Finals Team

At full strength, looks like eels play their best footy with the following line up:

1. Clinton Gutherson (C)

2. Maika Sivo

3. Michael Jennings

4. Waqa Blake

5. Blake Ferguson

6. Dylan Brown

7. Mitchel Moses

8. Junior Paulo

9. Reed Mahoney

10. Reagan Campbell - Gillard

11. Ryan Matterson

12. Andrew Davey

13. Nathan Brown

Bench:

14. Will Smith / Ray Stone

15. Shaun Lane

16. Marata Niukore

17. Kane Evans

Reserves:

18. Will Smith / Ray Stone / Jai Field

19. Oregon Kafusi

20. George Jennings

21. Daniel Alvaro / Brad Takarangi

I think Davey provides much more spark and effort than Lane. Also having Lane on the bench with Niukore will help eels alot when RCG and Paulo need a break. I would only want to use Smith and Stone if Mahoney is struggling because we are better with Mahoney out there. So preferly use Stone on the bench as a foward and injury back up to Mahoney (back Mahoney to play the 80min).

Both our wing's are dfensive concerns. Sivo is playing to heavy, his pace has been effected and his ability to turn and catch defenders is woeful. Fergo just needs to play smart football and not throw low percentage passes. Run straight and run hard.

The biggest concern is the Eels ability to play for 80 minutes and not play desperation football. As soon as things get a little bit tough they kick on the thrid tackle when they don't need to or don't kick early when they should, throw low percentage passes when they don't need to, try to make evey play a scoring play rather than just play smart grinding football and slow down in getting up off the line in defence and speed up their attack making silly mistakes.

Also, if you're getting smashed in defence and going nowhere, stop running one out and getting slow play the balls. Run in numbers, get up off the ground quickly and get fast play the balls.

When the pressure is on, get up off the line quick and in their face to force the oppostion make the mistakes in defence and slow down in attack to make sure you're making the smart plays, not the rushed silly ones.

The Eels are at their best when we play uptempo expansive football. For whatever reason, we are not good at trying to play structured football. The Strom are and will absolutely destroy us if we try to go set for set in a structured format.

When the Eels have beaten the Storm (Rarely), it has been through us out enthusing them with uptempo, fast off the defensive line, fast play the ball and expansive, second phase play football. Anything short of that and we will get thumped.

I say this every year but they need to sit the team down and watch the 09 highlights. Yes, Jarryd was a big factor in that year but he didn't do it by himself and there are plenty of clips where he isn't involved. You watch those highlights and the one thing that is happening in "EVERY PLAY", is there is bodies in motion. The entire team is pushing up in defence and even moreso, there are players all around pushing up in support wanting to get there hands on the ball. The Eels destroyed everyone with the pace of the game, constant second phase plays and there alwasy being an option.

Yes, our fifth tackle options will need to be better and be about getting repeat sets or simply playing for field position but if the Eels just push forward in both defence and attack in unison, we could beat any team. That is the difference between how the Eels were playing earlier in the season compared to now.

We simply won't be able to beat the Storm using structured football. No one does it better than them and maybe the Roosters. What no team, except maybe the Warriors, does better than the Eels is second phase play and that is our advantage that we need to captialise on. Don't force silly passes but push up and at least have it as an option. One out stuff will have the Eels smashed to pieces by the Storm. The Eels need to chance their arm on this game as we get another chance regardless so play like it's our last and see what happens. If to doesn't work at least we had a go and we wouldn't have simply gotten bashed silly in a loosing side. Win, and we will look like champions.

"I think he wanted ice. I can understand reed going because I think he was the black sheep in the team. I don't like O'Neil being there. If there is tension between him and Arthur then one has to go. "

Replies

MontoEel September 26, 2020 at 11:08pm

Ferguson needs to improve at least 75% hes terrible under the high ball and makes some silly mistakes for an Origin player. Davey is a really good player. Shame hes leaving.
- Grubbee > MontoEel September 26, 2020 at 11:23pm
  
  Dave's met is a big loss imo
- Mathew Clarke > MontoEel September 27, 2020 at 10:53am
  
  Both our wing's are dfensive concerns. Sivo is playing to heavy, his pace has been effected and his ability to turn and catch defenders is woeful. Fergo just needs to play smart football and not throw low percentage passes. Run straight and run hard.
  
  The biggest concern is the Eels ability to play for 80 minutes and not play desperation football. As soon as things get a little bit tough they kick on the thrid tackle when they don't need to or don't kick early when they should, throw low percentage passes when they don't need to, try to make evey play a scoring play rather than just play smart grinding football and slow down in getting up off the line in defence and speed up their attack making silly mistakes.
  
  Also, if you're getting smashed in defence and going nowhere, stop running one out and getting slow play the balls. Run in numbers, get up off the ground quickly and get fast play the balls.
  
  When the pressure is on, get up off the line quick and in their face to force the oppostion make the mistakes in defence and slow down in attack to make sure you're making the smart plays, not the rushed silly ones.
  
  The Eels are at their best when we play uptempo expansive football. For whatever reason, we are not good at trying to play structured football. The Strom are and will absolutely destroy us if we try to go set for set in a structured format.
  
  When the Eels have beaten the Storm (Rarely), it has been through us out enthusing them with uptempo, fast off the defensive line, fast play the ball and expansive, second phase play football. Anything short of that and we will get thumped.
  
  I say this every year but they need to sit the team down and watch the 09 highlights. Yes, Jarryd was a big factor in that year but he didn't do it by himself and there are plenty of clips where he isn't involved. You watch those highlights and the one thing that is happening in "EVERY PLAY", is there is bodies in motion. The entire team is pushing up in defence and even moreso, there are players all around pushing up in support wanting to get there hands on the ball. The Eels destroyed everyone with the pace of the game, constant second phase plays and there alwasy being an option.
  
  Yes, our fifth tackle options will need to be better and be about getting repeat sets or simply playing for field position but if the Eels just push forward in both defence and attack in unison, we could beat any team. That is the difference between how the Eels were playing earlier in the season compared to now.
  
  We simply won't be able to beat the Storm using structured football. No one does it better than them and maybe the Roosters. What no team, except maybe the Warriors, does better than the Eels is second phase play and that is our advantage that we need to captialise on. Don't force silly passes but push up and at least have it as an option. One out stuff will have the Eels smashed to pieces by the Storm. The Eels need to chance their arm on this game as we get another chance regardless so play like it's our last and see what happens. If to doesn't work at least we had a go and we wouldn't have simply gotten bashed silly in a loosing side. Win, and we will look like champions.
El patrón MDV September 26, 2020 at 11:25pm

unfortunately, Matto and D Brown won't play next week
Acme September 27, 2020 at 12:18am

Kafusi has more value than Evans. Kane has too many lazy errors in him.
- BlacJac > Acme September 27, 2020 at 8:55am
  
  I'm nervous every time Evans has the ball
  - Acme > BlacJac September 27, 2020 at 1:08pm
    
    I'm nervous when he's on the field. He gives away stupid penalties and his offloads are always clunky and risky.
    - CarloEEL2 > Acme September 27, 2020 at 4:51pm
      
      X1000000
      
      frank ????
Hugo September 27, 2020 at 12:35am

Matterson will get a basic crusher charge which is two weeks - there is no way he's going to escape from it.
- Randy Handlinger > Hugo September 27, 2020 at 12:42am
  
  I agree...but....ouch!