don't want to admit it

 

[hindy111]

everybody loves Pou, they just don't want to admit it

I did untill he blocked me. f**k him

 

[the phantom menace]

everybody loves Pou, they just don't want to admit it

Is that a bit like Everybody Loves Raymond... in that everyone finds Raymond annoying and doesn't actually love him despite the title?

 

[Enamoured Eel]

Put him as a half, ffs!

And while we're at it, put Gutho as a fullback too ffs, ffs!

I could mount a case that about a dozen of our top 30 are utilities but I think they should be categorised in their most applicable position.

Brown’s contribution in a match would be most felt in the halves. You capture his defensive ability against a big edge forward and his run, pass or kick threat. All three options to him are potent.

At fullback, you don’t get his line defence and he doesn’t appear to be a big talker to organise. At centre, you don’t get the defence questioning what he is going to do as the inside often makes it for you.

With Gutho, his strengths are his work rate, his holistic organisational skills and his fitness.

At centre, it’s hard to organise the other side of the field with a voice. His fitness would also be wasted as I’ll argue that centres generally have a limited workload. He lacks a kicking game in a team to play in the halves if there isn’t a primary, top shelf kicker.

 

[Noise]

Gutho and Brown in their rightful positions:

* = player option
¢ = club option
" = mutual option
^ = development contract

2024
Utility: Asi (24), Kalache (21)^, Momoisea (26), Talagi^
Fullback: - Gutherson,
W/C: Cini (24)^, Dunster, Harper (26), Penisini, Russell, Simonsson (26), Sivo
Half: Moses, Brown
Hooker: Hands, Lussick
Edge forward: Cartwright, Doorey, Lane, Mataele, Matterson, Tuilagi
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Greig, Hopgood, Makatoa (31), Ofahengaue, Ogden (28)¢, Paulo, Rodwell (25)

2025
Utility: Talagi (20)^*
Fullback: - Gutherson (31),
W/C: Dunster (26)", Penisini (23), Russell (23), Sivo (32)
Half: Moses, Brown
Hooker: Hands (26), Lussick (30)
Edge forward: Cartwright (31), Doorey (25), Lane, Mataele (23), Matterson, Tuilagi (26)
Middle: Campbell-Gillard (32), Greig, Hopgood (26), Ofahengaue (30), Paulo

2026
Utility:
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses, Brown*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: Lane (32)", Matterson (32)*
Middle: Greig (27), Paulo (33)

2027
Utility:
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses*, Brown*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2028
Utility:
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses (34)* Brown*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2029
Utility:
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: - Brown*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2030
Utility:
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: - Brown*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2031
Utility:
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: - Brown (31)*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

 

[Twizzle]

Gutho and Brown in their rightful positions:

thanks Pou