Eels Blogs

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                    Angry Eel > LB May 30, 2026 at 4:07am

                    

                    It's not just 1 game, he's played a handful of games and look like a pretty slick player. Sean Russell is no gun. He's developed into a decent 1st grade centre but has never appeared to be a player with a high ceiling. 
                    Mate our outside back development has been deadset awful. We have a handful of outside backs in lower grades that virtually have no 1st grade prospects at all. The most talented being Twidle who is now leaving us. Falaulo is well ahead of any of the outside backs we have and is probably pushing for a full time 1st grade role at Parra either at centre, wing or fullback. We have a major talent identification problem when it comes to outside backs.
                    I mean this seriously, who was the last back that came through where you thought wow this kid could be anything? Loko or Semi is probably the last that comes to mind for me
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                    LB > Angry Eel May 30, 2026 at 7:37am

                    But that’s exactly why I think the conversation has drifted away from the original point.

                    This started because someone said “of course he’s a Parra junior” after a few good games, basically implying we’ve let another star walk out the door. My whole point was that it’s way too early to say that.

                    Now it’s turned into a general pathways discussion instead.

                    And the Russell point is confusing too. Earlier you were saying the most talented outside back is leaving to Perth as a knock on the club, but now Sean Russell apparently has no high ceiling and isn’t that level of talent anyway.

                    That’s kind of my issue with these discussions every former junior becomes “proof the club failed” while the flaws in their game get ignored.

                    Faulalo looks promising, absolutely. I just don’t think a handful of games is enough to already declare him some massive recruitment/development blunder by Parra.

                    And with Twidle, he’s talented but again we’re talking about potential, not a proven first grader at this stage.

                    That’s why I keep saying people jump way too quickly from “good prospect” to “club catastrophe.” Not every talented junior who leaves automatically turns into a star, otherwise every club in the comp would regret half their pathways decisions. Perth were the ones who got him, look who they have recruited. They are overspending by 20-30% more than most who are already overspending. They also could offer him a chance to play Fullback. That is his spot. He could play Wing full-time but would get found out in defence as well.
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                    LB > LB May 30, 2026 at 8:00am

                    Also, the guy you said is the most talented back that's leaving to Perth was prioritised over Faulalo when at Parra. Arthur kept that Rouse Hill Rhinos connection and already played Russell by then. So if anything lean on BA being the reason.

                    Lets give Faulalo a full year to see what he can do in top grade. Many lost their minds over Sloan when he first started as well. 
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                    Angry Eel > LB May 30, 2026 at 12:08pm

                    I don't know what you're talking about, it's the same discussion. We are letting the talented ones go and signing plodders with no 1st grade prospects like Tago. 
                    Penisini, Samrani and Russell have all had stints on the sidelines and who have we got coming through, No talent time.

                    We've lost Talagi, Sanders, Twidle. You can keep making excuses like he wants to play this position, he wants to play that position, his path is blocked blah blah blah. But at some stage we have to look within and see that there's something very wrong at this club. Faalogo didn't leave Melbourne when he was behind Papenhausen? Lehi Hopoate was a talented fullback who's happy playing on the wing? Fletcher Sharpe and Fletcher hunt seem happy getting shuffled around in and out of the side and playing different positions? Hugo Savala was happy to be demoted to centre to allow DCE to play? 
                    We can blame BA sure, but these problems have continued after BA and at some stage we have to look at our whole football department and make the necessary changes. 
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                    LB > Angry Eel May 30, 2026 at 12:52pm

                    

                    It isn't quite the same discussion though.

                    The original comment was "of course he's a Parra junior" in response to Faulalo playing well, which to me reads as "there's another player we've let go who is going to make us regret it."

                    My response was about Faulalo specifically.

                    You've now expanded that into a broader discussion about pathways, talent retention, recruitment, BA, the football department, Talagi, Sanders and Twidle. That's a different argument.

                    Now, those issues might be related, but they're not the same thing.

                    For example, I can agree that losing Talagi hurt and that the club needs to do a better job retaining talent, while still not agreeing that Faulalo is already another major mistake.

                    That's why I keep coming back to him. The conversation started with Faulalo, not whether the entire football department needs an overhaul.

                    If Faulalo nails down a full-time NRL spot and becomes a top-quality player, then fair enough. At the moment though, I think people are treating a promising prospect as a proven success.
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                    Angry Eel > LB May 30, 2026 at 1:06pm

                    At no stage I was talking about Russell. I'm was talking about our reserve grade talent and Twidle being the most talented and leaving to Perth. No talent time is in reference to Alemeddine, Nanva, Tago, Avery etc etc

                    faulaulo is clearly a first grade talent which is more than I can say for the above players so yes he's a loss when we've let him go and held on to the above numptys 
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  LB May 29, 2026 at 9:23pm

  He will be full-time in FG to replace Garrick. But Centre won't be it as defence is average. Hopoate maybe at Centre.
• Eels95 May 29, 2026 at 9:32pm

  Who's there 2nd string? Because Koula and Garrick play centre and Lehi plays wing.
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    Angry Eel > Eels95 May 29, 2026 at 9:39pm

    Koula has played fullback this year. Obviously they moved Koula to centre to bring in Clayton. Turbo, Hoppa, Garrick, Koula and Clayto have all played FB for manly lol
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      LB > Angry Eel May 29, 2026 at 9:47pm

      They moved Koula to Centre as he was much better suited to Centre and Faulolo is better at Fullback due to his defence. To balance the squad that was the better option.