Eels Blogs

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  Parra fan on The Hill June 30, 2025 at 5:55am

   Good signing.

  Now we need a marqee signing. Payne Haas cough, cough....I'm sure we have a 1 mill to throw at him.
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    Poppa > Parra fan on The Hill June 30, 2025 at 9:15am

    Hilly what Planet are you on....."Marquee Signing" who?

    If we paid what they say for the kid, Payne Haas would cost you 2 million.....whats going on Greece mate? costs you a million plus for a block of land in Suburban Brisbane (if you are lucky).
• Coryn Hughes June 30, 2025 at 9:18am

  If we are paying 650 from the jump with TDS I'd be very disappointed because I don't think anyone else would.If he has escalators in his deal around performance then ok.But if we've paid the above amount for me that's a risky proposition because your looking for more than what he is right away.

   
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    EA > Coryn Hughes June 30, 2025 at 9:22am

    Yep we have taken a big risk with the money he is on. Heaps of potential but right now he is not better than Smith. One thing I am positive about though is how much players from new clubs and juniors have improved under JR so I hopefully the same follows for TDS.
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      Poppa > EA June 30, 2025 at 10:25am

      Yes, I am hoping that he has bought him aa a potential 5/8. Defence in the middle as shown up by the Dragon's was terrible.
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    Poppa > Coryn Hughes June 30, 2025 at 10:23am

    Coryn, I said 350 plus KPI's....I cannot believe we would pay that sort of money either.

    The managers and media I would not trust as far as you can throw them.
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    Nightmare Off-Season > Coryn Hughes June 30, 2025 at 10:26am

    

    I'd be pretty surprised if 650k is correct also, Pops, Coryn?

    The Eels cop criticism for a lot, but they are pretty good at keeping $$ in house. Of course, could be agent releasing that info?

    Didn't we only offer Mahoney, in a Grand Final year where he was in QLD squad, 550k or something?

    Regardless, this is good news imo, because Ryles clearly has a plan for an Eels style / DNA and clearly has a vision for what he wants out of his dummy halves.

    If the club provided him the player he believes helps us get there, then fantastic - well done to R&R.

    I really like Ryley Smith, it was obvious the difference he makes to the middle on the weekend, and he bleeds 1%ers, effort areas & commitment, none of which would be missed on JR.

    As others have said, this is healthy competition & we can't have one first grade level hooker at the club.

    Well done Parra, look forward to seeing how they use & develop TDS & Smith together.

    Only concern for me would be I feel this means we definitely are looking at Papalli as our 5/8th next season, hence a more attacking (and expensive) hooker.

    It could be a ‘lighting in a tea-cup’ move with that much youth, energy & speed in our spine positions, we wont die wondering.

    But as much as I love Papalli, was a big fan of him in Cup for the Dogs & he is everything we want at the club, developing him from fullback into a 5/8th is a big move at this stage of his career, and does feel like its a reactionary to players lost & missed, as opposed to planned.

    A developing 5/8th, two young hookers & a brilliant but inexperienced fullback, also means we are looking long term which might out see Mitch Moses & we’ll need a halfback also.

    Perhaps that was inevitable with DB going & Galvin rejecting.

    At least we should be able to enjoy the ride. Seeing Iongi, TDS / Smith, Papalli & Moses in attack together could be absolutely anything.