Willie Tonga signs with Pirtek Parramatta Eels

[Pazza]

Tonga looked fantastic on the right for Australia and with Sandow and Hayne attacking down that side i think Tonga will get plenty of quality footy.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

One thing comes down to the age old question... do you weaken one position to strengthen another?

You do when it's the off season and there are few positions yet filled to be weakened.

And even if it's mid-season, if you have to shift a player in order to bring another one into the team you do so. Otherwise you're 'weakening one position to keep another one strong'. That's a saying I just made up.

There's no doubt Willie Tonga is the best centre at the club on either side of the field, and if it turns out Jacob Loko is the second best centre in the club, then you have to assign them to sides based on what is best for the team.

In that sense you have to look at the team as a whole, not just at individual positions. Is Loko left, Tonga right better than the other way around? If it is (and I suspect it would be for a couple of reasons) then I think that's clearly how they need to line up.

But there's another scenario that involves both Loko and Tonga on the left hand side of the team. Don't forget Jacob Loko spent time on the wing during last year's trials. Obviously he played left centre in every one of his first grade appearances, but that might have been to do with our total lack of quality at centre.

There's no guarantee Jacob Loko would be any less of a risk on the wing. But with his defence as it is, if he can't adapt to the wing quickly, I'd say he could spend a lot of the year at Wenty or even Toyota Cup. Learning to play centre.

 

[TheParraboy]

I think Willie Tonga will be in the top dozen centres in the NRL next year. You heard it here first

Cheers

 

[Maroubra Eel]

All this left side right side talk sounds like bullocks to me.

 

[Pazza]

Isn't he already? He has played for QLD and AUS this year, what else would he have to do to be in the top dozen?

 

[TheParraboy]

All this left side right side talk sounds like bullocks to me.

sounds about right..

 

[Eels Dude]

But there's another scenario that involves both Loko and Tonga on the left hand side of the team. Don't forget Jacob Loko spent time on the wing during last year's trials. Obviously he played left centre in every one of his first grade appearances, but that might have been to do with our total lack of quality at centre.

There's no guarantee Jacob Loko would be any less of a risk on the wing. But with his defence as it is, if he can't adapt to the wing quickly, I'd say he could spend a lot of the year at Wenty or even Toyota Cup. Learning to play centre.

There's a lot of variables no matter what way you look at it. But this does make sense especially as Loko is still rather raw to first gade and there'd be less pressure on him if he's playing on the wing.

Tonga playing on the right feeding off Sandow is an exciting option too. But then Tonga has played with Roberts before so having him on the left is enticing too. It also depends on how Hayne is utilised that's the big mystery for next year.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

All this left side right side talk sounds like bullocks to me.

You reckon they should still play inside and outside?

I'd go further than that, ME. I reckon they should play blind side and open side wingers, and as soon as they ball crosses the centrefield line they should switch.

 

[Pazza]

Isn't Maitua a right sided backrower that has been playing left side for Parra?

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Isn't Maitua a right sided backrower that has been playing left side for Parra?

Makes you wonder just how he can do it.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Isn't Maitua a right sided backrower that has been playing left side for Parra?

For a player like him it doesn't really matter what side he plays on. It's not like he favours one side with his fend, and I'm pretty sure I've seen him step off either foot.

The only (2012) Eels I'm aware of who favour a side are:

Left
Burt
Loko
Tonga (both)
Roberts

Right
Sio
Smith

 

[Blue & Gold]

Has everyone disregarded esi as a viable option in the centres?

Before his injury 2 seasons ago he looked like a very promising centre, he had a powerful running game and a potent offload which he used plenty of times to put young Kevin Gordon down the sideline. The thing about Esi is that he can produce a good offload to his winger and he is big and strong.

I have felt that he might of lost some of his pace since the injury but he hasn't had a real lot of game time since then and I'm sure Kearney will get him nice and fit during the preseason.

Just think Esi is going a bit under the radar and wanted to voice my opinion and stir the pot a little .

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yeah Esi's definitely got a great offload. He put Steve Michaels away a few times as well. He got 5 LBAs this year, which was better than every Eel other than Hayne, and whatsmore he did it in only 12 games.

Interesting playing history:

'08 4 games (plus 17 games in NYC)
'09 19 games
'10 zero games
'11 12 games

The Titans were pretty good in '09, and they only lost 6 of those games Tonga played in. Missed all of 2010 from a torn pectoral, which at least wouldn't have affected his speed.

 

[Eels Dude]

Has everyone disregarded esi as a viable option in the centres?

Before his injury 2 seasons ago he looked like a very promising centre, he had a powerful running game and a potent offload which he used plenty of times to put young Kevin Gordon down the sideline. The thing about Esi is that he can produce a good offload to his winger and he is big and strong.

I have felt that he might of lost some of his pace since the injury but he hasn't had a real lot of game time since then and I'm sure Kearney will get him nice and fit during the preseason.

Just think Esi is going a bit under the radar and wanted to voice my opinion and stir the pot a little .

Esi is best playing on the left like his brother. He's not that experienced either so it would be the same deal as with Loko in that his brother would have to move to the right side to accomodate him. Which would be something our coach would be considering.

 

[Pazza]

Esi did play much fg this year, was he injured?

 

[Gronk]

Esi did play much fg this year, was he injured?

Cartwright banished him to reggies after he signed with us. They were forced used him only in the last few rounds because of injuries.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Also, he was injured in one of the trials:

Tonga has not played since 2009 after tearing a pectoral muscle, and will replace winger Kevin Gordon, who is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"Esi has had all sorts of injury problems and setbacks," coach John Cartwright said.

"He played in our first trial against the Broncos and if he didn't get injured in that game he probably would have been there to start the year."

From 22 MAR 11

Then, as Gronk says, he signed with us and was shuffled down the list by Cartwright. He doesn't want to develop players for other clubs; after all, that's our job.

 

[Habitual Linestepper]

Also, he was injured in one of the trials:



From 22 MAR 11

Then, as Gronk says, he signed with us and was shuffled down the list by Cartwright. He doesn't want to develop players for other clubs; after all, that's our job.

Sounds a bit like Ben Roberts. No matter how shit Keating was going they wouldn't drop him for Roberts. He only got a chance when KK was injured.

 

[Eels Dude]

Esi Tonga seems a bit injury prone too, he didn't play a game last year. By round 1 next year he'll be 24 but only have played around 30 first grade games.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Thirty five.