November 1 has hit and not as much movement as first thought, however we have signed players in mid December before, like Simonsson in 2021 for 2022. Though top 30 is set, question is now do we believe we are done for this year? With moving for a decent back most of them would expect a trade, i do not think we are willing to give up anyone considering our top 17 is great and after that gets a little sketchy, losing one part of that 17 would hurt. Though we have been linked with backs; particularly Tracey and Addo-Carr, i feel there is also a chance we go into Round 1 with Simonsson back on a wing and Harper as our left Centre. Though it also would not surprise me to see another one or two backs signed, as even if we go with Harper as a starter we are thin in depth for Centres with the only players in the squad that are have played Centre are Cini and Asi, both are not ideal. We did go hard for Blake Wilson, though i wonder if we would have signed Harper also had we gotten Wilson? I think so.
Though plenty here have admitted, rightfully so too, that we could be hesitant giving a long term deal to a back when we have kids like Talagi and Penisini coming through in next few years. Then again, most of the kids are 19 this year, by the time they are 21, Sivo, Gutho and Penisini are off-contract, plus Simonsson's future is unclear post 2024, if they are good enough they will be in FG by 2026 just fine. So nothing wrong with giving a 2-3 year deal to a back worthwhile.
Journalists have mentioned dominoes would need to fall elsewhere for us to strike a player we want, they are right. Quiet market is not good for us, though if say a Tracey goes to St. George, Sloan could be available. JAC to Souths, Tass could be available. Tracey stays for a year and Iro is available. We are in a tough spot, looking at our current top 30, we have 8 backs, same as 2023. Not including second tier players like Miller-Stephen and Lumelume or Talagi who is mainly a 6 but can play Centre like Asi. Basically we lost Loizou and Blake for Cini and Harper. Like for like replacements based on their predicted impacts on the squad. Added is the main issue of the eight; Gutherson, Sivo, Penisini, Harper, Simonsson, Dunster, Russell and Cini, only Gutho and Russell can play Fullback, Russell is has barely played Fullback the last 3 years.
If we are to get a player or two in, obviously we would need to shave a player or two off the top 30. Matterson was rumoured but with the top 30 being sown up the way it has, that is not an option with the forwards we have behind him. The ones who should go i have already discussed in length in another blog, but getting rid of them is hard. Then you might have a team that wants a back in return like Dunster or Russell to which that doesn't help us either as we need to build depth.
Though BA and the club want a back that can play 1 (Hence the Wilson and Tracey links), we need to make sure we get the best player possible also. Tass is available? Can he play 1? No well who cares get him in, now you have a better backline automatically. Though going into Round 1 with 1. Gutherson 2. Sivo 3. Penisini 4. Harper 5. Simonsson is all well and good, one goes down and you have Russell who is fine but could have better, then lose another and you are screwed particularly at Centre. So we need to have another Centre signing at least in my opinion or a Winger to have Simonsson at Centre.
Either way i hope we are not done, though it would not surprise me either way. It would not surprise me if we sign nobody else for 2024. Although it would not surprise me if we sign two more backs before Round 1. We have been a team that can make some decent out of nowhere signings before.
Replies
What we needed to do was to sign Flanagan and piss off BA for 2024...
If he was brought in I reckon we would've be extremely active in the market and perhaps players that were in two minds about joining the Eels might've become more open to the idea.
BA is stale, he has been here too long and is potentially at the end of his tenure - this might also play on players wanting to come to try Eels' minds.
We do have 10 starting quality players off contract in 2025, same year as BA. It always works around it well, with likes of Penisini, Matterson, Brown, Lane and Sivo all having options for 2026.
Funny that....
BAs contracts always coincides with the main players of the squads. Almost as if they are using each other as leverage.
Ah! conspiracies Heisen! That was a good idea you had to get rid of BA.....shame you didn't mention it before!
X two thousand percent frank
accurate on all counts
Cut it out Carls, Frank hasn't been accurate since he forgot the names of 6 of his eight wives!
Heisen's idea of foreplay is "hey you...what's your name, get over here and get on your knees"
Hey if we signed Flanno could he bring kyle with him, that would be awsome wouldn't it Frank.
Flannagan has signed his son and that's it. Hunt still wants out. Yes I like flanno as a coach be he is on par with ba at best. No peptides, sharks wouldn't of won the competition. That's a given.
100% unproven without drugs
BA's longevity is definately starting to work against us.
We're wasting this era by leaving gaping holes in our squad. The fools in charge cant see that a lot went our way to make the 2022 GF and its not just going to happen again. If you have one of the best packs in the comp , 2 genuine stars of the game in the halves and a decent fullback.. playing donkeys in the outside backs is wasting it. 17 forwards and 7 backs in the squad isn't the right balance. We badly need a couple of competent outside backs that would round out the squad nicely.
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