Even with all the drama that our club has gone through this season, this is one of the seasons i have been most proud to be a supporter of our club, coach and players anyway.

I do seem some issues for our club in moving forward from here and having a genuine chance at winning a title (A few would be good). I will list below what i believe are the things that need the most urgent attention by our club;

(1) The most obvious is the board. I know that this process has begun but to be honest, it just cant happen quick enough. As long as our board is an issue (Not having a proper one) our club cannot move forward. I for one really hope that this doesn't drag out for the rest of the season and is resolved very soon. My biggest fear in relation to this, is that we get a new board and more of the same happens. I will find it really hard to continue to support the Eels should we not get it right this time. I sincerely pray we can get a board that are about the team and long suffering fans and not about themselves and their own agendas.

None of the following concerns can begin to be addresses without #1 being fixed first

(2) Parramatta need to sign BA to a long term deal immediately after the board issue is resolved. If it weren't for him our club would have likely folded completely with fans completely giving up. If our players weren't putting in like they have been and winning games in the face of everything else our club has gone through this season, i couldn't imagine there would be a Parramatta club to go for. BA is the reason fans haven't gone completely ape shit and burnt it all down. To the yet to be announce board of the Parramatta Eels, GET BA SIGNED IMMEDIATELY.

(3) Retention of players.I believe there are a few players that we need to get signed to long term contracts and others that just need to be re-signed as a matter or urgency. The following players need to be signed to long term (3-4yrs) contracts and it needs to be done before it gets to hard. Corey Norman, Tepai Moroea, Clint Gutherson (I didn't think much of him to start with but he has turned out to be quite a good young player) Kenny Edwards and Bevan French. These are our brightest young players who have a real future in the game and our club can build a great team for years to come around these guys. The following players need to be re-signed just as bad but on 2-3 year contracts, only because of their age. Mau is a must, him and Edwards are a formidable back row who can test and break the line and have great offloading abilities. Wicks has been great and has earned his spot in the team. Alvaro has been good and needs to be re-signed but on a two year only. Still has some work to do before i would sign him long term but is a solid player. Brad Takarangi on a 3yr contract, he has been outstanding but this injury has not helped. Still needs to be re-signed and is worth more than Jennings because of his much cheaper price tag. Taka was a good buy for Parra. Kaysar Pritchard has his moments but has had so many injuries that you wouldn't risk signing him long term or on large money. Should be re-signed but on 2yr and not on a lot of $$$ until he can go a season or two without too much time on the sideline. I would love to have Beau Scott in our team forever but his age is slowly catching up with him. Still a great player and i hope we have him for at least another season or two. Unfortunately our other players aren't necessary to our club going forward. Timmy still has a place in the team but not on huge money or a long term contract. Due to Timmy's long service he wouldn't cost us to much anyway.

(4) What to do about Semi? There is no doubt he is an elite player who can win games. I would love him to stay but i think he wants out. If that is the case then i will hate to see him go but our team will go on without him if we had too. Hopefully Semi's life turns around in the next few months and he gets back to being happy and wanting to stay.

(5) Foran or Hayne. I still don't think there has been a definitive answer on what is happening with Foran? I have read that he has asked for a release but haven't heard anything official. I for one really rate Foran. I'm hopeful that he just go's away for a while, gets himself sorted and comes back next season. Our team was so much better when he played. Everyone go's through hard times in their life (EVERYONE) and generally we all come through the other side better for it. I would love for Hayne to come back but not if it cost us a well and fit Foran. If only we could have both. I will gladly welcome back Hayne if Foran can't get himself right or just wants out.

(6) With consideration to all the above; Juggling our cap and not ending up in the same mess as before. We need to offer the above players a fair amount for their services. That's a given but we cannot be offering silly amounts, amounts that we simply just can't afford, that set our club backwards. With the cap going up in 2018 and some good negotiators the above can be done. The players need to be told though, that in order to win a premiership everyone will have to take a fair pay but not an exorbitant one. Teams win premierships not individuals. Look at Thurston, it took almost a decade to build a good enough team around the best player in the world to win a competition. A few of their guys have all signed for less than they could have got elsewhere and they now have a team that can challenge for a premiership this season and beyond.

For me these are the most important things our club needs to consider going forward and being a real, year after year, premiership contending club. Similar to the Roosters, Storm and what Manly were.

With a little bit of luck and good management, our club can become the Powerhouse that is should be.

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  • I guess the real issue is we cheated but still didn't win a premiership, unlike the other two who got to keep the team together and so won one soon after they were caught. We would have come pretty close this year had we have gotten away with it but we have had to offload a few now .it was this year or bust I'm afraid.
    • We got CAUGHT cheating. The others have not been caught as yet.

  • Good summary and agree with your comments relating to Foran and Hayne
  • Foran not coming back is a real shame. He didn't play many games but the Eels were a different side when he was playing. He is a born player and leader and heaped tons of pressure on our opposition when on the field. We were getting repeat sets regularly and he would test the line often.

    I am hoping Norman can mature and be our half and that Gutho can become our 5/8. Gutho has done exceptionally well for someone with minimal experience. An off season training there would do him the world of good and if we can get Hayne sweeping around the back throwing cut out passes to our wingers, well you could book us in for a premiership or two.

    We need a few things to go our way before that can happen though.

    I still think the 09 run highlights should be played regularly to our team to show what moving up with the ball can do. You watch that footage and every time someone had the ball there was at the very least, one to two players around him that he could off load too. I see way to much one out from the ruck, all by themselves, runs which do very little in the way of dragging in the defence opening up their defensive line should an offload occur.

    I am hoping that now that the pressure of making the finals is completely gone, the boys will just get out there, have some fun and play a bit of adlib football.

  • Cheers mate.

    I don't often write blogs but when I do I try to make them worth reading.

  • I think he's talking about Storm and Bulldogs Kerry. Both got caught.

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