Your new buys

[The Colonel]

Dream on Legend. As I have said before - the Raiders have as much chance of picking up Hindy as the rest of us have of not listening to Simon Woolford whinge all next season.

Honestly, I think the Raiders overacheived in the Finals - based on fitness and experience. They did a fantastic job getting there and will only be better for the opportunities they created for themselves. A fit Croker, Monagahn and Drew may have proved decisive.

The Tigers need to make sure they use Benji as little as possible next year and let him develop for future years and minimise the pressure he is placed under. If they do that they will be a good chance of the top eight. If Marshall is to play a lot of games in first grade it will be either because his form warrants the selection or injuries decimate the Tigers. As he has only played a few schoolboy seasons I hope it is due to the former.

 

[Twizzle]

Don't hold your breath.

 

[Pazza]

Two guys that are going to have a huge impact on the eels next season is Chris Armit and Justin Tsoulos. At such a young age and in such hard times they showed what a class act they were. These two are the most promising forwards to come out of our juniour ranks since Cayless, Vella and Hindmarsh. I have no doubt that they will take the league by storm next season. I cant wait to see them play, even with all the competition for spots in the team i think both Armit and Tsoulos will spend the magority of the season in first grade and buy the end be cemented in the strongest 17.

Also lets not forget that Kalfusi and Cannings where both cult figures at manly. I must say that everytime i saw them play i was amazed by there physical strength. They might not be the best forwards in the world but they are just what we need, they bring a balance that Parra needs to become a more complete forward pack.

Even if you dont rate these signings simon, we the parramatta fans know they are perfect in completing the team we need to be ultra competitive.

 

[Eelectrica]

Also with the increased depth in the forwards Smith should be able to get some rotation happening throughout the season, keeping the pack fresh and hopefully fairly free of injury.
We might not have made any huge blockbuster signings but we did fill the areas we were difficient in.
Can't wait for the trial games to start in a little over a month.

 

[simon says]

I think we have you at Cambo.......

Tigers v Parra.And correct me if im wrong but ii remember winning that.....as well as all our other trials as well,lol.Fat lot of good that did us,lol.

 

[Hurriflatch]

Pretty much everything needed to be said has been for both the Tigers and Eels signings. Parra's biggest name signing is problalbly Cannings who if he'd signed with the Tigers would have been 4th or 5th on the list.

But as has also been said Parra didn't need to make any really big signings. It wouldn't surprise me if the Tigers have a good year in 2004 I'm not picking them in my 8 but they are fringe top 8 along with all sides bar souths.

 

[yy_cheng]

Simon,

Why I'm excited is that, those no names that we have signed when blended with the talents of Hindmarsh, Morris, Cayless, Vella ?? would be awesome.

Of course looking at it on paper, those signings are not much to be excited by but when they're blended in with the top shelf guys, it's a different story.

If the top shelf guys are all injured then we still have a tough pack to fall back on until the injured guys get back.

The Ugly Basher guys we've signed also gives Smith another option in tactics. If we are playing a team where simple bashing is all that's required, then these guys would fit the bill.

As for Hodgo, I'm a great fan of his but his size just makes him a slight liability at fullback. Now, if he played halfback or 5/8 th then thats a different story as these positions can cater for little guys. Furthermore, his enthusiam at backing up is what makes him a great player. Very similar to Terry Lamb

 

[Hurriflatch]

yeah the trial is on Feb 28th @ Campbelltown. Only time PArra goto Campbelltown is trials cause the Tigers seem obessed with playing the reg season match at Leichhardt.

don't blame them tho last time the Eels played at Campbelltown in a season match saw the EEls win 68-10 in 99. Grothe score his 1st ever NRL try. Eels signed Hodgson after that match

 

[Eelementary]

"Errrrr,your football knowledge astounds me.What was I thinking,the guys you have bought are great,and after reading your post I realize that,and the Wests Tiegers suck as well.I would have never realized that if it wasnt for your amazing insights.I really want to thank you for helping me through this.You really are a revelation."


I never said the Tigers suck. I never said our signings were great. I merely wanted to point out that you can never tell how players will play for their new club. I mean, I think it's fair to say Morris has achieved more here than he has at Newcastle, what with being a City-Country star and being mentioned in the Footy Show Awards' top three utility players of the year (hardly an accolade I know, but still).


"I did notice quite a few errors in your post though,Ill clear them up for you,as your obviously not too bright,and dont have much knowledge about football."

I don't think YOU are in any position to make accusations about people's intelligence, Mr. "I come on an Eels board and stir everyone up and then laugh idiotically at everything I post."


"Quote:
First: who got Hodgo to blossom? That's right, Brian SMith
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz,Hodgo was already a ver good player at Wests,sounds a bit like the Roosters claiming you developed him."

