TLDR - R5 v Hindy111's Panthers

[hindy111]

Imo, I'd make two changes:

Gower in for Ma'u (he looks unfit or something)
Evans in for Terepo (he's not as bad as some of you merkins make him out to be tbh)

I'd also be tempted to start Williams, so our starting back-row would be:

11. Williams
12. Moeroa
13. Brown

Obviously, a tiny bit of a defensive liability with T-Rex - but I say roll the dice, and hope that he can help us start the game with momentum that we can keep.

But then, I'm not Brad Arthur...or am I?

No. I'm not.

Or...?

Terepo was our best prop on weekend. Lol

 

[Eelementary]

Terepo was our best prop on weekend. Lol

No, he wasn't.

 

[hindy111]

Terepo is our best Prop. He has to and will be in our top 17 when fit every week.
By end of season you will agree with me.

 

[Eelementary]

Don't think so, mate.

I respect your opinion, but I disagree.

Terepo tries hard, and is quick, but is ineffective. He runs hard, but gets stopped at the advantage line (he hardly breaks the advantage line).

He is a solid defender.

But he's not a better defender than Mannah or Alvaro.

His running game is no better than our other props', imo.

I'd like to agree with you, but I just don't see the fuss.

Terepo looks great in highlight reels, but he is not effective.

 

[hindy111]

He need to stay fit for a full season. He is hitting peak age. 2016 was a write off for him.
I know his ability and have no doubt he is superior to both Tim and Alvaro.

 

[Eelementary]

I sincerely hope you're right, buddy.

 

[hindy111]

If Alvsro developed an offload and a short pass before the line it would take his game to the next level. He should base his game on James Graheme

 

[T.S Quint]

I'm pretty sure Alvaro knows how to pass a ball.

 

[Glenneel]

Eels squad
1. Will Smith
2. George Jennings
3. Michael Jennings
4. Kirisome Auva'a
5. Josh Hoffman
6. Corey Norman
7. Mitch Moses
8. Daniel Alvaro
9. Kaysa Pritchard
10. Tim Mannah (c)
11. Manu Ma'u
12. Tepai Moeroa
13. Nathan Brown
Interchange
14. Beau Scott (c)
15. Kenny Edwards
16. Peni Terepo
17. Tony Williams
18. Cameron King
19. Suaia Matagi
20. David Gower
21. Kane Evans

No French, Gutho. Evans back.
https://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2018/04/03/eels-v-panthers-team-list/

Gee this is a surprise, BA copied and pasted the team list. What happened to BAs threat to drop players? Why should they try if there is no accountability or responsibility for their performance?

I know that Wenty are also diabolical atm but that doesn't mean some individuals there aren't putting in or wouldn't try their guts out if promoted. They can't do any worse than the top squad could they? I can see us losing some of our promising juniors thru BAs lack of promoting them.

Why is BA persisting with Beau Scott? He reached his use by date last year and again this is an example of us signing an ageing player for too long a contract. We didn't have to sign him for 3 years. He was leaving the Knights to be closer to Westmead Hospital and its not like a plethora of clubs were after him.

The only positive is Tony Williams if he maintains his W-T form. It was refreshing to see a large forward scatter the defence and offload after creating space. More of this and less one out running is the go.

 

[Glenneel]

I'm pretty sure Alvaro knows how to pass a ball.

Never seen him pass it yet. They are his lollies and he doesn't share I'm led to believe.

 

[Gary Gutful]

I know that Wenty are also diabolical atm but that doesn't mean some individuals there aren't putting in or wouldn't try their guts out if promoted. They can't do any worse than the top squad could they? I can see us losing some of our promising juniors thru BAs lack of promoting them.

Like whom?

Name some merkins and let us know who you think they should replace.

 

[Glenneel]

Like whom?

Name some merkins and let us know who you think they should replace.

I don't care who BA puts into the top squad but it would show he is proactive and carrying out his threat. Tell me when in his 5th year at the club has BA ever delivered on his threat?

