Eels trial fijian trio

Jarryd Hayne quits rugby league, chasing NFL dreamJarryd Hayne quits rugby league, chasing NFL dreamCanterbury coach Des Hasler is another said to be keen on checking out the group.“All these guys, they can really play,’’ Fittler said. “Jone is a centre who has represented Fiji under 18s this year.“And Kamineli, a winger, made the national championships here in both the 200 and 400 metres. He runs incredibly hard.”Yet perhaps the pick of them is Eroni.An aggressive centre who, just to make the nines tournament staged by the Kangaroo greats, walked two hours to catch a bus which then drove another two hours to the field.“Then he ripped in, won the tournament for his school and went home again,’’ Johns laughs.“I was really impressed with how aggressively he played. He had the athleticism, the wonderful hands and so on.“But he had some real aggression too. He could walk into any Holden Cup side tomorrow and absolutely kill them.”Brad Fittler, Jone Waqaliva, Eroni Tuwai, Kamineli Baisagale and Andrew Johns in FijiBrad Fittler, Jone Waqaliva, Eroni Tuwai, Kamineli Baisagale and Andrew Johns in Fiji Source: SuppliedDespite receiving no funding from the NRL, Johns and Fittler are now in the third year of their mission to help bring Fijian players to the NRL.Apart from unearthing Intercontinental Hotel porter Eto Nabuli, who recently switched from Penrith to St George Illawarra, the league greats also raise over $20,000 for local league development each trip.“But when you see the way it changes lives,’’ says Fittler, “why would you stop?’’Certainly the Eels are no stranger to the potential of Fijians, either.Apart from Hayne, who represented the Bati boys at the 2008 World Cup, winger Semi Radradra has also emerged this year as one of the truly outstanding finds of the 2014 season.With a war chest of more than $1 million following the departure of Hayne, the Eels are expected to make a play at a host of marquee names including Wallaby Israel Folau, Manly playmaker Kieran Foran and Brisbane Bronco Josh Hoffman.

"The defensive issue is in the halves, Pezet was a turnstyle in that period and our defence misshapen, it was only after Haas went off that we regained any rythm.....Moses was also trying to be everywhere and ended up nowhere, clutching air a lot.…"

"JDB had the highest tackle efficiency of any Eels player at 95%. That's basically his job. Make the tackles in the middle in the opening 20 minutes."

Replies

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER October 18, 2014 at 6:58pm

we will make a play for them but none of them will come same with watmough not next year anyway
SuperEel 22 October 18, 2014 at 7:03pm

Would be good if we could land all three. But, having seen none of them play it's a bit difficult to know if they'd be worth it. Then again they'd be on a small contract for the lower grades. Would be nice if they had some good forwards up there. We've got backs coming out of our ears.
Robert Lloyd October 18, 2014 at 7:58pm

Josh Hoffman should be first on the list. If we get him, go hard for another 1st grade standard prop. If we get two of them, then we can splash money on a quality back--centre or five eight. Then 2015 would just be bearable. As it is SFA.
shane October 18, 2014 at 9:31pm

We need experienced players who bring the right attitude and are competitive.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER October 18, 2014 at 10:05pm

In 2015 we got 16 players coming of contract we wont be buying up big i think
GRUNTA - Death of a Salesman October 18, 2014 at 11:49pm

Capitals maybe too?

Just sayin' Paul.