Eels Blogs

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  Brett Allen October 31, 2019 at 7:39am

  Congrats Sam on a terrific career.
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  HECTOR WONG October 31, 2019 at 8:14am

  The bloke is a massive I am show pony (always looking at the big screen to see if his boot head is on it . Plus a grub and thug .mainly going after the smallest bloke .i quess you can tell I am not a fan
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  WMD October 31, 2019 at 9:21am

  Love it!
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  John Eel October 31, 2019 at 10:05am

  Is the timing of the charges and the retirement announcement coincidental or did the club bring forward the announcement to avoid a no guilt stand down.

  Not saying they did anything wrong. If they did bring it forward it would be smart management. My understanding was that they were going to wait before making a decision 

  This now leaves them short for Edge forwards. Hard to replace Sam Burgess and they are already looking for a replacement for Sutton
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                Hell On Eels October 31, 2019 at 3:58pm

                Frankie, you were right about Cronk: he's joined the Roosters coaching staff, as a specialist halves' coach. Good call. Politis is a smart operator. 

                 
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                    Hell On Eels October 31, 2019 at 5:00pm

                    Poppa, You don't rate Cronk nor his footy IQ? I do.

                    We have a difference of opinion (as usual): chalk and cheese.

                    I'd love to have someone of Cronk's calibre actively and regularly involved in the team. 

                    Poppa have you really thought things through? It's lazy & sheep-like tall-poppy thinking to just brand them Rorters and Politis just buys premierships. God, if it only it was that easy to win a title.  

                    Since Politis took over the reigns in the early 1990s out of love for the Roosters and the game, they've had various up & down cycles. It hasn't been a smooth easy ride.

                    During 1996-2004 they were in an up cycle, reaching the semi finals every year, culminating in Politis' first premiership in 2002 (Ricky). After about 10 years at the helm.

                    They created defensive structures that were the envy of the league. I remember being in awe of their great defensive resolve during that period.

                    Then they had a bit of a choppy, struggling period during 2005-2012, they made the finals only twice, culminating in a wooden spoon in a 2009.

                    From 2013-to the present they're in an up cycle again and their most successful under Politis, winning 3 titles. But don't forget they came second last in 2016. 

                    Politis has decades building the Roosters culture and development systems and hasn't always got it right, but smarter footy heads than me have shown respect for what the Roosters have done. I respect them and Politis for that. I believe we can learn something from them.

                    Money isn't enough to buy a development system and culture. Money isn't enough to make players play with courage, tackle like their life depends on it and play for one another. Players also like to play for winning clubs. It's highly naive to think otherwise. 

                    

                    It's player development, not cash, that keeps Roosters on top

                    For decades Sydney Roosters have been accused of buying premierships. But it's the players they've developed that make them a constant premiership th…
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                    Hell On Eels October 31, 2019 at 5:39pm

                    Nope: I won't retract it, Pops. Okay, we agree for once: Cronk's got a high footy IQ. 

                    So, you'd be okay with Cronk in any other teams' coaching ranks but not the Roosters?

                    Do you disagree with Gould that the Roosters have a great development system?
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                    Hell On Eels November 1, 2019 at 1:22pm

                    Pops, I wouldn't rave on about my lack of thought too much if I were you.

                    Predictably, in your consistent style: you didn't answer any of the questions or address any of my points. Not one. Nada. Not much depth of thought there. Nice Cartoon, though.

                    Why do you do that, again & again? You can't answer simple questions.

                    Okay, I'll do what you didn't: address your points.

                    If the Roosters are found to be "cheating" this clandestine salary cap, like us, the Dogs, the Storm or the Dogs have breached the cap - they will be punished. Simple. But atm you're just blowing hot air.

                    Actually, if you bothered to study facts, you'll find most clubs have breached the salary cap. In some years it's been 6-7 clubs. That should bring up a red flag in any one of average or higher intelligence. 

                    Unlike you, I feel the problem lies with the salary cap, not with successful clubs. It needs to allow the flow of more money.

                    Unlike you, I admire the culture and development systems of the Storm and Roosters. They add professionalism and smarts to the game. It's not something new I've said. You can keep your head in the sand.

                    Actually, the Roosters have learnt something from Storm's culture. Which is why they're smart enough to get Cronk and to also look to Slater as well. 

                    Why weren't we this smart? And really you can't argue we're better negotiators than Politis or the Roosters, right?  Hard to argue we have any businessman in the clubs board or administration that have the business smarts of Politis, right? 

                    And let's face it: a successful club is attractive to many players who want to win premierships , improve their game, taste success - and raise their stock value, as well. 

                    Unlike you, I don't think the way forward is pulling down succesful operations, clubs or people.

                    I feel the way forward is for us to improve, not rely on other clubs to fall. Raise the standards across the board. Not lower the tall poppies.

                    Just accept we're different. I won't change to appease you. I don't want you to change too much. But if you can answer questions and debate it would be a nice change. A fresh breeze. If you can't, well it's nothing new. I'm used to it.
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                    Hell On Eels November 1, 2019 at 4:03pm

                    

                    Poppa, Fair enough. 

                    I don't really get the "Scalability:CAP theorem", but I imagine there's probably a message in there somewhere. I think. 
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                    Hell On Eels October 31, 2019 at 5:25pm

                    Frankie, That doesn't surprise me.

                    Billy is another one of these modern-day champions, like Cronk, that used to spend hours every day - in his own time - studying, thinking, working on their game. Slater spent hours in his own time watching huddle videos, studying the game after training. 

                    Compare that to what Corey Norman does in his spare time: hip hop videos, Mr cool & fun-times.

                    Jack Gibson was another who'd want to improve his game: reading something new every day, acquiring new ideas and quotes every day. That's passion. Money can't but that.

                    I find it spectacularly naive to think it's just money driving these people. Everyone loves money and needs it, but high quality performance & success - in between the failures - isn't caused by money or talent alone.

                    Attitude is more critical than money or talent.