At this stage here is the current squad for 2024:
Daejarn Asi 2024
Dylan Brown 2031
Reagan Campbell-Gillard 2025
Bryce Cartwright 2025
Zac Cini 2024
Andrew Davey 2024
Matt Doorey 2025
Haze Dunster 2025
Wiremu Greig 2026
Clint Gutherson 2025
Brendan Hands 2025
Josh Hodgson 2024*
J'Maine Hopgood 2025
Shaun Lane 2026
Joey Lussick 2025
Makahesi Makatoa 2024
Toni Mataele 2025
Ryan Matterson 2026
Jirah Momoisea 2024
Mitchell Moses 2027
Jack Murchie 2024
Joe Ofahengaue 2025
Junior Paulo 2026
Will Penisini 2025
Ky Rodwell 2024
Sean Russell 2025
Bailey Simonsson 2024
Maika Sivo 2025
28 players already signed for 2024. Hodgson has a mark due to the fact the talk is he is retiring though yet to be announced. With the signing of Lussick and the talk in the past, we will leave it at Hodgson is retiring so 27. Plus Ofahiki Ogden has a club option, since that has not been taken up yet i am leaving him out.
So three spots left, especially considering clubs like to leave 2-3 spots open during the year incase of signings due to injuries. There will be movement after the season for sure. Let's start with who could be on the chopping block.
Players to offload:
Zac Cini: This would have been a smart signing had BA trusted him. Cini was more likely given a deal in order to keep him happy being on development deal for 2022 & 2023 while we free up some space. Though during the year we have used so many different backs but no Cini. Had ample chances to name him in 2022 and 2023 but never did. He is surely an option to be released
Jirah Momoisea: He seems to have been doing OK of late in NSW cup, playing more at Centre. Though no point keeping him around if Centre is his best spot, BA might want to give him an extra year to try and get a bit out of him and keep him as a versitile option, but trying to make him Niukore is a lost cause.
Ky Rodwell: Moretti jumped him, he is further down the pecking order. No point keeping him.
Maika Sivo: Only if we can sign a worthwhile replacement. Like if we signed Corey Oates then yes release him, but if not we will be weaker purely in try scoring.
Ryan Matterson: One that could be a cut candidate if we have a buyer, attitude seemed poor and i do not think we need a plyer like him if we do get someone like Papali'i. With Greig performing too it makes him expendable. But i wouldn't be rushing to get rid of him either.
Now to what we need. I think we need a Centre, first and foremost. A winger also whether depth or to compete with either Sivo or Simonsson. Then depth after that, we need another Halfback, need another forward of some sorts too. But two wingers would be nice. Let's go through some options, some are off-contract and some are players i would be going after that maybe off-contract next year.
Centre:
Billy Smith: The favourite to sign at the moment, due to reportedly being seen meeting with BA. I do not mind the signing if his injury past is behind him. He has only played 24 NRL games, he is under developed. Has size, decent defender and has an offload. I think there is a bit of untapped potential there. I think he is a nice option.
Kayal Iro: A fan favourite, he deserves an opportunity somewhere else. Can play Fullback, Wing, Centre and even in the back-row. He makes metres, breaks and offloads. Only concern is, if he is that good in reserves why hasn't another team come calling yet? Only being linked to Castleford who are a spot away from relegation. There are always reasons for not being picked in first grade, for Iro there is something in his game that Fitzgibbon is not liking. Though would love him as a signing to contest a Centre or Wing spot.
Isaiah Tass: Left field option, though with Wighton heading there plus Graham on decent coin, Tass ain't playing Centre anytime soon. He wouldn't want to play wing and if rumours of unrest at Souths are true then he might want out. Just saying if we can offer him the left Centre spot and a few years on top of 2024, it would be a good signing.
Brad Morkos: Another rookie that hasn't got his chance yet for one reason or another. Good working Centre, good in defence and can play on the Wing too. Perhaps a swap for Sanders can get him over?
Max Feagai: He has been told he can leave, not too big on him but is an option nonetheless.
Wing:
Corey Oates: If we have cash, and are open to moving on Sivo, Oates is a great option. Can score tries, makes metres, put his body on the line. Only issue is injuries and age. But for 2 years, he is a great investment, bit of a Ferguson type we are lacking.
Mawene Hiroti: Another Cronulla player, Hiroti has versatility being able to play at Fullback and Centre also. Just a simple, depth player that is not good enough for full-time first grade but not bad enough to not be in a squad.
Utuloa Asomua: Canberra youngster, tough winger that makes metres, not a big try scorer though. But is good defence too, could be a nice swap option for Sanders.
Tony Francis: Getting countless metres for Burleigh, been in the Gold Coast system for a while. Can play Centre also, good cheap developmental option for us.
The rest is harder for depth; with Halfback could go Matt Frawley or Adam Clune as a Halfback to sit in Cup as a break glass option with experience. For forwards i would be snooping around Canterbury and St. George Illawarra when they release players.
