https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/holy-moses-why-eels-fear-powerful-agent-20240803-p5jz6j.html
After the departure of Blaize Talagi there are growing fears in the Parramatta football department of another Isaac Moses takeover of the Eels.
Talagi is a client of the powerful manager, and the exit of a junior who was the next big hope for the club has hurt the Eels more than they will admit. Parramatta threw an impressive offer at Talagi, but he told the club on Wednesday he was leaving. He is poised to join Penrith.
The Eels were prepared to look after his rising star brother, Ryda, as part of a deal to keep them both.
The Eels provided Blaize with a significant pathway, and incoming coach Jason Ryles gave his best pitch to the family about his future. Whether the Eels had a real chance is something only Talagi, his family and Moses will know.
What is also concerning the Eels is that Moses not only manages Talagi but has signed a significant number of the next crop of young guns in Parramatta’s juniors.
No one from the Eels will say exactly what percentage of their players Moses has on his books, but sources with knowledge of the situation have told me it is well more than 50 per cent of the best young talent. Moses’ son plays in the Eels junior system, which gives the manager even more access to that playing group.
About a decade ago, Moses had significant power at the Eels because he managed so many of their players. With Talagi leaving the club at the end of the year, the Eels would probably rather give Moses the cold shoulder, but he has so much power when it comes to Parramatta’s future, and the club can’t afford to ignore him.
I have been told Moses wants all these rising stars to stay in the Eels system through to NRL level to develop because in the past 10 years the Eels are second only to Penrith in terms of premierships and results in the junior ranks.
The problem for the Eels is that traditionally Moses has operated in the south-west section of their juniors, but he is slowly creeping into the north-west as well, giving him greater dominance. It is worth noting that the Eels will open the largest centre of excellence and academy in the NRL in April, a $75 million facility in Kellyville.
The issue is agents are happy for their young players to stay in Parramatta’s development system because it is so good – then they shop them around to other clubs.
With more teams set to be added to the NRL, holding onto rising stars could become more difficult for a club that is trying to re-establish itself in the competition – and end its 38-year premiership drought.
Replies
Blaze talagi
Centres covered
Halves covered
Too slow to be a fullback, will never play fullback
So there's no spot for him at Parramatta. Wing too slow
The media have blown their loads but Ryles hasn't bent over for talagi's management
If he had pace, there's no doubt we would have offered him 650 easily and Gutherson's 1 position.
The fact Parramatta would of had to of bent over and paid overs to keep Blaize is the biggest issue, Parramatta had nothing Blaize wanted .
Then we have the fact Ryles was unable to sell himself to Blaize and that is another issue the club will have with a rookie coach .
Fair comments Frankie. Coryn and Macy hereunder.
Firstly Frankie, Parra had nothing that Blaize wanted. Now lets put Sanders in there as well.
The answer to that was both players are halves, Penrith sold Blaize on the opportunity to play 5/8 beside Cleary.
Sanders the oportunity to be succesor to Fogerty.
Well Parra had no answer to either of those "opportunities" ...... so strictly speaking the horror of Parra having nothing is not entirely true. We could not offer those opportunities and is the real reason we lost out.
So yes we are a development club, same as Penrith, how come they are doing it. Simply they have not produced Blaize and have no need for Sanders, They have lost a number of very good players, including Luai who is being replaced (theory only by a number of choices, including Blaize). They still go outside when they need to.
If we lose Brown and say Moses over let's say a 2 year period we want to make sure we have replacements either coming through our system or externally.
So rather than throw our hands in the air, we just need to manage our R&R better, obviously it is fcuked at present and there then lies the focus. Get rid of MONS and get a football savie Head of Football that is empowered, that includes the board coming up with acceptable rationale for same. That logically should include TPA's and any other incentives that can be thought out by their brains trust, being a bunch of bean counters. it is right up their alley!
Choosing the right players becomes another objective. a player like AJ Brimston is an example of a 5/8, centre or fullback and is genuinelly quick, Drinkwater offers flexibility, so does Chriton.....the key to this is all those players provide position interchangeability. A huge hole was that Moses and Brown, both being out for long periods (you could start to argue Moses is becoming injury prone)create chaos as we have never recovered from i.e. pissweak poor planning.
In recent times we have missed players because of some stupid rationale of putting a value on a player and not paying more....that simple stupid rule has cost access to all those versatile players we needed. Look at the dogs versatality in their pick ups, they still haven't got a decent half. There whole backline is virtually interchangeable outside of this.
So go out and get a genuine Head /General Manager of football, money should be no option, doesn't count on any caps when it is front office. (coaching staff does). This HOF has to be empowered and with the coach a plan to develop both the development strategy (internal) and the external needs. The HOF needs the coach to report to him, yes it has to be that senior that the coach will not mind. We then have the coach, coaching and the GM (HOF) dealing with the shit and Public relations.
A simple challenge to our board, go out and do it! or in turn don"t tell me it cant be done! Just HOW to do it!
That person by the way should not be a Brian Smith, we want a Cameron, Penissi, Parr, Gould type or god help us Sterling! Maybe a coach with too many brains to be coaching, i.e. maybe a Madge or even the assistant from Roosters who is certainly smart enough to "bullshit" to a board!
I'm sayng by the way that this makes Ryles just about failure proof where as at present underneath MON and a board that doesn't understand that it doesn't understand he set up to fail.
PS i just saw JAC run 50 odd metres to scored a truy using his pace, we could have had him if we spent another 50k but no we had a rule that he was worth X, I couldn't give a "fig" if it meant getting a genuine game breaker. Not a miilion dollars, but the price of a "Lane" for Gods sake.
Frankie, agree with everything you say except this: "Parra had nothing Blaize wanted". How many years did he stay in our junior system? He has no qualms using us for years. I don't get why we're okay with this.
We talk about high standards, and yet let this pass through to the wicket keeper nonchalantly.
Spot on HoE. The club needs to find a way to ensure we get something in return for all the development these kids are soaking up.
Gaz I know you are frustrated but don't eat the narrative.
The administration at this club has allowed mediocrity for years and it's creeping up on three now.
We don't need to do anything except try harder to to everything we can as a club to win the comp. That's not the mindset. That's what talent is leaving.
If you focus on that , the rest takes care of itself
Can't argue with that JB. It's a circular problem, the club has said our strategy is to be a development club, we will build our premiership team with juniors. Then they fail to lock them up longer than a few 1st grade games.
1000% another rookie coach.F Me he may have stayed if we had signed up someone with experience. Even if it was the English bloke who had at least coached, won some medals and was an ex soldier
Two rookie coaches have done extremely well in the NRL of late. Everyone wanted BA gone, a man that could attract players, so now we have Ryles. Give him a break before you all start to bagging him out, no coach would have pleased every dope in this group. He now going through a process, and any player that stays it's because they want to play for the club & colours, isn't that what you want? So if they leave, let them go, let Ryles do his job we need to rebuild & I think he will do a fantastic job.
"holding onto rising stars could become more difficult for a club that is trying to re-establish itself in the competition"
We aren't the only club to have these issues. Maybe the nrl needs to do something to protect the development clubs. Eg a two year option when player ireaches a set stage or age, that allows the development club first dibs on contractual basis to the exclusion of other interested clubs.
otherwise what's the bloody point for all development clubs?
Talagi has set the stage. We've been planning on him stepping up for awhile and then this.affects who we let go and pressure on kids that knew he was in front to look elsewhere , all for nought . This is not the clubs fault he is free to do so and the NRL allows it.
the nrl can change the rules and should.
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