What a heart stopping game, won it, but at what cost? Gower broken hand, Hoffman to hospital for scans. Pritchard to be monitered for the week.
The questions on who should be fullback French or Gutherson. After 10 minutes 12-0 and we would win in a canter, yep a 100 year old gelding, like our own Poppa?
Seriously, I thought French had problems at the back, but I ask the question on the tries scored and French's misread and the one on one with Mannerings try, would Gutherson have been able to stop the power run by Mannering in the try scoring? I think French did well to get to him but the other defenders needed to have been in better positions. So I see it a better option at this point to keep French in the 1 spot, he has to learn and he is.
Gutherson, where to when Norman comes back? First though is the question on Moses, while only his 3rd game with the eels and he's still got injuries as seen in the sheds after the game, for the money being paid he needs to lift a lot, he was manhandled by opposition players tonight, and not just the big forwards either, he made some poor reads and a pass that was poorly directed to a poor reading Right Winger was not what is needed. He has actually slipped back in his kicking compared to his first game, so, to me his position has to be in question, unless he picks up, next week in Darwin he's likely to up against JT, which will be a huge test for him.
Gutho, Assuming Moses stays at 7, and Norman returns next week he will be in his rightful spot at 6, leaving Gutho to where. With Hoffman likely to be out, and even if not, I would be having Gutho in the right centre spot, and Auva'a to the right wing, he showed that he could play on the wing when Hoffman left the fiels. Smith simply has not got the speed for wing.
I believe all in the pack performed tops, Kaysa did well in his short stint and Smith filled in ok, a couple of good runs. Matagi was back to his best, and certainly his best game so far. Scott lifted them when he came on and showed his vital contribution to the team.
The worrying thing though is still the lapses, and while there were some poor Ref decisions, it went both ways, and was Klein best match in an eels match.
I believe when the full squad is back and match fit, that the eels can certainly play in the finals this year, but they need better defence over the whole game.
Replies
Pritchard will be right for next week
Gower dislocated finger he should be ok
Mannah and Vave will be back next week
Norman is a 70% of playing too
Things don't look that bad
Carl, 9 had flapper mouth freddy, in the sheds and he read out the injuries as given him as I put in the blog heading.
Hoff to hospital for scans, Gower had broken left wrist. Kaysa monitored after head knock.
There was mention of Norms, but only mentioned as a possible. Mannah and Vave should be right.
There will be a lot of changes next week
Slip. I honestly believe that French should stay at the back, and have Gutho at centre, which if the original call by BA is still in operation he brought him here as a centre, the big thing though is once our squad gets back to full strength, it will put pressure mostly on Taka, but he had an excellent game tonight, but he's likely to be the odd man out. I saw the stats on TV for French and he had 14 runs for 137 metres, the defence is a bit of a concern but, there were others who were just as bad in misses, and what of the TVS for the other mob, for an international not sure that he would rate better than French, well I guess we have to concede something as they are the worriars.
Taka is too slow for the wing and I thought Auva'a did well when Hoff went off so should keep him there for the interim.
As I said, Klein was better for the eels tonight then he has been in the past, perhaps he sees the potential the eels have to make the finals, so lifted a bit in the race stakes.
Some of the opinions tonight expect these young guys with less then a hundred odd games of first grade between them to play like seasoned veterans. The question BA has asked himself and answered already is do these blokes have the skills and ability to play this position long term, do they have the intelligence and aptitude to further develop their game .
The element the Eels are missing is experience in our key positions and everyone calling for players heads won't help these blokes. You build there confidence , point out the elements of their game that need improvement . The worst thing you can do is show no faith in them by shifting them around they need time to develop combinations. It's a marathon not a sprint race.
Bup, a good post. Its easy after a gutsy win to overlook a lot of areas, for me the remnants of a team that stuck to the task last night did the whole club and its supporters proud, of that there can be no denying. How many of them will be available for the game next week in Darwin will be interesting to say the least and that's not going to be an easy game in the sauna bath up there.(even though its winter)
Moses shows promising touches against the chooks an his high balls were simply great, defence not great but! Against the rabbits, he stepped up and looked good he did suffer an injury there but played on, his high kicks were not as affective if I remember correctly. But still a lift again.
Against the warriors, he did not get the same level in his high kicks but his other kicks seemed ok, he was set flattened by Isaac Luke well after he got rid of the ball, if that was not a penalty I have never seen one, it was late and he had plenty of time to pull out of it, it got Moses on the left shoulder which was where he suffered an injury last week. The after game dressing room footage certainly showed his medical problems.
The worst of his game last night was the real non attempt to try and stop or even slow Mannering for their first try, the inside forward next to him was the same, Moses stopped and watched Mannering go past, and looked amazed. At that point it was pretty clear that he was going to have something of a horror nite, but he kept going and did his share in defence and attack. Not all gloom but certainly not all shine either. Early days yes!
After the lessons with Gutho last year as winger which changed when his position was changed, Moses will need time and like Kaysa needs to build up especially before next season, a few kilo's of muscle should help as will the rest of this season and pre-season. At least one can only hope.
Many here have blasted the tackling and missed tackles from Kaysa and he's doing his best to lift that standard, and has done so very well so far, Moses needs to do the same.
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