Eels Blogs

Harrold Matthews (U17’s)

Team – Mid Season Report:

Record: 2W, 3L, 1B

Ladder: 10^th / 17

Where do I start? A team that is underperforming for the quality of players in the squad. First year coach, Josh Hodgson has had an interesting start to his coaching career. A team that is full with talent and showing glimpses of the level they should be playing at. Poor discipline has been the story of their season. Making way too many penalties and errors especially during crucial stages of the game. They are still within touch to quality for the final, but they really need to fix their discipline. Only 3 games left of the regular season.

Players with Potential:

• Cyrus Bloomfield (fullback/centre/wing)
  • A player who was won of the best players in the HM competition last year despite being 16 years old. He was relentless at fullback in attack on the back of shape with good speed and strength. However this year he started in poor form and after 2 games was moved to centre. Obviously a move to the centre has meant he get less ball and attention. Really been a disappointing season when you compare it to last year. He did have should reconstruction during the pre-season so for someone so young, it probably has a major impact on a short rep season. Personally, I believe his future is on the wing.
  • He will be pushing hard in the schoolboy competition this year. If he manages to rediscover his form from 2024 in school footy, do not be surprised if he ends up in an Australian school boy jersey.
  • He is also signed in the Waratahs academy. Was close to cracking the Wallabies U16’s team last year. He played on the wing in the rugby league U16 city vs country game last year and absolutely carved it up.
• Hayden Bell (hooker/lock)
  • I do not watch footy below HM. However, I heard Bell’s name in 2024 despite this being his first year of HM. I think that speaks volume of the potential this boy has. A player who can play lock or dummy half. He has played majority of this season at dummy half and then plays a bit of lock towards the end of games.
  • Last year in 2024, he captains his team and won player of the tournament in the school championship and then won the POM in the grand final against QLD. That is a solid resume.
  • He has been solid without spectacular so far this season with occasional darts from dummy half, good services and good defence. He is only 16 this year so obviously a while away from NRL. But if he continues to progress the way he is, would be a good 14/9 in the future for eels. Perhaps wait one more year for him to fight for that Australian schoolboy jersey.
• Talen Risati (five-eight)
  • Playing in his second year of HM, Risati has been named as a player of the future. Captain of the side this year. Had a great year last year combining with Fletcher (halfback) and Polley (backrow). He is highly rated across both codes. Like Bloomfield, he is also signed in the Waratah development players. But Risati is rated even high as he was the flyhalf (the union halfback equivalent) for the Wallablies U16’s team.
  • Risati possess silky feet, a good short passing game and a strong running game. He also has a good frame to build into as he gets older. I admit, he was quiet to start the HM season but has really started to step up the last 2 games in HM. He has set up or scored tries in those games with some silky passes or footwork. If Eels are to quality for the finals and be a threat, Risati is the one that needs to stand up, especially in attack.
  • He will be pushing for that Australian school boy jersey for sure.
• Steven Nunn (prop)
  • The leader of the HM forward pack. Was injured for a bit but has come back. A strong boy at prop that has good motor. Scored a match winning try in round 1. He works extremely hard and can see opposition struggle to contain him at times. The most promising prop we have in HM for sure. Pretty sure its his first year of HM.
• Michael Nauer & Kasinga Noa (backrow)
  • Both backrowers are in their second year of HM. Tall and strong backrowers that either dent the defensive line or occasionally leaving players on the floor. Will be interesting to see how they progress throughout the grades.
• Samuela Sorovi (winger)
  • A Fijian winger in his first year of HM. Unfortunately got injured in the first game due to a hip drop tackle that resulted in a syndesmosis injury. Hopefully, he is back in time for finals if Eels qualify. Within that 40minutes he played before getting injured, he probably was on track to win POM. His game on the wing had many clutch moments. His defensive reads and tackles saved Eels from conceding 2-3 tries. His kick returns (some from difficult positions in the ingoal) were things very few could do. He also took an intercept and ran 90m when eels were in trouble.
  • Obviously this is just a small sample, but sometimes that’s all you need to see the potential and raw ability of players. As I said, hopefully he is back soon.
• Riley Davis (fullback)
  • Took over from Bloomfield at fullback in round 3. A very agile and quick fullback who has been a big threat out the back in sweep plays. He often uses his speed on those shapes to set up the winger of break the line himself. He is quiet a skinny bloke and relatively new to HM so he is watch for now.
• Cobi McCloskey (winger)
  • Replaced Sorovi on the wing when he got injured and has looked better with every game he has played. Last game he had some great defensive moments where he saved a couple of tries and line breaks with great defensive reads and tackles. He is a pretty built boy for his average height so he is pretty good with yardage to start the sets.

