JR needs to realise he has ripped the heart out of the team so he better have plan. All good and well to walk around the club smiling and dropping grenades but its also important to know where the faint beating pulse of the team is coming from. Some of his rookie head coach traits are showing.
Sure Gutho is a tad slower and his defence wasn't the best at times this year. Speed you can't fix, but we know Gutho will be better in defence next year. Most of his bad defensive reads this year was him trying to cover the bad defensive decisions of others.
Gutho was the only player that I believe bleed blue and gold. No one ever tries as much as him. His passion and love for the club was always on display. You felt just a little safer knowing Gutho was in the team to guide.
I'm not sure how the rest of the squad will react to this decision either. Gutho was pretty close to most but especially Moses.
I think Gutho feels a little heartbroken leaving and I reckon most of the fans will feel the same way.
Like I said, JR better have a big immediate plan. Enough breaking but start showing us the building!
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Moses actually had higher bids and stayed with parra for less money ( still very highly paid but less ) it is not different to the stars panthers or storm lose regularly this is how successful clubs are run. Gutho was an out and out competitor and don't get me wrong absolutely loved the player and I still will but no player is bigger then a club parra tried to keep him.
Moses game is finally where it ought to be obviously and great for us. But currently on 1.2-1.3M and reportedly blows up about our team members and lack of back line signings (which of course was true) but maybe just maybe not hitting us up for so much and likely more next time, would help our bottom line to get others here.
will see.
i don't think he is on that much Mace, trouble is no one really knows, I noticed guth was on 850k this morning, and reading everywhere he is on 950k. Every leak has an angle for someone.
My guess on Moses 1 to 1.05m....
Think unfortunately he is poppa. Remember he cleverly went to market and wests tigers put in a 1.3 offer we undercut that by 50K and he signed ha
He has always been paid extremely well with us from get go but next contract will be of mega amounts I'd say. And no Guts will help his cause for sure.
yeah tbh I thought Guth contract was overstated at 950
it did rise with new cap correction in value but it could never been that much at 950. He was always worth it for mine honestly can't recall many games over the years where he didn't give it his all unlike a couple of others on big bucks
im glad he got what he wanted at his new club :(
here's one article with unarmed source about that. Sounds legit enough.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mitchell-moses-set-to-knock-back-t...
Gutho had to do the pressers after the match so of course he could not hang about.
Lol yer sure I don't know how the club will survive with a younger faster fullback
You laugh but we will get destroyed in defence
We "will" get destroyed in defence? We already "have been."
Last year was the second most points we've conceded in a season in our history. Worse than 2012 & 2018 spoon years. Only 2013 was worse.
In the Arthur-Gutho era we had 50 blowout losses of 20+ margins.
Our defence has been on a decline for the last 4 years in the big picture.
Defensive systems weren't ever really working well - for long.
Gutho on-field has been a champion, but he wasn't getting any younger or faster and was getting progressively getting caught out a lot more defensively.
I wish Gutho wanted to stay and adapt and be part of the change and be a mentor, but he didn't really want to. He desired more guaranteed security - and good dosh - elsewhere.
So, why should the club hold on? I wish him well and won't forget his on-field heroics of the past.
I've been banging on for years how the Eels fall down in the %1 areas in both individual and team efforts which for the most part are attitude based.
Linespeed, kick pressure, kick chase, marker defence,fast play the balls and staying involved in the play albeit defending hard from the inside or support play.
Weve been poor in that regard for decades.
Those areas form your base, is it any wonder we've lacked consistency.
Ryles gives the impression these are areas he intends to fix quickly with different personnel and team buy in.
Move the needle when it comes to consistency we'll be able to focus our concentration on our game management and gamesmanship .
The latter is of utmost importance come finals time , an area we've neglected.
An area our opposition has exploited consistently consigning the Eels to defeat.
Theres a reason our finals record is poor, the above is the reason why more so then personnel.
Ryles seems to have a hard nose about him, I'm of the belief the way your team plays mirrors it's leaders.
Your captain predominantly, also your coach.
So far Ryles has been decisive with what seems a clear vision, looks promising.
Bup, well said. Hopefully, the club honor Gutho's on-field heroics, respectfully.
However, big changes were inevitable.
Recent times aren't just "bad luck": We've been worsening defensively (attitude) progressively over 5 years, since 2020, to the second-worst in our history last year.
Stephen Kearney territory.
We have had issues with both off-field and on-field habits.
As you say, Ryles hasn't lacked balls and is willing to let go of "big names" who aren't on the same bus - or happy to step off.
He seems to have a Club First perspective with responsible salary cap management 101.
The big test will be when the sheet hits the fan on-field, which it will. It always does. Changing old habits won't happen in one off-season. I'd expect some inconsistency.
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