Eels Blogs

Replies

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      Bourbon Man > Frankie Fong August 20, 2025 at 2:45pm

      That is very true.

      However, how many businesses can you think of that are prepared to offer property deals and off field opportunities that have no quid pro quo, or an ability to link these opportunities with the Bulldogs as a club? Because any nexus between the Bulldogs as a club and the TPA is against the rules.

      I have particular suspicions on this front noting that the Bulldogs' major sponsor is a large hospitality provider!

      Personally, I rather the whole TPA arrangement allow for players to obtain benefit for advertising products and services of sponsors of clubs. It would take out so much of the suspicion around the compliance of TPAs.
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        Parra_Greg > Bourbon Man August 20, 2025 at 8:27pm

        haha any one say Arthur Laundy ......interesting but Im sure he is savy enough like Uncle Nick to keep thnigs under wraps
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          Bourbon Man > Parra_Greg August 20, 2025 at 9:56pm

          So, you accept that Laundy might be up to mischief and may be disrupting the NRL's plan to keep the playing field level, yet you also think that the Eels - who abide by the rules - are in some way the suckers?

          Here's the problem with blokes like you. You can't have it both ways. You want us to succeed but spitball the Club for failing to keep up with clubs that, in all likelihood, are breaking the rules.

          Personally, I've got no issues with our club breaking the rules so we can compete with the likes of those clubs. We tried it once and got caught.

          Let's take the view that we:

          1. Break the rules and not get caught; or

          2. Not break the rules and hope for the best.

          You can't have it both ways and if we choose option 2, you can't bitch about our 'losing culture' because we're no longer competing on an even playing field.
  • Eli Stephens > Bourbon Man August 20, 2025 at 2:26pm

    Damn didn't know that, will stop posting those 😂
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      Bourbon Man > Eli Stephens August 20, 2025 at 2:47pm

      It was more Mitchy posting the entire article when it otherwise appears behind a paywall. 

      I don't think he would mind me saying this but Super has been warned by News Limited before and it's not fair on him.
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    Blue Eel > Bourbon Man August 20, 2025 at 2:51pm

    

    Spot on Bourban. 

    'Just to your second point though - I thought we lost both those boys because their spots were filled untill 2030 odd by Brown and Moses on what we now know were player option contracts not the going after a big name from another club and then losing a junior.

    I'd ask if it's affordable " would you want to keep a junior that has potential to make first grade in a position or sign a big name as you describe them from another club that plays rep level footy with experience and know what they are bringing to the table.

    Another point that shouldn't be lost is , we developed basically an under 19's origin class spine at the Eels juniors. We should of been looking good in the backup dept. Only to lose all 3 within months of each other. ie Blaize / Sanders / Matt Arthur you can now throw in junior Matt Hunter who has been described as a brilliant play maker that plays 5/8 and halfback has been lost to us and signed for 3 years to Newcastle. 

    Being able to Keep Juniors dosnt seem to be working either. Lets go for talent whereever it may be and attempt to get them in Blue and Gold.
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      Bourbon Man > Blue Eel August 20, 2025 at 3:51pm

      

      You make some good points BE. 

      It was a cluster fuck-up re the options in the contracts but that has now been straightened out and much as been said about the sins of the past. 

      I guess I would counter it by saying that Newcastle, in particular, are spending a lot of money on spine players when it has been reported they have a good nursery of kids coming through their junior grades. Would a DB/Sandon Smith acquisition mean the loss of some of those kids?

      It's always a balancing act. 

      We do need a quality 5/8th. I don't think who we have now is going to cut it. But, if we are going to spend money, let's land someone of absolute quality. 

      The absolute dream would be Jack Welsby from St Helens!
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    Poppa > Bourbon Man August 20, 2025 at 3:55pm

    

    Bourbon Man 

    with due respect to the theme of your argument, losing Blaize and Sanders was a god send!

    Blaize is mentored by the Cleary's and has had the softest ride in history, we could never have positioned such a ride.

    Sander's has shown that he has not made it from the perspective of Rickey Stewart going around him.

    We have some young players coming through, what worries me is who is going to teach them.....Rylie Smith is showing up to be outstanding, Ilongi with a solid base behind him from Penrith is looking like making it. I wrote a blog on our forwards but we still need a pack leader. The rest of our juniors playing NRL still have to deliver and even now we are looking at next years entrants with hope and a prayer. Renzo is shaping there with a few others with green shoots.

    History shows over time you usually only manage to get one or two juniors actually making it over a season.

    We now have a hard head in Dyllan Walker to provide guidance, we will have JDB next year who maybe by default a pack leader (defensively anyway).

    TPA''s etc are an old bogey for us and plenty of discussion has taken place, unfortunately Parra/Ryles need to make a statement whereas someone may come on board after some sucess that can see Parra with blue sky.

    I don't like the way we (as supporters) are shaping up on Ryles, I cannot imagine anyone else better at this point and that especially applies to Bennett. I went through my own period of distrusting (just an emotional hiccup after a loss) him but am over that now with the confidence to think he can make a difference.
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      LB > Poppa August 20, 2025 at 4:21pm

      

      Talagi is good, hindsight of course he may have stayed with Brown leaving and he would be our 6 right now. Sanders i am a little surprised about, seems Stuart wants a stop gap for a year or two before handing him the keys but does he stick around?

      Ryles is doing things that are different, ballsy and needed. Had we kept the players and played them that we let go we are not much better. I see it as if Ryles fails at least we tried something different.
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      Blue Eel > Poppa August 20, 2025 at 6:13pm

      

      Pops, I want to make it super clear, Im not in any way shape or form shaping up to dump on Ryles. I feel my beef and dissapointment is with our Management in particular Recruitment and Retention and there Negotiating skills. Players are being identified and chased, numerous dont hit any headlines at all, we keep missing out on them. That's my biggest concern.

      Next is the fact we identify juniors we want to develop and we are losing those ones. Dosnt matter if we think they are good or not, the fact our coach wanted them but we couldn't compete with signing them. 

      'Next is our attack, clumsy, dropped ball, less points scored then most teams etc etc. I do believe our attack has suffered and needs help. Is that between the ears, better skilled players or the attacking mindset. I think all the above perhaps. I'm not convinced that Nathan Brown who is focused on our attack is getting it right. We are lacking some imagination and flair to compete with the rest. The old kick for Lomax is fast becoming our bogey play and perhaps a wasted opportunity by the sheer number of them, in my opinion.