Eels Blogs

Early Attack:

Our attack to start games is non existent. We got no ball player in the middle to start the game since Walker is on the bench and Hopgood ability in that department is gone backwards. We refuse to build pressure as well. We just go for the all of nothing play which doesn't come off. To start the game we gave away three 20m restarts. Moses needed to demand the ball and step up there. Really really poor. Hopefully JDB starting at lock next year helps with the link play. Need to work on attack structure anyway.

Effort:

First game in a long time I questioned some of the desire in the players. Iongi watching Duncan go all out for the ball on the floor was poor. Someone who has put effort on effort all year. I hope and believe that the effort issue is a one of game in our rebuilding year. Just got complacent and expected the win.

Support play:

How many linebreaks with no support play. Big area for Iongi to improve. Really wish Iongi had a bit better top speed. His footwork and acceleration is good. But he lacks the top speed to be a support player in time.

Tuilagi:

He runs great lines and has a great offload. But go watch how much Souths exposed Tuilagi efforts and lateral movement. He could not keep up with Souths shifting the ball that eels had to keep back pedalling to conceed meters. Moses could not slide as Tuilagi would take forever to get to his man. Williams and Kautoga have to be our edges next year. Just use Guymer as the back up option as he is defensively more sound than Tuilagi even if his attack isnt much.

Doorey:

He is a clear depth option. Defensively he struggles. He only has minimal good games in him. He had a couple good games in him earlier but recently he has lost his form again. Cannot be in the best 17.

Attacking Kicks:

Our attacking kicks are shit. Lomax ability in the air has disappeared. Can't catch anything anymore. Moses accuracy for those kicks were horrible as well. He needs to land in on the goal line not 5m inside the field.

Papalii:

He has no idea what he is doing as a 6. I do not think a pre-season there will change it much. His instincts are so much like a fullback. He doesnt see the game as a 6. He needs to be the back up fullback next year and thats it. Him at 6 essentially eliminates our left side attack. Fox got thrown so many hospital passes.

Red ball attack:

Papalii contributes to this issue as he is not a 6. He does not straighten the attack up at all on shape. On shape he runs like he is sweeping out the back like a fullback even though he is playing 6. 

Moses does not touch the ball enough in attack. He needs to control the team. But right now we look clueless and looking for Walker to call the shots. Moses is the halfback. He needs to set our attack up better. He organises a one out settler every second tackle which is putrid. Get players going running under lines cutting back in or some short passes going with your backrowers running at the halves to generate quick play the balls instead of these boring settles. We were dominating them in the ruck but we tried going around them with diaboloical shifts. How did Moses to step up at the start of the game and allow those 20m restarts pissed me off.