To the "next year" brigade of Brian Smith apologis

[thedux]

I agree to a point but the question still remains....who do we replace him with. It's not like the lower grade coaches are setting the world on fire and JT has very limited experience. As for those outside the club, Daniel Anderson and Sharp both got sacked from clubs that are going worse and no-one else is really available. I'm not a fan of change for change's sake.

 

[Suitman]

I agree to a point but the question still remains....who do we replace him with. It's not like the lower grade coaches are setting the world on fire and JT has very limited experience. As for those outside the club, Daniel Anderson and Sharp both got sacked from clubs that are going worse and no-one else is really available. I'm not a fan of change for change's sake.

Did Cronulla worry about who was available when they sacked Anderson?
Maybe they already had Raper signed up. Maybe not.
Canberra found Matthew Elliott. Melbourne and Bellamy.
The Roosters pissed off Graham Muarray, after he had taken them to a Grand Final.
These teams are far hungrier than Fitzgerald will ever be.
He is the boss, and bosses have to make tough decisions.

Taylor may not be the man for the job. But he might be. Remember Hagan, Stuart, Gould in his early days?????

The "who will we replace him with?" argument just doesn't wash with me.
There has to be someone!!

Whoever it is, may not be as good a coach as Smith, but he may be able to do far more for us at the moment than Smith can.
I rate Smith as a coach, but his time at the Eels has come.........and passed.

Suity

 

[Eelectrica]

For our next coach I'd like to see someone from outside the organisation get the job. I can think of plenty of candidates who would probably do a good job.
Gary Belcher would be worth interviewing.
John Cartwright if the GC dolphins bid fails.
This years eventual winning Premier league coach. I think that's how Ricky Stuart got his start.

 

[strider]

Cronulla had a long range plan to get rid of Anderson - gave him 3 warnings over a period of time as is required by some official bloody thing.....Stuart Raper was lined up for a longgggg time - they brought him back to Australia officially as "assistant" but I think you'd have to be pretty naive to think they weren't preparing themselves for giving Anderson the boot.

If the board does anything, they better move quickly at the end of this season and not drag things out, cos it'll affect next season if its not sorted out quick.

To be honest I can't see a change of coach happening until about round 6 next season at the earliest - and only if we are uncompetative during those first 6 rounds.....not saying how I like or think it will be, I just think the board will give Smithy at least some sort of shot next season.

 

[Suitman]

Cronulla had a long range plan to get rid of Anderson - gave him 3 warnings over a period of time as is required by some official bloody thing.....Stuart Raper was lined up for a longgggg time - they brought him back to Australia officially as "assistant" but I think you'd have to be pretty naive to think they weren't preparing themselves for giving Anderson the boot.

If the board does anything, they better move quickly at the end of this season and not drag things out, cos it'll affect next season if its not sorted out quick.

To be honest I can't see a change of coach happening until about round 6 next season at the earliest - and only if we are uncompetative during those first 6 rounds.....not saying how I like or think it will be, I just think the board will give Smithy at least some sort of shot next season.

Raper may not have been the best example, but nevertheless, Cronulla had a good coach.....and they found another one. That was my point.
As for Smith, I agree - unfortunately. I also think he will be given until at least Round 6, maybe more.

Suity

 

[JessEel]

Whoever it is, may not be as good a coach as Smith, but he may be able to do far more for us at the moment than Smith can.
I rate Smith as a coach, but his time at the Eels has come.........and passed.

well put old friend, not a bad coach, he has done well in the past, but things have grown stale and its time for a change, and i don't mean the players (which is what the eels have been trying in the last couple of seasons)

 

[walker smith]

Sorry if i offended strider, that wasnt my objective! I just wanted to warn that anything resembling support for brian smith is, in my opinion, allowing him the mandate to destroy this club!

However, you disagree and you are entitled to....only time will tell what the future holds because neither of us is a seer! However, my great fear, as the colonel has said, is that the situation regarding player dissatisfaction may not allow us the benefit of that time!

I am DREADING what i regard as the inevitability of my being right...because it will just result in our club beinng left in tatters!

