TCT have commented on the reported top 30 for eels next year which apparently is already full. Lets hope we move on some dead weight (Rodwell, Moimesia, Cini, Mataele, Taumepenu) to make room for other players. These dead weights couldnt even made the nsw cup team at times.
Sanders, Guymer and Tuivita who played in the NSW under 19's this year have a development contract along side Flegg captain Brazel and regular NRL bench forward Moretti. MA development contract is for 2025. There is still room for one more player on the development list. Look for Richie Penisini to earn it as he is already training this pre-season. Also TCT seem pretty confident that Sanders is still going to raiders next year and with Lynn not on the list this is prety interesting. Moretti and Tuivita wll have a top 30 contract next year (2025).
Importantly, the one I am most happy with, Talagi has a top 30 contract next year. Everyone would know he is my fav junior coming through the grades. A DB and Joey Manu mixture. Big things ahead of him.
I am a bit worried that JBBM is not on the list or even at pre-season training. AMS not on the list either.
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Taumoepenu was averaging 15-20 mins a game in Cup, this constitutes a top 30 spot? What the hell is going on.
Cini I understand as to keep him there has to be incentive but that's a waste of a spot since BA refused to have him near the 17 even with injuries.
Talagi is an odd one, yet I would not mind him being our surprise pick this year.
I dont understand our recuriment. It looks like for players in their early 20's we sign them on a contract whereby we given them a cup contract and then promise them a top 30 contract the following year regardless of their development. This has happened with Cini, Mataele and Taumoepenu. This is is horrible given Rodwell and Moimesia are already dead wood at the club
Talagi I am so excited about. He needs to stay injury free and have a good pre-season and he could honestly overtake Simmo for that centre spot during the season. Will be interesting what he plays tho. I recon he will still start the year in SG ball and play a couple games of flegg before making his way into the cub side. i recon Richie Penisini will follow the same path as well.
Rodwell, Mataele and Cini I understand, just didn't develop the way we thought. Taumoepenu had an ok 2022 NSW Cup year and thought he could debut as a depth player, but not top 30.
I dont think Taumoepenu should have stayed at the club at any level. Our flegg and sg ball players are promising and took his cup spot by rd 15. He is not needed at the club.
But u should only do these on ur certain bright prospect. Neither 3 were top juniors. Cini failed at the tigers and Rodwell couldnt crack it at souths before he came here. Mataele wasnt even dominating cup before we signed him on a long term deal. Our judgement decision on signing players with potential has been shit of recent.
Cini was bought as an emergency option in 2022 when Dunster, Sivo and Dunster got hurt. He was at Cronulla pre-season training and came over in time for round 1 and Russell got hurt so he was needed more. But didn't play in either 2022 or 2023. He did play well in Cup which i believe led to us giving him an incentive of staying on development for a year with top 30 the following, but he has not developed to where BA wants him. Now could be like Wiremu Greig where it took him two full seasons before he became a regular player, but Greig also got games in between, Cini was nowhere close to that.
Mataele also i do not blame them for signing as he did show promise, disrupted development when younger due to injuries and COVID. But his defence is woeful for a back-rower, seems he is moving into the middle to fix his defence. He can salvage his career but being dropped to Flegg late in the year was not a good sign.
It was just bad judgement on who would work out, around the time we signed Rodwell we signed Ogden and Makatoa also, both turned into decent players for us, Rodwell was just not good enough. Mataele just does not look good enough, Cini just not good enough. But even then BA looks adament to go out of his way to play others over them. I would not be surprised if we lose middle forwards he would play Sam Tuivaiti over Rodwell, Taumoepenu and Mataele.
Taumopenu last cup game was rd 15 as well. Wasnt even good.
Talagi is an odd one? Clearly you have no idea what your talking about.
I mean top 30 now, I thought he would start on development deal. He is still 18, missed some of 2023, thought he would start development deal.
Do not want to tune my own horn but if you read other blogs from me you'd see I have some idea, good on you though EP.
Great to see our top 30 topped up with eels pathway players, finally bring our juniors through and giving them a crack.
This is the best way to win a comp in my opinion. It works for the panthers and will also work for us. I remember we had an x factor player his name was Jarrod Hayne and let's just say that didn't exactly pan out did it.
Simmonson will start the year at left centre and Talagi will make his debut later in the season.
Morgan Harper is a back up centre
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