I was trying to think back over the past 9 years to what players BA has recruited and I could not think of one genuine super star player that BA has managed to luer to the eels. Your top teams have the ability to pull players like the munsters, cronks, Coates, etc. I believe this is what we need. That x factor player. And I cannot say that BA has ever been able to attract that type of player. Whether it is by preference or inability. He always seems to go down the road of journeymen or throw aways. And yes he has had some success but this strategy won't win you a premiership.
Even in the coaching ranks it's the same story, recruiting failed coaches.
I would be throwing everything at Munster even at the risk of losing our existing halves. But we all know that wont happen as BA would never risk his pushing his son down the pecking order.
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We had legends like Hopoate and Foran.Absolute top shelf signings.
To be fare Foran was a current World Cup and Four Nations champion with New Zealand when he was recruited. He has also won a GF with Manly as well.
So on the outside he looked like a super star before we signed him.
Dylan will be a superstar if we allow things to run their course
Another Moses and Brooks I'll predict . Shows signs at a young age but never quite gets there consistently.
Only thing that concerns me over Brown is i think he can be a superstar but is he playing this well due to confidence or due to the fact he can go to market at the end of the year?
The kid has seen dollar signs since his debut, not a bad thing but once he gets 1 mil a year which is possible will he care enough or even get to a point where he can improve? I do not know.
Atm Brown is 50/50 to staying and can be a superstar but does he have the passion to be great, if he does this guy can be a Dally M quality player.
Yep and that is why it has been hard for BA to coach a team to win a premiership with no superstars.
Whst he has done is developed a Shune Lane, Dylan Brown, Gutho, Moses, Reg, Ice, Penisini Sivo, Rheed, Matto from either being solid juniors (brown, Rheed, Penisini)
Or complete journey men (lane, Reg)
Or much maligned players who other clubs were happy to let go (gutho, Moses, ice)
And sivo was an okay reserve grader.
BA is a developer,
now Lane and ice are consider amoung the best second rowers in the comp.
Gutho, Moses, Reg go on to play soo.
BA can coach.
Don't rule out eels winning it this year.
Panthers are south's kryptonite,
souths are ours
we are the panthers
anything can happen in this final series.
Also brilliant get by BA to land Barrett.
I agree with what you are saying but i would place RCG in club willing to let go not journeyman, he gave RCG confidence and now look at him. Wests didn't want to let Moses go, they offered him 250k more than us but he decided to leave to play under BA.
But i think we have prided ourselves of having a well rounded squad of good to great players and develop cast outs.
BA has had more than enough time to assemble the team he thinks can win a premiership.
He's basing everything of last season narrow loss to the Panthers. In hiidnsight it woulda been better off losing that game by 50 and aslo losing to them this seaon. Hw thinks everyone is honky dory. He'll never go on the front foot and try things like cleary did last night unless he is forced to.
Dylan Brown has potential but needs further growth.
Sandow, Watmough, Riddell, Foran - good illustration of the Eels buying ability.
As I've said previously, the Eels now need to play the long game, and it starts with the board and club culture.
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