 

[strider]

Oh nah I wasn't really offended.....you didn't call me any names and u didn't use my favourite word "mediocrity"....altho you did use the latest greatest catch phrase "smith apologists"

 

[Freak]

I honestly believe Smithy saw 2004 as a regrouping year.
The year we had to have to stop the slide.
He recruited with quantity not quality
He has blooded the following Rookies
Anderson
Mateo
O'Dwyer
Afamasaga
Ben Smith
Thorman

He has developed the following players who have played less than 20 NRL games
Tsoulos
McKinnon
Witt
Armit
and probably others.

And the injury list, well I won't go there!!

I know we are still sliding but I honestly believe the steps have been taken to ensure that the slide has stopped and we will now be the side on the move back in the right direction.

 

[True EEL]

walker_smith......well said and well put, i'm 100% behind you, Suity and others and have been saying so for agesfreak......sorry but your dreaming

BS came out and said things like "no longer will we have sand kicked in our faces in the forwards, from now on we will be kicking a bit of sand back".....in regard to his forwards big is better crapola

when i was about 10 i said to my brother (a then Canterbury supporter who has lost a lot of time for the NRL in general) why doesn't Parra just put all their front rowers in the forward pack, you know all the really big guys, cause then they will never be beaten.....

my brother said, we no....that won't work because you need some forwards with pace, skill, better fitness etc because they play slightly different roles......

i said, oh ok, i see your point very clearly and that was that

now, why oh why did BS go out and do exactly what i asked as a 10-year-old and then preech it to the world from the rooftops with a loud-speake as being the svaiour of the team?????

he HAS done well for the club......but his time HAS come and passed as Suity said

"its time to go........Brian!!!!!"

 

[fish eel]

I honestly believe Smithy saw 2004 as a regrouping year.

I think your clutching there freak.

Those guys you mentioned as being blooded, some of them only so when we were facing the tigers after losing 4 on the trot, others like ben smith and mateo through injury when the year was over.

And I'd hardly say he has developed witt and armit this year?

 

[True EEL]

I honestly believe Smithy saw 2004 as a regrouping year.

And I'd hardly say he has developed witt and armit this year?

Dead right fish eel.....

in fcat he has only served to crul Witt and Armit this year.........

 

[True EEL]

cruel.......

 

[Eelementary]

I'm no BS fan anymore.

But in 2003, we signed Cannings as our only high profile player.

In '01 it was Dykes.

Next year we have 5 high profiel players coming.

Kinda nullifies your point...

Very true we do have some higher profile recruits coming to the club howevere do we risk the chance that they may well end up as disgruntled as those already have?

No.

Just because BS signed them doesn't mean he should have a go at them first (unless Tahu, Morrison, Riddell et al only joined because Smithy would be the coach - he did coach the City-Country clashes a few years back, and some of those blokes would have been coached under him then.

Anyway, my point really was that each and every year for the past 3 we have signed ONE major name player, and the rest were fillers.

For 2005+, the LEAST high profile player we've signed is Robinson. And seeing as he was part of the Premiership-winning team in '02, that is a very, very good thing, if that is our worry.

For next year we've signed 5 high profile players which should help our team tremendously.

But no - BS shouldn't get first crack just 'cos he signed them.

 

[Misty Bee]

Lets look SERIOUSLY at who we have signed:

Tahu - an international, Origin regular and GF experienced player - arguably the best in his position. Bought to replace Jamie Lyon - an international, Origin regular and GF experienced player - arguably the best in his position.

Morrison - made country firsts twice in a long career. No semi experience since Norths.

Riddell - Made city firsts once. Good player, more known for his character and odd goal kicking behaviour. Frequent visitor to the judiciary. Impact player

Robinson - good young player - yet to crack a regular starting first grade spot as yet.

Balance those against who we have lost:

Jamie Lyon - best centre in the game.

David Vaealiki - INternational and GF player.

Chris Thorman - Potential test 5/8

Willie Tonga - now an Origin player and quite possibly a premiership winner and Kangaroo.

(possibly) Adam Dykes, the clubs best half, and former Dally M 5/8 of the year.

I'd say that we need to do more recruiting, especially OUTSIDE the forwards.

Tahu and Morrison are both recovering from serious injury.

