UPDATE: 16/10 Latest according to Foxsport: An Alleged Three-Horse Race. After a holiday, Pezet will decide on either going to the Eels, Cowboys or staying put at the Storm and/or with temporary loan deal. There is also interest from other clubs such as the Bears and Saints. No mention of the Raiders in that article.
“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, after some significant injuries (another risk) 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. His game-changing kicking game and footy IQ as a bona-fide half, gives us a rare one-two punch in Moses. We talk about x-factor, well there it is.
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: Eels' Salary Cap Study, Where Do We Fit in the New Era / V'Landys Universe?
Replies
So we have cap space now? I thought we didn't and needed Lomax offloaded? Hahaha.
That's a problem of assumptions. Let's wait & see how this pans out.
More so knocking the media reports that it was the case.
🤞this is true. Iongi - Pezet - Moses - Smith spine.. Looks good to me..
That's the dream. A ten year spine that can grow together and build a team around. Making it happen is the challenge.
Moses will be playing competitive lawn bowls with his new Turkey hair in 10 years 😜
TDS will come good at hooker too, so that is one skillful spine we can lock in for the next 5-8 years and build the rest of the team around them. I can see Ryles being a 10 year coach at Parra with this spine.
Pezet is an option I'd go for at the right price. I don't think he needs to concern himself with being the dominant half right now. Moses was 25/26 when he got the 7 jersey full time. Another 3-4 years would be virtually the end of Moses' career and would give Pezet time to become a consistent first grader, but also let the Eels know if they have the right player or not.
But the right price is most important here. Good halves aren't cheap and in Pezet's case we're paying on potential which can bite you in the arse. On the flip side he's not a teenager. We'd be signing him with more experience at the same age as when we got Iongi.
Super, Agreed. Right Price, Right Now is the decisive factor. But what is that for a budding seven you play at six? We're going to pay the Ferryman for potential.
Could we really pick him up for less than Matto, say circa 650K? (Refer Salary Cap Blog)
Does anyone have an idea of where Dylan Browns $950K has gone now that he won't be with us. I just can't see how we have spent the coin we were offering him. Especially with others leaving / have left as well.
Surely Lanes money goes to Debellin with change left over.
Gutho's money went to Iongi with lots of change left over
Sivo's money went to Addo Carr etc etc etc.
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