Btw I'd never start with Mannah and Alvaro as our starting props. Both are defensive so I'd pair one with an attacking forward. We need to get on the front foot and quickly and as seen so far we cannot defend our way to a win. We need to build a lead and then hang on if need be but I'd prefer all out attack as the best form of defence.

 

[Bazal]

Don't think so, mate.

I respect your opinion, but I disagree.

Terepo tries hard, and is quick, but is ineffective. He runs hard, but gets stopped at the advantage line (he hardly breaks the advantage line).

He is a solid defender.

But he's not a better defender than Mannah or Alvaro.

His running game is no better than our other props', imo.

I'd like to agree with you, but I just don't see the fuss.

Terepo looks great in highlight reels, but he is not effective.

Hindy has an inexplicable hard-on for Terepo...he's been utterly fooled by what he does before the line and thinks that he somehow saps the defenders energy by hitting the defensive line and stopping as though he's run straight into the side of a barn.

Handy reserve/bench player and a good defender but almost no impact in attack, plus he has hands like mangled feet

 

[Gary Gutful]

I don't care who BA puts into the top squad but it would show he is proactive and carrying out his threat. Tell me when in his 5th year at the club has BA ever delivered on his threat?

Btw I'd never start with Mannah and Alvaro as our starting props. Both are defensive so I'd pair one with an attacking forward. We need to get on the front foot and quickly and as seen so far we cannot defend our way to a win. We need to build a lead and then hang on if need be but I'd prefer all out attack as the best form of defence.

So basically you can’t think of anyone who should step in but think it should happen anyway.

That doesn’t make any sense.

Rather than criticising him for ‘not following through with a threat’, have you ever thought that he might have looked at the Wenty squad, realised most of them are missing a chromosome and decided to go with options that he had?

Unless you can specifically name players that should be in the squad from Wenty then I don’t actually think you have a valid criticism.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Rather than criticising him for ‘not following through with a threat’, have you ever thought that he might have looked at the Wenty squad, realised most of them are missing a chromosome and decided to go with options that he had?

I reckon, like any coach, he had a fair idea whom his best 21 or 22 players were by round one and picked the team from them. At the moment four or five of them are unavailable, making the 17 a no-brainer. As for the players not picked, whether this week or at any point so far, if their weaknesses are evident at training they will certainly be exposed on game day.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Btw I'd never start with Mannah and Alvaro as our starting props. Both are defensive so I'd pair one with an attacking forward.

Well he did try that in round 2 and 3, but with Evans injured we couldn't do that against the Tigers.

 

[Bazal]

I genuinely think it's time to look at benching Mannah. Alvaro is the better prop, he's a better attacking player and a better defender, and he can play more minutes at a high rate than Mannah.

I think we can start with Mannah and Alvaro no problems if we have Terepo on the bench, where our interchange defenders have been exposed at times. But if we go with Evans and T-Rex on the bench (given the perceived reluctance to drop Scott) we need a defensive player there too.

 

[Gary Gutful]

I reckon, like any coach, he had a fair idea whom his best 21 or 22 players were by round one and picked the team from them. At the moment four or five of them are unavailable, making the 17 a no-brainer. As for the players not picked, whether this week or at any point so far, if their weaknesses are evident at training they will certainly be exposed on game day.

Like Portuguese chicken.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Moeroa and Scott are defensive forwards on the bench. I wonder if Moeroa will start this week? If Williams is in the team to play edge forward that means Moeroa will again play in the middle, meaning he probably won’t start.

 

[T.S Quint]

Never seen him pass it yet. They are his lollies and he doesn't share I'm led to believe.

If BA wanted him to pass before the line (like Graham at the Bulldogs) then he would coach him to do so.
Obviously it's not in our game plan for our prop to pretend he is a halfback. We already have two of those.

Alvaro is a good metre-eater. Grinds along making his shitload of tackles and makes his metres. That is what he does, and that is what he's good at.

We have other forwards who can pass before the line and pop offloads (Evans, Brown, Edwards, Williams, Scott at times) so let's not worry about the guy who is actually doing his job at the moment, and worry about those other guys who aren't.