During the pre-season, I floated the iea that Jaeman Salmon could be a potential hooking option for the club. Well, after the Eels team to face the Bulldogs was named, that's not looking so far from reality.
With Will Smith injured, Salmon takes over the 14 jersey and quite frankly I think he's tailor made for the job.
Salmon's strength at this stage in the season is his versatility. Probably with the exception of prop he can play anywhere across the park. He's played junior footy in the centres and at second row, and has played in the halves at NRL level late last year. He'd easily pop back to fullback or full in on the wing as required.
And I don't think he's going to have any trouble, dropping into dummy half. He's strong and will be able to to defend in the middle, and given his halves experience should be able to quickly adapt to filling in at dummy half to give Reed Mahoney a break, or if Brad Arthur wants to defend a lead with his strongest possible defensive outfit. Importantly, if he makes a good fist of it, he also gives the Eels another option if injuries necessitate it.
The other new news for the Eels is Junior Paulo coming back into the side, taking the place of Nathan Brown who will be missing for three months with a pectoral tear. He's not expected back until Round 14 but Tepai Moeroa is a natural replacement. Josh Hoffman comes into the centres for the suspended Michael Jennings.
I think it's the best side we can put on the park, at this point in time.
Parramatta Eels
1. Clinton Gutherson (c), 2. Maika Sivo, 3. Josh Hoffman, 4. Brad Takairangi, 5. Blake Ferguson, 6. Dylan Brown, 7. Mitch Moses, 8. Daniel Alvaro, 9. Reed Mahoney, 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Shaun Lane, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Tepai Moeroa. Interchange: 14. Jaeman Salmon, 15. Tim Mannah (c), 16. Kane Evans, 17. David Gower. Reserves 18. Bevan French, 19. Oregon Kaufusi, 20. George Jennings, 21. Andrew Davey
Bulldogs
1. Will Hopoate, 2. Christian Crichton, 3. Kerrod Holland, 4. Marcelo Montoya, 5. Reimis Smith, 6. Kieran Foran, 7. Lachlan Lewis, 8. Aiden Tolman, 9. Michael Lichaa, 10. Dylan Napa, 11. Josh Jackson, 12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner, 13. Adam Elliott. Interchange: 14. Jeremy Marshall-King, 15. Danny Fualalo, 16. Corey Harawira-Naera, 17. Sauaso Sue, /Reserves: 19, Jack Cogger, 20. Nick Meaney, 21. Chris Smith, 22. Ofahiki Ogden
Teamlist Discussion here:
https://www.1eyedeel.com/forum/topics/team-list-r-2
Comments
Just as an aside, has anyone else heard the whispers that we are looking to trade Bevan French to the Dogs in exchange for Rhys Martin ?
Is there anything to this or is it fiction ?
Is he goimg to knock Hopoate off fullback?
If Will Smith hadn't of gone down for two months maybe you'd consider this, but given we're now very short of options at fullback if Gutho is to go down I think it would be a dumb move.
Like I said, I had just read it online someone mentioned it. Just wondering if there was anything to it.
I disagree, I’d take that swap in a heartbeat
There's enough alternatives to allow French's trade. He's a finisher and that's it these days imo.
I would have liked to see parry get a run. He was strong in the trials.
Parry is not top 30
I thought he got upgraded after the trails?
Don’t know how many times it’s got to be said he is not eligible till after June 30