Firstly thank-you for making this season once again enjoyable for us Eels fans. The future is now believably bright with you at the helm with your no bullshit approach and no hiding behind the infamous "5 year plans"
If we were told after round 26 in 2013 that in round 19 in 2014 (even in light of major injuries) we would be equal 7th on the ladder (12th on for/against) and still alive to make the finals it would be very hard to believe.
Still learning to be a head coach some mistakes can be expected and forgiven while some others leave me perplexed. Vai Toutai being selected over Kenny Sio at the start of the season then again against Souths were costly and his retention before the likes of both Kenny and David Gower puzzling.
There is a detailed blog below regarding Ryan Morgan and statistics but as we all know statistics are not the sole judge of being a genuine 1st grade Rugby league player. As one member commented there is no statistics on not having a football brain, how many tries he has bombed, times a simple pass would have lead to a line break, times he has positioned himself wrongly on attacking and defending kicks, I could go on. Like Vai he has been given enough opportunities and the above mentioned mistakes in his game are here to stay.
Now FFS! why do you pick Joseph Paulo every week? What do you see that I don't? You have made the tough calls on the likes of Fui, Sandow and Sio yet Paulo has never seen the black and white jersey of Wentworthville no matter what his performance. A black and white decision to me anyway. He is the weakest link in our 17 and a liability each week. I cringe at every short ball (forward) he throws, penalty he gives in the ruck (guaranteed each week at the most crucial time) and failure to bring a player to the ground in defence, instead wrestling before the opposition off-loads while he is thinking about what he can tweet immediately after the game. I have growing anxiety that an announcement will be made he has been resigned.
Please don't do this to Bert and also find a new home in 2015 for Morgan, unfortunately you resigned Vai so all I can do is cross my fingers and prey a genie grants him a wish that enables him to read defence, catch a high ball and the ability to ground it over the try line.
Another big game this week Coach, I am always excited before Tuesdays team announcements that some names might be missing.
Bert.
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ps, can you do something about getting us better cheergirls?
Yeah. Some look like smashed crabs.
Bert,
I agree Sio is a better winger than Toutai, however do you realise Toutai has scored 7 tries from 8 games this year. Not a bad strike rate. I think Sio has scored 11 tries from 10 games.
Toutai is not as good as Sio but he is handy finding the line. Compare him with some of the other nuppties in the comp and he looks like a champion. I think he is good value for the money and can come in when one of out wingers are injured and he does need to work on his defence.
BA has chosen Joseph Paulo because there's no one better in reserves and he's a part of the top 25 so we might as well use him without being in breach of the 2nd tier salary cap using someone else. I don't think he'll be re-signed.
Maybe because he's had his hand forced? We haven't had anyone who can play lock in the time that BA has been here other than Ken Edwards or David Gower and it isn't until only recently we've seen Gower start with Sef coming off the bench mainly because of injuries and whatnot.
Yes I can. We didn't have anyone better in our reserves that we haven't played in the NRL already, I think next year if Ryan Matterson puts on a bit of weight we may see him on the bench playing in a half/lock sort of role in the team. The players that can play in the middle: Kelepi Tanginoa, Ryan Matterson (Assuming he can, I don't think he's ever technically played there), Josh Aloiai were either injured or not ready for first grade. At full strength though Joe Paulo doesn't make our starting team.
But with injuries we haven't been able to play them. As I said, at full strength Joe Paulo imo isn't in our Top 17.
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