Eels Blogs

Is our pack underated

Posted by YDIDISAYIDO on March 10, 2010 at 7:55pm

I realise this is the dumbest place to make this post as 99% of us a eels fanatics... but... it didn't really hit me until I saw the line up that we have a damn good pack. Souths ahead of us for sure but they have built a monster pack at the expense of the rest of the team.... we have not.

8. Nathan Cayless (C)

9. Matt Keating

10. Justin Poore

11. Nathan Hindmarsh

12. Ben Smith

13. Feleti Mateo

14. Kris Keating

15. Shane Shackleton

17. Fuifui Moimoi

19. Tim Mannah

If needed Mateo, Hindy, Smith and MK can all play 80 mins easily.....Cayless 65 and I reckon Poore could go almost 80 as well. This is without compromising their D.

There's good impact off the bench with Fui and Keating. Manah could be a future rep player.

We have a mixture of size,speed, mobility and ball skills. Some packs may have a small edge in the back row with more "pure yardage men".... but what we lose there we make up with Grothe, Tahu and even Hayne doing the donkey work.

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Replies

1Eyed Eel March 10, 2010 at 8:39pm

Ok, I've just gone through every Round 1 pack and I tell you there is not another pack I'd swap ours for. To me its beautifully balanced, with a great mixture of raw power, big boppers, ball players and hard-working defenders. There is not a player in there that hasn't been at least considered at rep level except for Timmy and we all know how good he is.

I think South's pack is overrated. They had a good pack last year too but they commonly got beaten up in the forwards, even by us. The likes of Stuart and Geddes are just toilers and Asotasi I think has been generally pretty dissapointing for them.

One thing is for sure, we don't have a small pack anymore. No team is going to roll over the top of us. It will be interesting to see how having a more intimidating pack affects Ando's game plan.
1Eyed Eel March 10, 2010 at 8:41pm

My top five packs in no particular order would be us, Souths, Manly, Cowboys and then either Panthers or Tigers
Normo March 10, 2010 at 8:44pm

I think a lot will depend on how our starting props go. I mean we know what the bench will give us. That bench is gotta be the best in the comp. But Cayless and Poore need to lay the platform.

One thing that is in the back of my mind is how well Poore will go without Weymam there hitting it up with him. Anyway time will tell.

I also think our forward pack is a bit more mobile than souths so that may be an advantage.
Jabby Jabz March 10, 2010 at 8:45pm

It looks magnificent on paper .. but some of em can do some silly passes.
Inside Info March 10, 2010 at 8:47pm

I like this pack as opposed to last seasons. Take out Lowrie (below par player) and also take out Gulavao (only came good last few games). We definately look a tough pack to come up against. Add in the wings we have Pele (a man mountain), O'hanlon (future star), Lasalo (big built) as back up.

Can't help but think Souths have a kick ass pack, they are going to rattle some teams.
parra_champ10ns March 10, 2010 at 9:10pm

yeh, can't disagree, probably the only pack that could match the rabbitohs monster pack.

this being said our pack really relys on each individual, everyone knows there is two sides of cayless , if we don't get the best out of him, it could disrupt the flow of our go forward.

ps. not to mention we also have arguably the best backline and just about the best 1-17 line up.
ParraP March 11, 2010 at 7:12am

Dont froget the shack, expect some big hits from the ranga this year. adds a lot of mongrel and grunt to our back row, something i think we have missed a bit. Also improves our front row depth.
Bourbon Man March 11, 2010 at 8:46am

The Raiders have a good pack. I'd have theirs in any top 5.