Eels Blogs

Replies

• 

  1Eyed Eel March 17, 2010 at 8:34pm

  Oake actually debuted in the early rounds of 08, he's far from a rookie :-)
  
  This is the Oake story. Captain and leader of our U20s side when he pretty much carried a very mediocre pack. Stepped up to Prems where he still played prop, but it was pretty clear I think even in that grade he wasn't big enough for that position. However, has always played well above his weight.
  
  08 should have been his break through year. He came into the side and initially played second row. Had a boom game against Brisbane, Phil Gould commented 'I like this Brendan Oake'. However, Junior Paulo got injured and so he played the rest of the year as a prop where he was never going to be able have an impact.
  
  Only got a few games last year, and concentration tended to let him down and he made a few unnecessary errors that saw him banished back to Wenty but I think its fair to say, given that he was in the NSW residents team that he was about the best lock/second rower in the competition.
  
  This is obviously his make or break year. He comes into the side under not a lot of pressure, because he doesn't have to have a boom game to hold his spot. So he can just concentrate on doing his job. There's no reason he can't get to the same level as Todd Lowrie was at towards the end of the year and as a Parra boy through and through, I too wish him every luck!
• 

  Johnny Suede March 17, 2010 at 8:39pm

  Clearly management thought his 'skill' versus his 'salary' was a better equation than Latimore, Gulavao, Lowire, Paulo, Hauraki and the rest of the backrowers we ditched however?
  • 

    1Eyed Eel > Johnny Suede March 17, 2010 at 8:56pm

    He re-signed in 08. And there was actually a bit of talk last year when Osborne came in that the club wanted to release him. To be honest, I don't think the club has done a lot by him to date. Hagan had him playing in a position he wasn't suite to and he hasn't had much opportunity since. He probably came into this year, as the third choice interchange second rower behind Shacks and Weller but now finds himself in the team in Round 2. Just goes to show you never know how things are going to pan out.
    • 

      Johnny Suede > 1Eyed Eel March 17, 2010 at 8:59pm

      Is it too late to give Weller and Junior a call????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 

  Parra Mafia March 17, 2010 at 8:43pm

  Well said Phil. Let's get behind him and give him some positive support. He now has a great chance to play a full season in a (hopefully) premiership winning team. Hopefully he won't cop the same treatment as other players have on this site if he doesn't manage to score 3 tries, have 4 try assists and make 42 tackles in his first game of the season. If he doesn't take this chance we can discard him like Hauraki, Paulo and others, but first let's give him a decent go!