I'm not saying that our signings are not good. However, they are not good enough to give Smnoith the reigns. I don't believe that they are a top 4 side automatically, and it's not as if we are buying a premiership with them.

To suggest Smith should be given another spot is to suggest that you are not really keen to see Parra advance.

 

[The Colonel]

I think the only position we need to look at seriously for next year is in the halves. Witt and Morris will be a good combination if they stay fit and on the park and yes Tim Smith and Blake Green may well be a players of the future but pinning our hopes on two kids who haven't played first grade is a big call.

Centres, wingers, fullbacks and back rowers seem to appear every day at the Eels - not taking anything away from these blokes because they are good players in those positions but outside of that we have had SFA as far as luck goes in developing quality players in the three main positions - halves front row and hooker. We've been able to cover two of those areas......

If PJ does come back and is fit enough to continue we may have covered the number 6 or 7 role but it is a big "if".

 

[Eelementary]

Lets look SERIOUSLY at who we have signed:

Tahu - an international, Origin regular and GF experienced player - arguably the best in his position. Bought to replace Jamie Lyon - an international, Origin regular and GF experienced player - arguably the best in his position.

Morrison - made country firsts twice in a long career. No semi experience since Norths.

Riddell - Made city firsts once. Good player, more known for his character and odd goal kicking behaviour. Frequent visitor to the judiciary. Impact player

Robinson - good young player - yet to crack a regular starting first grade spot as yet.

Balance those against who we have lost:

Jamie Lyon - best centre in the game.

David Vaealiki - INternational and GF player.

Chris Thorman - Potential test 5/8

Willie Tonga - now an Origin player and quite possibly a premiership winner and Kangaroo.

(possibly) Adam Dykes, the clubs best half, and former Dally M 5/8 of the year.

I'd say that we need to do more recruiting, especially OUTSIDE the forwards.

Tahu and Morrison are both recovering from serious injury.

I'm not saying that our signings are not good. However, they are not good enough to give Smnoith the reigns. I don't believe that they are a top 4 side automatically, and it's not as if we are buying a premiership with them.

To suggest Smith should be given another spot is to suggest that you are not really keen to see Parra advance.

I know where you're coming from but:

* Lyon is a fat bastard

* Even if we wanted to keep Dykes he wants to go back to Cronulla

* Vaealiki was good, but he was out of form

* Tonga is a huge loss; however, we have yet to see how a completely fit and confident Ash Graham handles himself, and we have yet to see how Smith handles himself

* Thorman I was never quite fussed with. I think Morris will cover well, AND he has better defence. Plus we have Mateo as well, who apparently, if we wish to go with the two locks stratagem, is talented enough to play 5/8.


True, we have let a lot of talent go to sign a lot of talent.

But in my opinion it will pay off. We have strengthened our forward pack (which has been abysmal in recent years; we've added a gun back).

I don't think we'll sign Marsh. I hope we do (extra halves/hooker depth), but to me, this is how it will pan out:

We released Dykes, Vaealiki, etc. to free up cash. Why?

IMO it is because we want to be able to top up Hindmarsh's contract before next year, so as to secure his future at the club.

The only remaining factor is that we have no idea how competitive we willbe next year.

On paper though we have great go-forward, with a young and talented (albeit somewhat unproven) halfback, a classy and dependable 5/8 (Morris) and, what looks to me anyway, a tremendously potent backline:

1. McKinnon
2. Petersen/Anderson/Burt
3. Tahu
4. O'Dwyer/Smith
5. Grothe

I expect 2005 to be a competitive year for us - there is no reason outside the coach why the following team cannot match it with the best of them:

1. McKinnon
2. Petersen
3. Tahu
4. Smith
5. Grothe
6. Morris
7. Witt
8. Stringer
9. Riddell
10. Vella
11. Hindmarsh
12. Cayless (C)
13. Morrison

14. Widders
15. O'Dwyer
16. Robinson
17. Cannings

 

[Misty Bee]

Good idea. Piss off any back we have with talent and give all the $$$ to Hindy. So, what, we can expect 100 tackles per match next year???

 

[Clarkieel]

except wags and burt will be there too

 

[JessEel]

* Lyon is a fat bastard

:roll: you idiot... :?