Young talent way to go

[Stagger eel]

Young talent way to go
BRAD EARL
19jul06

THE Parramatta Eels are talking up their young talent after drawing a blank on big-name signings for next season.

The latest player to be linked with the Eels is out-of-favour Sydney Roosters halfback Brett Finch if he is given a release from the final year of his contract with that club. Since the player market opened almost three weeks ago, the Eels have signed only back-rower Todd Lowrie, from 2007 coach Michael Hagan's current club Newcastle.
The recruiting shortfall is in contrast to several players leaving Parramatta. Two more joined the list last week: the expected departure of goalkicking centre Brett Delaney to the Gold Coast Titans and Jeremy Smith back in the Eels team in place of injured half Tim Smith signing with South Sydney.
Eels chief executive Denis Fitzgerald denied the lack of star signings was disappointing.
"Jamie Lyon (the club's former centre who was earmarked to play five-eighth) was where we had allocated a considerable amount of funds," Fitzgerald said. "When we missed out on him (to Manly), it wasn't as though we had a backstop ready to go there. We were interested in what (Melbourne Storm five-eighth) Scott Hill was doing but, once again, it's hard to beat offers from English clubs."
Fitzgerald said the club still had funds available under the salary cap.
"We're still out there looking and talking, based on what Michael Hagan wants for his squad next year," he said.
"But we've got a very good squad, given that we expect continued improvement with a lot of the younger blokes who have been playing in the Premier League, like Kris Inu and Weller Hauraki.
"Zeb Taia has done well (making his NRL debut this season). Hopefully we'll have Justin Tsoulos for a full season next year (after his second successive injury-interrupted season).
"I think it is shaping up quite well. The development of Jarryd Hayne has been very good with another good game on Saturday night over in New Zealand and Josh Cordoba has been getting good experience."


http://www.parramattaadvertiser.com.au/common/story_page/0,7168,19830222%255E36457,00.html

 

[Nickeel]

"Jamie Lyon (the club's former centre who was earmarked to play five-eighth) was where we had allocated a considerable amount of funds," Fitzgerald said. "When we missed out on him (to Manly), it wasn't as though we had a backstop ready to go there."

Well that was stupid.

Lyon the dog.

We should have made a solid offer and given him two weeks, then moved on. Was silly to try and base the whole planning for next year around one name, especially when we know first-hand how unreliable he is.

Nick

 

[Stagger eel]

Well that was stupid.

Lyon the dog.

We should have made a solid offer and given him two weeks, then moved on. Was silly to try and base the whole planning for next year around one name, especially when we know first-hand how unreliable he is.

Nick

it wouldn't of made any difference mate, this happened all before the June 30 deadline and there was plenty of time to re-sign Johnny Morris if they wanted to..obviously they don't look at John as a long term five-eight.

 

[Gronk]

Lyon the dog.

Yup, can't wait until he flies in and the media get a hold of him and question his morals, ethics and loyalty.

I wish Johhny Morris well. For mine he's a great Hooker. Good luck at 7 Johnny.

 

[Stagger eel]

Yup, can't wait until he flies in and the media get a hold of him and question his morals, ethics and loyalty.

I wish Johhny Morris well. For mine he's a great Hooker. Good luck at 7 Johnny.

I can't see it happening as Manly are the absolute darlings of the media. we'll remind the merkin instead.

 

[bartman]

We should have made a solid offer and given him two weeks, then moved on. Was silly to try and base the whole planning for next year around one name, especially when we know first-hand how unreliable he is.

We basically did that, but there hasn't been a lot of talent on the market anyway in the position in which we (now) need it eg five eighth.

 

[strider]

it may not have made any difference - but it doesn't fill you full of confidence when you hear ...

"Jamie Lyon (the club's former centre who was earmarked to play five-eighth) was where we had allocated a considerable amount of funds," Fitzgerald said. "When we missed out on him (to Manly), it wasn't as though we had a backstop ready to go there."

I still have no idea why those fools ever thought it an option to go after him again. *shakes head and walks away*

 

[Nickeel]

We basically did that, but there hasn't been a lot of talent on the market anyway in the position in which we (now) need it eg five eighth.

It dragged on for weeks, months even.

"Are you interested Jamie? Genuinely? Here's what we're prepared to do. You have a fortnight to decide." That should have been that.

Anyway... the less said about our recruitment and retention methods in the last year the better. We have kept many of our promising kids and established guys, but this and the Smith-Hagan saga - while all the time we had an able and willing replacement coming off a PL coaching success - just smacks of rank incompetence.

Nick

 

[Bigfella]

It is a massive error by the administrators and no doubt a function of the way the coaching situation was handled.

Whether or not some of the players who were let go were viewed as long term prospects they have been let go and now it appears cannot and will not be replaced.

The argument that we needed to sign up our juniors is no excuse. We clearly could have done both as we have funds available under the salary cap.

Even if we do well with what we have - we could still have had more depth.

A woeful effort. The Lyon situation largely to blame.

My personal reading of the situation is that one real attraction of the Eels administration signing Lyon would have been to prove to the fans that it was Smith's fault that he left in the first place... in falling over themselves to get him they made a bigger balls up of it than first time around ...

 

[Redback71]

the old bird in hand.... scenerio!

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Theoretically we have a host of young stars to step up into the gaps next year, but as we all know there really hasn't been standout over the last couple of years apart from Hayne. Tsoulos shows promise but needs an injury free year to really show what he can do. Apart from those two, no youngings have made a significant impact on Firsts as yet......

 

[Stagger eel]

Theoretically we have a host of young stars to step up into the gaps next year, but as we all know there really hasn't been standout over the last couple of years apart from Hayne. Tsoulos shows promise but needs an injury free year to really show what he can do. Apart from those two, no youngings have made a significant impact on Firsts as yet......

what about the Smith boys???

 

[The Colonel]

Apart from those two, no youngings have made a significant impact on Firsts as yet......

Apart from those two the youngins that have had a go haven't had significant time to make an impact......

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

I don't think either of the Smith boys have made a significant impact. Of course there is a case for Timmy last year, but just look at this year and (no offense to the kid) last year falls into insignificance. Jeremy has been solid but not outstanding.

And Colonel, I beg to differ. Take Zeb for an example. MASSIVE wraps coming into firsts, and his first game was good. Almost immediately after that he dropped away. Josh is similar - he has had enough games in firsts now that we should be able to pick out an example of where he was a shining example of front row domination for us. Just because he comes off the bench is no excuse. I like Josh, he busts his arse most games, but he still hasn't been a standout for us.

Delaney is another example. Very solid but not exceptional.

The kids earnt their shot, but they gotta earn the right to stay there. I don't see anyone as having done that, apart from Hayne and JT. I mean, Wags is back in first grade - what does that say about our young forwards? (That's not anything against Wags, but just saying that he was the one who earnt and has kept his spot, and not our promising juniors)

 

[Stagger eel]

I don't think either of the Smith boys have made a significant impact. Of course there is a case for Timmy last year, but just look at this year and (no offense to the kid) last year falls into insignificance. Jeremy has been solid but not outstanding.

And Colonel, I beg to differ. Take Zeb for an example. MASSIVE wraps coming into firsts, and his first game was good. Almost immediately after that he dropped away. Josh is similar - he has had enough games in firsts now that we should be able to pick out an example of where he was a shining example of front row domination for us. Just because he comes off the bench is no excuse. I like Josh, he busts his arse most games, but he still hasn't been a standout for us.

Delaney is another example. Very solid but not exceptional.

The kids earnt their shot, but they gotta earn the right to stay there. I don't see anyone as having done that, apart from Hayne and JT. I mean, Wags is back in first grade - what does that say about our young forwards? (That's not anything against Wags, but just saying that he was the one who earnt and has kept his spot, and not our promising juniors)

I take your point hj but putting the loss of form for various reasons aside Tim's impact last year was enormous..I don't know for certain but I would imagine that about 30% of our trys were assisted by Tim. I think youe underestimating the impact he had on the side.

 

[yy_cheng]

And I thought you guys were talking about Ben Smith not Jeremy.

I thought Ben did extremely well last year and linking well with Grothe. He had a bad few games at the end, but that was inexperience and the excitement of it all had just overwhelmed him.


I saw some stuff in Zeb that I liked. He got creamed by the Panthers in his 1st game but as the game went on, he stood up and gave some back.

In his next game, he was bad. Very immature play. However, this is where the coaching staff has to get in there and watch replays with him and let him know (assuming they haven't done that.)

It's how they will learn. If Zeb can play with a bit more maturity, he should make it.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

I absolutely agree with Zeb. His first game kicked arse because he was better at the end than he was at the beginning - that's a good sign in a youngster.

I agree with Ben Smith, too. But he's like JT and Timmy combined - great potential (just look at last year) but this year has suffered from bad form early followed by injury. With all due respect, I couldn't give a rat's arse how Ben played last year because we need people to play with talent and heart THIS year and again in the future.

Same with Timmy. I'm not doubting his impact last year at all - it was HUGE. But last year is last year, and we're talking about how we are going to be in the future. Timmy came back out this year and was pretty much a dud (to be fair, though, that's largely in comparison to his stellar debutant year). IN my opinion, apart from that 40 minutes against Newcastle he hasn't played well in 2006.

Timmy has shown promise, as have JT, Benny, Zaia etc etc. We don't need promise - look at the holes we will have next year (McKinnon, Widders, Morrison, Morris, OD etc) and we need results.

Of the youngins that have been around since before this year (Timmy, Benny, JT) none have been consistently outstanding. Injury has affected them as much as form, true, but that's something we have to deal with.

Of the youngins who have only had a handful of games (Hayne, Taia, Cordoba, Reddy) only Hayne has really put his hand up so far.

 

[Jake the snake]

Tim will come good.... he has vision. Not many halfs do these days except the vets in John,Lock and Kimmorley.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

That is my belief, too.

I'm not putting down the kids when I say what I've said. It's just that a lot of people seem to be talking as if their progression is a foregone conclusion when results so far have shown that it is not.

 

[Spanky_Ham]

it may not have made any difference - but it doesn't fill you full of confidence when you hear ...



I still have no idea why those fools ever thought it an option to go after him again. *shakes head and walks away*

Agreed