Eels Blogs

Replies

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        Mitchy > LB September 9, 2025 at 9:32am

        LB, you say panic signing, a dn dictate, well that is exactly what occurred previously. What has changed since then besides Ryles?

        I say ridiculous; when has Matterson ever torn a game to shreds? Never for me; he did his job in say 2022 and that was it; he left us originally from reggies or the like to go to Easts; then did not last long and then Wests and then us; we were suckers and would have been better off bringing up two / three kids but if i recall BA was never one to bring on many kids in his time.

        I doubt any NRL will pick up the cheque for Matterson and he will play reggies; tbh I would sit him out fullstop unless he shows something in 2026; his price will quickly reduce. Play him in reggies at prop.
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          LB > Mitchy September 9, 2025 at 10:27am

          Well name a panic buy this year? in 2024 we only signed Tuilagi and Harper. in 2023 we signed a bunch of fringe players hoping for them to be Papali'i type in their development. Then we signed Davey and Lussick mid year which were poor signings. 

          But 2022 exodus was seen for a long time but we did not react to it well and we suffered a bit from it. I reckon if you sit down with MON now he would definately say he would do it differently, particularly focusing on Papali'i and Mahoney more. It was apparent when in late 2022, when Papali'i was going cold on going to Wests, that we actually had the money to keep Papali'i. We regretted not acting faster. 

          Even before 2022 we were quite astute with our signings and re-signings. Look at us now extending alot of our depth and up and coming players, we are getting in early and extending them quickly.
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            Mitchy > LB September 9, 2025 at 1:05pm

            That is my point LB, it seems Ryles has come in and taken over; the only consistency over the last period was MON. 

            There was a clear lack of kids being brought on / and ready to come on; where does the blame lie? mixture of chop and changing jnr coaches / CEO / NRL head coach? all of it. As you pointed out we signed fringe players who no-one was really after they did not seem to improve.

            I also add not many who have left have dominated tbh
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            Uncle Wizardssleeve- Indigenous Elder-Freemason Hunter -He/Him > LB September 9, 2025 at 1:24pm

            Astute or frugal?   We had no cap space , that's why. 
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      Randy Handlinger > Uncle Wizardssleeve- Indigenous Elder-Freemason Hunter -He/Him September 8, 2025 at 9:52pm

      Cancer ain't contagious. Cattersons carry-ons just might be....amputation is the go.
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  Steel be with you September 8, 2025 at 9:56pm

  No surprises with the departures. Dunster was injured a lot, Keir only played first grade with us last year becuase we had a shocking injury toll, Greig fell down the pecking order as did Lussick, Lussick were fourth choice hooker. 
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    Poppa > Steel be with you September 9, 2025 at 9:04am

    if we want to win the premiership next year, paying one million for jaydon campbell would be a good start. i cant see us getting him for less and that will mean we will only be over paying him for one season . i.e. offer him 4m for 4 years.

    After the first year he we command a million anywhere and it won't hurt us now. maybe an enforcer type forward or one capable of being that for the remaining one player we need to buy.
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  Mitchy September 9, 2025 at 1:24pm

  https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news-2025-taylan-may-wests-tigers...

  And for what this one above is worth, if I was Wests I would take the offer off the table. This piece of work would be nothing without footy.