“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to play NRL every week. As a kid you grow up and that’s what you want to do." Gosford-born, now 22 year old, Jonah Pezet told The Queenslander last year.
This could be a make-or-break signing or a missed opportunity for the Ryles era. Pezet has divided some Eels fans, and there are plenty of “ifs” and moving balls. And until a signing is confirmed this is all hypothetical.
Cons & Threats
Two generals in one team? Too many cooks? Mitchell Moses is a dominant seven, and Pezet appears to want that role long-term, though he could compromise to play full-time NRL.
Pezet is a risk, for sure. All signings are. Maybe he’s not yet the superstar we’d pay him to be. He's still getting his body ready for the gladitorial week-to-week grind of NRL. And also every young half goes through dark nights of the soul; even gets dropped. Sam Walker. Ash Taylor. Tim Smith. Next Big Things.
It’s an expensive risk. Beyond the Raiders, Pezet won’t be short of suitors. He’d likely be number three on the Eels’ salary cap after Moses and Junior Paulo. Number two not long after. (Refer Salary Cap Blog)
If it's really a loan deal, while waiting-on-Munster, we would be a pit stop of convenience, doing more service to the Storm than our club. How did the Harry Grant loan deal work for the Tigers? In that case, we should stick with Ryles’ “The Future is Now” philosophy developing project players like Joash Papali’i, Dean Hawkins, or Lorenzo.
Pros & Opportunities
Pezet could provide a short,mid, and long-term spine solution. The heir to Mitchell Moses. A spine that could grow together for the next 10 years plus, building around it.
In the short term, he could ease our over-reliance on Moses and his fitness, as has missed large Turbo-Ponga-esque chunks of games in recent seasons. This year, the Eels have a 54% win ration with Moses, 27% without.
Why couldn't Pezet play six for a while? He has 15 games at six, 20 at seven, and 15 off the bench at Cup and NRL levels. The Broncos won a grand final with a two-sevens in the halves (Reynolds-Hunt), while Storm have succeeded with three fullbacks and a Grant spine.
In 18 NRL games with the Storm, Pezet has scored two tries, kicked five from six goals, and maintained a win ratio of almost 85%.
He has also shown he’s team-centric. “I’m confident in my ability to play 80 minutes at halfback,” he said, but he’s willing to play six or off the bench. "What’s best for the team.”
And who better to mentor him than Moses? A win-win. Moses spent the first half of his career at six with the Tigers, and the second half at seven with the Eels. On the Sixes and Sevens podcast, Moses said he wished he had a senior seven to guide him.
Bottom Line
In the bold V'Landys Universe of Attack, Attack, Attack, we don't have the supreme x-factor talents like Reece Walsh or Payne-Haas tanks through the middle to compete in a gunslinging, power shoot-out. We'll need to continue to build resilient systems with some creative enterprise. Winning on guts and pressure and nuance. A strong kicking game will be critical. Pezet provides added points of attack and opportunities, reducing pressure on Moses. His utility value to play both six or seven or off the bench is a plus, not a negative.
In the end, Jonah Pezet could be a luxury we can’t afford or the cornerstone we can’t afford to miss. The Ryles era is just getting started and this decision could define it. Will history remember it as bold brilliance or a missed opportunity, a Waterloo moment?
Source of Johah Pezet quotes: The Queenslander
Related blogs: Salary Cap , Where Do We Fit in the New Era?
Replies
No.
It's onething I'm not worried about EA as if JR was he wouldn't have gone for him it's that simple really.JR knows how they'll work together.
I think you'll see both guys mainly at second receiver with Walker connecting them basically left and rights with the odd connection if we play long field.
Me I'm worried about losing Lomax because we don't have a guy coming out from the backfield that's capable of 20 plus carries and 200 plus running metres.That's onething we can't afford to lose.
Yea I said on another comment that Sami would have been a good replacement for that. But he is going to the dragons apparently. I rather keep Lomax over Pezet.
People are quick to point out the flaws in Lomax game but than fail to recognise his strengths. Fail to recognise he is still an Origin and Kangaroos player. Still only 26 as well.
People willing to loose Lomax just to get Pezet who is yet to fully prove himself and not even going to play his natural position. Plus how many people have failed outside the storms system. Some are acting like he is definitely going to turn out to be an elite halfback just because a couple of games this season.
Are we sure it is Pezet for Lomax? It's more likely paper talk as it seems we are about to sign Pezet and Lomax is still here.
Let's hope lomax isn't leaving
Could work. We probably have spare dosh left aside for mid-season purchases, need to offload Matto/Hands (freight) & squeeze in more min.salary spots. It also depends how much we got back from the 25-26 Lane contract. If any.
Depends on how much Pezet wants & how badly Ryles wants him. Pezet has options. Won't be cheap.
Yep even Sami is a big step back from Lomax though and I guess a lot will find flaws with players I to have been guilty of that over the years.But I agree it's why the whole Pezet decision success or fail lies on the coach as I have no doubt he has his fingerprints all over this signing if it comes to fruition.
Yep which it should be. I don't want anyone holding back JR from making decision. He deserves every opportunity to create the team he wants. How it turns out we shall wait and see but I am optimistic of JR
Lomax would be a loss. He's part-Haas, part-Coates on the wing. His yardage relieves a lot of stress on our middles.Tackles busts. Killer offloads. Sure, occasionally he has defensive lapses, and is confidence player & goalkicker but I wouldn't be letting him go easily.
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