Then the next part is juniors. They can save you a lot of money, plus can offer the same as other players currently in the squad. I do not expect any juniors to get a top 30 deal as of yet, unless mass players are released. Though players like; Jontay Junior Betham-Misa, Charlie Guymer, Matt Arthur, Richard Penisini, Arthur Miller-Stephen, Joshua Lynn, Sam Tuivaiti, Jock Brazel and Blaize Talagi could get development deals, maybe 1-2 get top 30 deal.
Then are the current development deals. Luca Moretti for sure should get a top 30 deal. Isaac Lumelume may stick around too.
Overall i think 2-3 of our current top 30 will go, freeing up 6 spots. Adding a Centre and two wingers, plus a Halfback allows us two spots to play with, then extending Moretti is our forward. Leaves a spot but could always move a few others. Who knows what happens in off-season.
Now for the fun part, this will be unrealistic but still fun to do. What would i do. Well i would get rid of Rodwell, Momoisea and Cini. Sign Moretti too. Then try to offload Sivo as to get Papali'i back. Then i would sign either Smith or Tass, followed by Iro or Morkos. That gives us 28. To round it out i would give a deal to Clune for the year as well. If we get Papali'i could move on Davey perhaps for medical retirement. Now still have Dunster, Russell and Lumelume, as well as Richard Penisini and AMS if needed for backline. We have two extra backs compared to last year so better. Then i would be signing Guymer, Penisini and Arthur to development deals. I would also try to offload Mataele to sign maybe JJBM to a top 30 deal
So this would be my top 30 (28) for Round 1 if my dream was true.
Daejarn Asi
Jontay Junior Betham-Misa
Dylan Brown
Reagan Campbell-Gillard
Bryce Cartwright
Adam Clune
Matt Doorey
Haze Dunster
Wiremu Greig
Clint Gutherson
Brendan Hands
J'Maine Hopgood
Kayal Iro
Shaun Lane
Joey Lussick
Makahesi Makatoa
Ryan Matterson
Luca Moretti
Mitchell Moses
Jack Murchie
Corey Oates
Joe Ofahengaue
Isaiah Papali'i
Junior Paulo
Will Penisini
Sean Russell
Bailey Simonsson
Isaiah Tass/Billy Smith
The final 2 spots taken up by either a third hooker, another back or a specialist fullback. If i had to decide now for final 30, Matt Arthur and Isaac Lumelume are ones i would put into the 30. Or if not Lumelume go for Hiroti or bite the bullet with Penisini or Guymer.
Replies
We seriously do not need any more forwards.
The club is to forward heavy as it is.
Simonsson is an average centre and a below average winger. I believe he is a huge part of the reason Sivo has gone backwards.
We need to keep Sivo and put a quality centre next to him.
Russell is the winger that needs to go back to reserve grade.
If we could land a quality winger to replace Russell and a quality centre to replace Simonsson, our backline would be far far better than it is now.
I would release Simonsson, Davey, Momoisea and Rodwell.
Add to that the money we gain by not re-signing Blake and getting that Bum Hodgson off our books and we will have good coin to re-sign Cartwright and pick up a winger and centre.
Unfortunately there are no quality wingers or centres available so we will have to hope someone at another club gets disgruntled and wants out otherwise we will be stuck with signing crappy unwanted players who BA thinks he can turn into stars.
You have a point on Sivo, he was good with Opacic and Jennings who are great defensive Centres.
You should get Carty for 300!
MA isnt first grade next year. 2025 should get an NRL contract. Not next year. Guymer and Sanders (if he wasnt leaving) are the only two from SG ball this year that deserve an NRL contract for 2024. Talagi, MA, Penisni, Tuivits deserve development contracts. From Flegg/Cup AMS, Brazel, JBBM deserve development contract as well.Up to the club who gets one.
The player I'd love to see is Connor Tracy
I'd dare say we'd need to move a big money player or 2 for mine Matto and Junior are the 2 on big coin who are most expendable.
Alot of players coming off contract in 25 so look to alot of stories about off contract players being linked to other clubs etc..
It will be 2022 all over again. However, it could be good to give us a war chest if we have a bad 2024, that war chest is makes us attractive to coaches.
I would like to know why the Eels recruitment whoever that is made up off never sign any really tested quality players but tend sign either rejects from other clubs, players with injuries or players with huge attitude problems? Is that possibility the reason the Eels haven't been a force since the eighties? I know Brian Smith did purchase some quality players from the Bulldogs back in the day and they were just unprepared for the Knights in the Grand Final. That being said for the past 10 years what real tested quality players have the Eels recruitment actually signed
But is that an issue with the recruitment team or an issue with the perception of the club itself? Its all well and good to say 'recruitment haven't done their job' but if the talent doesnt want to come to club, not all the blame is on them. They can chase the top talent but that doesnt mean they'll get on board just because they're being chased
What happened to schoup? Iro would be good also. Where's morkos from? We need speed and players that compete.
I wouldn't sign Schoupp, he was released by a poor Canterbury side then signed with the Gold Coast and he hasn't been much better for them. He has also only scored two tries all season, as a centre!, that's shocking like.
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