Best Player:

• Sam Polley (lock/backrow)
  • Was one or if not the best player in the entire competition last year in HM despite being his first year. He played backrow last year and scored plenty of tries through great line running and going after grubber kicks. Fast forward to this year, he has now been moved to a lock. Where again, he is probably been the best player in the entire competition. He has been playing the full 70minutes at lock and his work rate has been beyond extraordinary.
  • I would say he is a mixture of Murray and Cotter. The kid goes all day. He will make a minimum of 20 hit ups per game. He regularly takes 2 per set. He will then make HEAPS of tackles in defence. He leads the line speed and has strong contact. He will put his head in places that others wouldn’t. Since moving to the middle, it is not like his tries have dried up either. He has scored tries this season through his good footwork at the line and good upper body strength (like Murray). It was also what makes his basic hit ups very good. It’s really amazing how good his work ethic is and his quality does not drop off despite that insane work ethic for 70 minutes. He also has a good passive game which he sometimes uses in linking shape in attack or to put his fellow forward through a gap or 1 on 1 with defenders.
  • By far, the player I am just waiting for his development to be fast tracked through the grades. Will play SG ball next year and would not surprise me if he makes his cup debut next year too and earns his first development/top 30 contract. I am literally waiting for him to grow up already because he is a forward of the future. A player with physical traits that the NRL team desperately need. He would thrive in the modern game. Would not be surprised if his move to lock was actually directions given by Ryles as no doubt he is embarked for big things. I originally called him a more athletic version of Guymer because he has all those leadership traits but has better physical traits to compliment it.
  • Will be a lock in already for the Australian school boy jersey. No questions asked.

SG Ball (U19’s)

Team – Mid Season Report:

Record: 5W, 0L, 1D

Ladder: 1^st/ 16

Their record and ladder position will sum up how their season is going. Premiership favourites. It is not like they have had an easy draw. They have beaten bunnies and raiders who are 2^nd and 3^rd on the ladder. Eels are the only team to beat them. Their draw was in round 2 with the roosters who were one of the favourite at the start of the year but surprisingly only 7^th on the ladder.

The team is very physical and love the fight with their opposition. They don’t back down and love the contact, especially the forward pack. On the back of that you have 2 classy halves to play on the back of it. It is not like the SG ball have not has some adversity as players like Talataina, Bamblett, Shane-Tapau, Funa-Luta, Petrus, Lucien and others have had time or currently on the sideline due to injury.

Players with Potential:

• Lincoln Fletcher (halfback)
  • Been touted as the future heir to Mitchell Moses. No need to worry about him leaving right now as his contract was extended by the club till the end of 2027.
  • A halfback by trade but actually a versatile player. Fletcher is a graduate of eels HM side last year and is playing his first year of SG ball this year. He was the utility on the bench for the Australian school boy team last year where he was used at fullback, centre and in the halves.
  • This year I have been impressed with Fletcher. While his highlight reels may not be as good as last year, his composure and ability to lead the team around like a “halfback” has been great, similar to Sanders when Eels won the competition in 2023. He still has his try involvements in games, but he has the traits you want in a halfback.
  • He will continue to build into his frame, but his defence is already good for SG ball level.
• Lachlan Coinakis (hooker)
  • Another of the Australian schoolboys from last year. A reliable and hard-working dummy half. Last year he was rotated a lot between 9 and 14 in SG Ball with former Grid Iron player Jai Camilleri which I believe nearly led him to leave the club. However, thankfully, like Fletcher and Talagi, his contract was extended by the club till the end of 2027. After earning that Australian schoolboy jersey I believe the club have realised the potential he has. Whilst, he may not be the most dynamic runner or creative player out of dummy half, Coinakis offers great service and great defence. These two traits are the most important for a dummy half.
  • I will be watching his development closely. By the time its 2027, he will turn 21 so we will get a good indication if he has a future in the NRL or at the Eels. However, for this year I expect him to eventually push into the 14 utility role in Jersey Flegg and push hard to win an U19 blues origin jersey at hooker.
• Ryda Talagi (prop)
  • The third Australia schoolboy from last year. Blaize’s younger brother who got headlines in the media that he may go with his brother to Panthers. However, he recommitted to eels until the end of 2027. This is his first year of SG Ball and he has already made his way into the starting side for the team. Ryda is a big boy that has great footwork and athleticism for a big boy. Whilst he may not be setting the world on fire yet, he has definitely showed he loves the physical contact and collision required to be a good middle. He still has to work on a few things in defence.
  • I recon he will spend next year again in SG ball again and that’s when he will start developing quickly. A serious contender for a U19 blues spot next year.
• Dom Farrugia (winger)
  • I will be honest. Last year when I watched him, I did not understand why the club rated him. He was quite average in his first year in SG Ball. This year, he got an opportunity to have an NRL preseason before joining the SG ball team for his second year. Again I will be honest, in the first 2 games when I watched Farrugia this year, I thought the club were completely overrating him. However, while I am not completely convinced by him yet, he has improved as the season progresses.
  • His ability to finish by winning aerial contests, beating a defender or diving at the corner post has been great in SG ball this year. But his defence, especially at the start of the season had some poor misreads. The second major area he needs to work on is his yardage. He has a couple technical errors. He is actually a big and strong boy, but he is way too upright when carrying the ball in yardage which makes him easy picking for yardage sets where your often isolated in attack against a group of defenders. So many times this year he has been dominated and driven back in yardage. It has improved as the season goes on, but he still needs to work on it.
• Lorima Rokosuka (winger)
  • A winger that has graduated from our HM team. Got to love a Fijian Rokosuka is agile and very quick. You can see his athletic skills as the club continue to nurture his raw ability into rugby league. A product of Westfields High School. He had a great try scoring record last year on the wing in HM. This year he has not scored as many tries in his first year of SG Bal but it is not like he has had many opportunities.
  • A real player I am watching for the future as I love his athletic traits. Pretty sure he even played some fullback for his school team last year. Not sure off his origin eligibility but definitely won I think could be in contention next year if he lives up to his potential.
• Jezaiah Funa-Latu (backrow)
  • The other SG ball player to have had an NRL pre-season before joining the SG ball squad. Jezaiah is the captain of the SG ball side and an Australian school boy from 2023. Last year, I thought he was quite average in SG ball. He seemed to be getting to big to be in the backrow and lack the lateral movement too. In his first two games of SG ball this year too, I thought the same that for someone who did an NRL pre-season he is no standout and pretty average. I want to make it clear that last year and those 2 games this year, it was not like he was bad. It’s just you expected more when you see his resume and HM season in 2023.
  • He then got injured and has returned to the SG ball team for the past 3 weeks. But I must say, he returned to the team with a BANG. I am not sure what he did but he has been amazing since returning. He has been running with real intent leaving defenders in his path or dragging them on for plenty of PCM. His carries have been instrumental in Eels sets and switching momentum in games. His defence has also been very physical. Last week you should have seen the hit he put on the kick off to start the game. Absolutely belted a bloke 1 on 1 causing them to lose the ball.
  • I expect him to be pushing for an U19 blues jersey this year. I can still potentially see him moving into the middle in a couple years’ time. Gives me Kolomantangi vibes.
• Max Popo (lock)
  • In his second year of SG Ball, Popo has been the leader of the middles for the Eels. I feel he has really improved from last year. He has played big minutes and had a strong work ethic in attack and defence. Whilst he is playing lock, he is more of a hard-working prop. No real ball playing. He has good footwork and size for your modern day middle and hits hard in defence. Been a key factor in eels winning the middle this year.
• Christopher Petrus (backrow)
  • A PNG backrower. A damaging and hard running player, capable of a good late offload. Oppositions have had issues containing him as they try get many numbers into the tackle. Yet Petrus will still drag them along or leave players in his path. Definitely a destructive backrow I will be watching more closely as the season progresses. He had a minor injury during the season. Its only his first year of SG ball this year. We brought him over from the bunnies HM team. However, he was actually a winger at the bunnies.
• Andes Johansson (centre)
  • A graduate from last years HM side, so he is in his first year of SG ball. Johansson is a really strong runner of the ball. Someone I want to start watching more closely. He has a really good built for a centre. Has had a few good moments this year in attack.

Best Player:

• Lorenzo Talataina (five-eight)
  • Has been a gun through the grades at Eels. In 2023, he played halfback at HM and was great. However, in his first year of SG Ball in 2024 he moved to five-eight so he could have more focus on the attack and not worry about the organisational part of the game. He was easily eels best player in 2024 and again now the best player in 2025. Lorenzo was injured to start this year but returned in amazing form. He has had plenty of clutch moments in his SG ball career where he would create something from nothing to win eels the game. He is probably one of the best players in SG ball competition this year as he has been my MoM in all the games he has played.
  • He is built like a nugget. Not tall but built. He is deceptively very strong and has amazing playmaking and footwork. Manages to pull through 1 on 1 tackles and very quick off the mark. Defensively, he is not afraid to put the big hit despite his size. Real smoky to go up the grades rapidly at the club this year especially with Brown’s decision. Should make his way into Flegg this year and hopefully get a NSW Cup debut at the end of the year.
  • He is like a mixture of Nikorima and Luai. Great short kicking game. Bounces around like a bunny, but that strength to break tackles.
  • Not sure of his origin eligibility, but he is definitely pushing for a U19 spot this year.