Already a very good player at Wests? Is that why he made his Origin debut UNDER PARRAMATTA? Look, Hodgo has a lot of talent. But given what he has done this year and late last year after puncturing his lung, I think you have signed a dud. Same with Richards. But I hope they prove me wrong - I really do like seeing ex-Parra boys blossom.



"You claim we have no halves,well Withers has gone to Saints and we have bought Scott Prince.I like the sound of Marshall/Prince better than Dykes/Witt.Thats a schoolboy international and a QLD origin player up against......two Parra guys,lol."


Marshall is yet unproven in First Grade. He's played one or two games and that's it. Schoolboy international? So what? Does that necessarily mean he'll make a great NRL First Grade 5/8? And Prince. Agreed, he has talent and plays for Qld. But what has he done for the MAroons recently? Nothing. He has struggled a lot in recent times, and I don't think necessarily a change in club will change that. OK, so Dykes and Witt is a strange combination at halfback. But so was Campbell and Gower. I rate Gower ver highly, but Campbell? The bloke tackles like a terrier and has great support play. But I didn't really rate him. He sure showed me. Dykes started to fnd form late this year, and since you are mentioning accolades - Dykes won the 2001 Dally M 5/8 of the Year Award, so there is no doubt about his abilities.


"You go on about how can I make a judgement on the guys you have signed,well I watched all the game last year and they were ordinary,most of them not even forst grade starters.There havent been too many Pommie players come here and make it so Im a little skeptical on OS players,Cannings could be good,still a reggie though,and Grothe is a star in the making.Poor old Corey is 32 and ready for the knackery,has great skills but just doesnt make enough ground for a prop,look at his stats they dont lie.The other guys you have bought are absolute rubbish,I thought you guys would be big enough to admit it.When the Tigers bought last year I was in schock and ready to admit we may struggle for depth due to that fact."


Starting in First Grade at the Roosters and Starting in First Grade at PArramatta (or Wests for that matter) are completely different issues. Every club has a different mindset, attitude, playing style and player demand. But as you put it - they are for depth. Cannings is young, TREMENDOUSLY strong and very fast; Thorman has a great all round game; Grothe has tremendous potential not yet achieved; and Pearson may be old but remember our mid-year signing of Treacy? I thought he was great in that role - the old hard-head enforcer who makes the tackles and the metres and leads by example. I am sure that is why we digned Pearso. Our main props will be Vella, CAyless and Cannings anyhow, with possibly Tsolous and Armit joining in. Pearso and Stapleton and KAufusi, regardless of ability, will fill the bench or reggie spots.



"I must admit Im surprised at the level of vitriol aimed at me for what I thought was a very reasonable question.Its not like i said Parra were crap or anything,I just questioned your new buys.And I laugh a lot cos you guys are very funny,get all excited over nothing."


FAir enough. I withdraw my comment about you laughing heaps. And I do respect the fact you didn't come here to cause trouble.



"I look forward to the season coming and seeing all these great new buys
star for the eels and proving me wrong...... "


Me too. And like I have said countless times before, watch out for the 'rubbish reggie-quality' players. Some people claim that Burt is still not good enough to play First Grade (I'm not talking about Eels fans); I think his form this year (before his injury) really proved them wrong.

 

[Eelementary]

Well, pardon me for having an opinion!

Yes, Hodgo's Origin debut was spectacular - in attack. When I said Mini was better, I meant that Minichiello was defensively solid - remember that try he saved, when he tackled Webcke one on one from 5 metres out? He brought him down and made it look easy. This is the best prop in the world we are talking about.

I know Hodgson (when in good form) is a great player; in 2001 and lots of 2002 his support play and positional play in defence was spot on. But may I remind you of how he stuffed up a Cowboys grubber at Parramatta Stadium which eventually lead to a try?

Fair enough, it is probably plausible to argue he was down in confidence. But since his injury, he has cahnged. He has lost a lot of his pace (evident by that same aforementioned match when he scored that try; Bowen [who I know is very fast] mowed him down and make Hodgo look slow), he has lost a lot of confidence and he just seems reluctant to take the ball up a little harder. His kick returns are not as great as they were before, and his one on one defence is average at best.

Maybe Sheens can address this - I rate him as a coach; he certainly knows his footy. But if I were you, I wouldn't expect too much from Brett in his first season.

As for Pat, don't get me wrong - I loved the bloke. Tall, fast, strong. Great player. But after his injury, he has lost most of this talent.

