With news breaking that Kieran Foran has been ruled out of tomorrow night’s game and Luke Kelly anointed as his replacement, the Eels half has the opportunity to turn around his seemingly stalled career.
Kelly was a boom NYC half at Melbourne, but has never quite made the transition to NRL standard. He joined Parramatta with the hope that he would get the opportunity to take his game to a new level. That wouldn’t be unprecedented. There are plenty of halves who have been through similar patches in their career - current NRL halves like Jeff Robson, Chad Townsend, James Maloney and Blake Green all seemed to initially fizzle before experience guided them into comfortable NRL careers.
For a half, experience is massive. Understanding your limitations and also the limitations of the players around you, so that more often than not, you take the right option is half the battle. Few sides are able to carry two marquee halves in their squad due to salary cap restraints so there is a place for the workman-like half who goes about his business without getting the plaudits but makes the rest of his teammates look good.
Luke Kelly has had the opportunities he would have hoped Parramatta might have afforded him. However, he’s never managed to quite take them. Which is not to say he has not had stand-out games. He produced one or two near Man of the Match performances last year, but also threw in more than his share of shockers.
Kelly is into what should be his prime years. Yet he is not just battling for an NRL spot, he’s battling to maintain his mantle as understudy with the Eels recruiting the promising Mitch Cornish over the off-season. The consensus on Cornish is he is talented but still has a bit to learn. He is new to the Eels side, doesn’t know his team mates or the club’s plays as well as Kelly.
That’s probably why Kelly gets the nod, but he can’t expect that situation to remain for much longer. Cornish is a one-year deal and will be desperate to prove he’s an NRL half this year. He’ll want to grab any shot that comes up.
You get the sense that coaches appreciate Kelly’s effort and that he does what he is told, but that they they are just as frustrated with his inconsistent execution.
He’s like the hot partner you just can’t stand talking to. You really want to like them, and you really want to give him every chance, but ultimately it just leads to you banging your head repetitively against the table.
However, it’s also fair to say that Luke Kelly has not always had the cattle around him that other halves have been blessed with. And maybe that has prompted him to sometimes overplay his hand or try to do too much. This year that excuse goes away.
Luke Kelly has the opportunity to do a job for Parramatta this year. He can be Mr. Reliable. We don’t need him to win games. We need his passes to hit the spot and his kicking to be strong. We need him to make his tackles. There are enough players in this Parramatta squad that can generate points.
If he can do that, he’ll more than earn his second-tier salary. And regardless of how long he’s at Parramatta, there will always be a club looking for dependable halves. Kelly seems a really likable fellow, and his Northern Territory heritage is a good fit for our club, so I want to see him prove he can be the player we need him to be. It’s up to him tomorrow night to see if he takes that opportunity - because if not, there’s no guarantee there will be many more.
Replies
I honestly think the reason why Kelly is picked is because he is top 25, so for the first game of the year you really don't want to be reaching into the 2nd tier money, especially now that Parra have FINALLY overcome all of that rubbish from the past 3 seasons.
Hopefully he can just do his job on the field for us and not try to over play his hand
Neither Kelly or Cornish are top 25. Kelly is a right side half and Cornish is a left half and Kelly has replaced Foran who is now playing on the right.
I think the main point in this blog is he has landed first crack ahead of 'Dear Mitch' Cornish....
Kelly and Cornish play different sides of the ruck. If Norman was injured you would have seen Cornish step up.
This player has had all off season to seek treatment for an injury he has carried all last year.
Have the Eels bought another dud, only time will tell.
Hopefully he plays 20 plus games this year.
Question is who is conducting the medicals, Forans wife?
Couldn't we play Gutherson at half? Hasn't he played there before? Bring a winger into side, lot less pressure on a winger than a half.
Foran, Choc, Wicks, Hasson
Surely the medical staff can take Foz and Choc to surgery and come out with one healthy NRL player
Not sure if anyone had Hasson in their 17.
But agree very frustrating stuff.
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