His defence is ordinary - he seems to get caught out wide and nearly always drifts infield to defend. He is not confident any more under the high ball - this year, whenever he went to contest a bomb, it's almost as though he knew he'd take it and so made a half-arsed effort. He was almost always made to look bad under the high ball (Meli beat him to a few when we played them).

I just think that your signings, in their present forms, are no better than ours. Sure, Hodgo has SoO under his belt. Sure, Richards was a great winger. But it has been a while since they amounted to anything.

One thing is for sure though - the talent is there, and it won't disappear. And the same goes for our signings.

 

[Freak]

Hodgo is a great player, however you should be greatful if you guys get 13 games out of him this year. He is very injury prone, and I just cannot see the value in what you paid for him. That is all it came down too! We didn't offer him enough money.

Good luck to Hodgo he served us well at times!!

 

[bartman]

Hmmm. Interesting discussions in this thread.

I thought Wests signed extremely well overall in the off-season, but they needed to badly!! I can see them on the fringe of the top 8 this year, with a chance of getting there.

Parra needed some signings too, but despite the disappointment of 2003, we were on the fringe of the top 8, so some minor tweaking here and there and we SHOULD [-o< be at the next level. And players like Cannings, Kafusi, Thorman plus all of the depth guys should plug any faults that became obvious in 2003.

Hodgson and Richards are not currently "in-form" players, but we know what they can do. Based on form they weren't going to be what Parra needed to lift the side higher, so good luck to them at Wests, and I hope they can lift there. Hodgson is back where he started, so that might bring out some extra motivation for him?

 

[simon says]

I think you have lost it if you think your sigings are as good as ours.Man for man ours are of a higher quality.And they needed to be.We were off the pace last year and have made several key signings in key positions.You already had your key players, and didnt need to get guys like that.

6 of the 8 guys we have purchased have SOO and/or GF expereince.The other two played in the PL GF last year.

And while Im at it, I think you mdae a big blue getting rid of Dunley too.He was your spark around the ruck,and I dont see a ready replacement.....unless Moi Moi or Mckinnon take the step up,lol.Webster is handy,but not dynamic like Dunley.....and where is Morris going to play???Will he be at hooker,or in the halves,I thought Parra went better with him out wide.

Please explain???

 

[btaag]

To avoid a rude reply from some of the previous posters, I will respond to you Simon by saying that the Tigers and Parra needed different players for 2004 and we both had different amounts of Salary Cap space to work with.

With all respect to Wests, Parramatta had a much stronger squad on paper last year than Wests with many ex-internationals (Lyon, Hindmarsh, Cayless, Vaeliki, Vella), and had much less cap space to work with. We needed to buy alot of players to beef up our pack, and needed players to replace atttrition and we have doen that. The review of our signings have been done to death.

Wests had alot of salary cap space and desperately needed to sign more players, as their club was quite weak to begin with. You have done well on the signing front, but time will tell how effective those players will become. You have heard about Hodgson's drop in form, Richards injury problems, and we all know about Scott Prince's two badly broken legs, so the jury is out on how they will go.
Sattler should be a good buy and ultimately I think Tim Sheens will do a good job bringing all of your signings on.

However comparing the two sets of players signed is academic, as it is all relative to the players in your squad to begin with - if the Newtown Jets Metro Cup team signed Jaime Lyons, Andrew Johns and Shane Webke they still wouldnt win the NRL!!!

As for Dunley I think it all came down to cap space. Dunley was on a pittance at the eels ($40K?), and was offered the same this year. Quite simply we dont have space for him - we desperatelly needed forwards, and have Morris and Webster at hooker (thorman there as well?). Smith tends to go for gritty bench playing hookers, and has done so during his time here (Jaime Owens anyone?)
Though Shane Dunley was great for us, he was not a regular starter. He gave his all for us and it was a shame not to see him more, but thats life - him not being there wont be the difference between winning and losing the GF!!

 

[Avenger]

Come on people, Simon is expressing an opinion and we all pounce on him like he is the antichrist. Lets be real we bought some good players. Of all of the players we bought I am most excited about Cannings, Grothe and Thorman. The rest are a risk at the very best. Pearson is solid but is the wrong side of 30. Mucket and Muspratt I hear are solid but still relatively inexperienced. The rest are fringe first graders at best. There will be however, someone to shine that we least expect as Hopkins did last year. Smith has the uncanny ability to consistently achieve this.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Yeah, I'm the Antichrist. And don't you forget it.

 

[El Diablo]

Yeah, I'm the Antichrist. And don't you forget it.

So who is the false prophet?

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Phil Gould?

 

[Twizzle]

Shouldn't that be "Bent Prophet". (Sorry it should be spelt Profit)

 

[El Diablo]

Phil Gould?

And the Great Whore would be??

Isn't the Bible just lovely :lol: