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Coryn, thanks for sharing your insights.
I'm all aboard the "urgent athlete" if they are the right fit and "fight for the badge" even if they might be overs.
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"You need that half a dozen that have a genuine love for the club."
Great statement, and it holds extremely true across nearly all longer term successful teams in the NRL era.
Now think to yourself who the last player was who unequivocally loved the Eels. I mean to the point of turning down offers elsewhere, of continually speaking about their love for the Blue and Gold, who speaks like a fan first and an employee second.
The last folks I can think of who has this mentality were, ironically enough, Brad Arthur and his boys. We bullied and booed one off the field, we fired another, and then the third walked to another club.
Hindmarsh has his son Buster knocking down the door at the Panthers.
As true Eels supporters we have a DNA - we are long suffering fans who never say die and always find a reason to hope.
But what's the DNA of the Eels players? What makes an Eel? How does a junior know that they're not just a footy player, they're an Eel and they always will be? That even if they go to another club to grow their game that Parra will always be "home" and if we ever called on them they'd come back in a shot.
Until we build a culture, tap into a proud history and create a DNA that runs deep through the club we will never have a core player base. Otherwise we will continue to develop talent that sees the Eels as a springboard to a successful club, juniors who aspire to be NRL heros, not Eels heros.
The Broncos have continually relied on a roster of players who see that it's a privilege to play for the club, who knows that life will be better as a Broncos. They have a proud history and a strong DNA and they use that brand to lure recruitment targets or bring folks home (ala Walsh).
We had our juniors, they were "generation next". Dylan Brown, Ethan Sanders, Blaize Talagi, Matt Arthur.
All gone.
And what did we change as a club? Why won't the exact same exodus happen to the next crop?
I agree with a lot of what Mason said...the challenge is we've historically shown that we're equally poor at retention (holding onto the talent we do grow) as we are at recruitment. History says that success comes from a mix of core juniors, grown and purchased superstars and a handy complement of journeymen who get the job done, all held together by a strong culture and defined DNA.
Not to be too negative...but I struggle to see which parts of the elements above we excel at.
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Your DNA comment resonates with me who are we as a club what's our identity on the park that's what's missing at present.The last coach much maligned but the team had an identity I really struggle to understand what this teams is.There needs to connection from top to bottom not buffers the lower end of the chain should have zero issues talking with the top.
Identity needs to be driven from the top regardless there needs to be a standard of practice across the board wheather your Mitchell Moses or the person in the office selling tickets janitors coaches whomever.Whichever person takes a pay cheque from the Eels all have to adhere to that standard and if you don't your out.This imo is how we build a strong club.
Everyone does there jobs to the best of there abilities and if they don't there out it's that simple.
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We have a good start with Koina and Talagi in lower grades. Koina left QLD to play for Parra as him and his family are Eels fans. Talagi turned down Penrith to stay at Parra despite Blaize leaving. Tuivaiti from all conversations loves the club.
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LB, the thing is, and Gus laments this all the time, you generally have to pay overs for good juniors you want to keep. Big Sam will be one. Let's hope he stays loyal.
Look at the consequences of this. It's probably another blog.
If Gus and Scope are right (I think they are) you’d say this is another advantage the likes of the Broncos, Panthers and Roosters have.
They can potentially save $500k-$1m on the cap on the bottom third of their cap because some juniors are willing to compromise a little on their early deals for the chance to come through winning systems, play finals and compete for premierships.
So even if we start catching up on the TPA front post-Constitution (after the Dark Ages of self-cannibalism and self-sabotage), we’re arguably still behind on the cap, relatively.
Potentially, millions top to bottom on the cap.
It's something PNG won't need to worry about lol.
Mason, they can buy, buy, buy.
What could the PNG side could eventually be worth?
A $20m cap due to tax-free incentives. God knows what in TPAs. Would it be hard for them to rack up $20m or more in TPAs because of the country’s and Gov't passion for rugby league and its players? It's a national sport.
The level playing field idea is fallacy.
In my view, it's why big clubs like Parramatta or the Dogs, should push for a soft cap (maybe the RLPA and Panthers might be allies).Sure, clubs with an inherent advantage like Roosters and Broncos won't like it. But even if it only helps you land 1-2 marquees, that could be the difference in winning those tight games like Tigers and Knights which gets us to 6 wins (that's up there with top eight teams in wins). It changes the narrative on the season completely.
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Oh yeah you need to, as you need to make them feel they are wanted to start, have belief they will be starting.
As for PNG, they are this boogeyman but are nothing but a shadow at the moment. Look who they have signed; Luai, Johnston, Watson and Lees. They want Williams and To'o too apparently. All have in common is they are 30 when PNG come in and all signed 2 year deals. Great to build culture but nothing overly to be worried about as they are getting players who will go there for a paycheck to retire. Not that they will just be lazy, but only 2 years? Doesn't set it up too well to start they need 4-5 year players before bringing a new lot in.
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LB, that point you make about "belief" is huge not just for R&R, but in performance.
Terrell May is an excellent example.
Actually , he makes me wonder about someone like Suli who many clubs and fans don't believe in. "He's crap, I will hand in my membership if we sign him". Wherever he lands, I hope he makes it.
Terrell may have initially gone to the Tigers because they offered the most money and because he felt discarded by the Roosters and needed to feel highly valued. But he’s staying because Benji and the Tigers believe in him. At least that’s a picture he paints on a recent podcast.
What’s interesting is that both the Roosters and Panthers had concerns about his attitude. The whole “gangster May” podcaster reputation followed him around. Ivan was seemingly willing to back him, but Matt Cameron flagged concerns and the 3-year deal Ivan had lined up never eventuated.
Cameron essentially told him, from May's perspective at least, we can't accept 'all of you' as you are and brothers have been. May walked out.
Standards and culture v accepting human nature and reality.
It’s the lesson of Wayne Bennett.
“I’m off to bed. Just don’t end up in jail when I wake up.”
Be yourself. I have faith in you. Don't let yourself down.
Rugby league isn’t GPS private school rugby, nor is it a pathway to a monastery. It’s a tough game that very few can play or make it in that has always given people from all walks of life including the rough end of town a chance.
Talent means very little without hard work and belief. Sometimes all it takes is a coach, club or teammates that end up as circuit breakers. Even if no one else does. Ultimately, Bennett is right. All R&R decisions are a risk and it is up to the individual to make good on whatever talent they have or don't have.
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Well BA's recruitment lived off that. RCG, Cartwright, Papali'i, Opacic, Lane etc. these signings were show of faith when many thought were finished. Penrith were so fed up with RCG they paid for him to play against them.
With Tuivaiti as an example yeah you slightly overpay but in the end you are more likely paying him what he's worth a year early. Let's say $600k a year starting 2028. He might be worth it in 2029, then so be it just do it. Giving him that money is saying to him you are our starting Prop.
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We have made an artform out of patience.....40 will soon be 50 years....waxing lyrical about the essence of what in recruitment is needed to bring a premiership is fine but ...the game has moved on and the Parramatta Eels Rugby League Football Club....is a club still living in the past....The 80s maybe was the worst thing to happen to us....
This current recruitment holding pattern and our lack of being able to recruit elite talent ...has not gone away...As many have said we are a slow moving club slow to react slow to decision making and slow to respond to the environment. As the old fans die off...what lays ahead in 20 30 years irrelevance and the illawarra of the Western Sydney Panthers maybe ? very sad
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Great blog HOE!
For me it's this identifying talent/people, hard work, resilience, luck, injuries, searching for the pursuit of perfection.
"If you think you have reached perfection. Then it's time for you to retire "
Billy slater ch9 circa @ 2025
"Ray price didn't want to tackle you he wanted to bury you"
"He would fight for every centimetre:
Fatty vautin on face to face
This reply was deleted.
More stuff to read
"Great blog HOE!
For me it's this identifying talent/people, hard work, resilience, luck, injuries, searching for the pursuit of perfection.
"If you think you have reached perfection. Then it's time for you to retire "
Billy slater ch9 circa @ 2025…"
For me it's this identifying talent/people, hard work, resilience, luck, injuries, searching for the pursuit of perfection.
"If you think you have reached perfection. Then it's time for you to retire "
Billy slater ch9 circa @ 2025…"
"I specifically remember being pissed off that we signed Sandow, and that I was not alone. Parramatta do this everytime. We sign players who are flashy as 'big names'.
The whole league isn't surprised at all we are keen on Suli, we'd be close to the…"
The whole league isn't surprised at all we are keen on Suli, we'd be close to the…"
"Didn't say it was done deal just put what i was sent to me really don't care either way"
"Kent also said Galvin was 100% done deal. Just wait til announced beforehand."
What Wins Premierships? Talent, culture, systems, pathways, or belonging and connectedness?
For some, the answer is simpler. Who cares about the why? Sack as many as possible. Sign sexy names. Job done.
One thing is for sure: premierships rarely happen overnight. Clubs need patience: the exact opposite of what many fans need.
The theme of recruitment, usually strong criticism of Parramatta's recruitment and retention, has been a constant topic among Eels fans as we've struggled this season. After forty years without a premiership, and struggling this season unfolding, it's understandable why many are frustrated and crave a few sugar hits. Now.
In this week's Levels podcast, Willie Mason and Justin Horo discuss the Eels "tricky predicament" when it comes to recruitment and competing in that space. And what really matters in the end.
Many look enviously at the Dragons' buying spree. Yet so far it has produced not much beyond a last-placed finish and one win.
"You can't just go buy, buy, buy because have a look what St. George did in the last couple of years," Mason argues.
"They don't love St. George."
"I'm not saying that they're not putting in, but you have to have a pathway... and Penrith hit the jackpot," Mason says.
"You need that half a dozen that have a genuine love for the club."
"Everything else is manufactured," Mason concludes.
"Here's now where it [Dragons' huge recruitment spree] can become problematic in two years' time," Scope adds.
"Is it going to improve their play next year? Yeah."
"But could they potentially lose some good homegrown talent because of it? Yeah."
So, that's the balance. The Faustian Deal. The short-term sugar hit versus the long term. Building a team of champions and marquees versus building a champion team.
"Most clubs are manufactured trying to buy, buy, buy and thinking that you're going to win a comp because you don't have these kids who would genuinely die for that club."
Scope and Mason point to Penrith. They point to Brisbane's homegrown core. Mason points to what the Dogs are building. Even Melbourne, despite being different, have long recruited players into their pathways and culture from a young age.
Mason and Scope's common thread isn't just home-grown talent.
It's growing up together. Playing together. Connection.
Even the Panthers recruit despite losing a galaxy of stars that could fill a stadium. The difference is that they tend to do it selectively rather than chasing the biggest or sexiest names. They can afford not to.
Jason Ryles has overseen one of the biggest roster turnovers in the competition over the past season and a half. The club knows there are gaps to fill and I expect Parramatta will continue targeting quality signings for 2027 and 2028, with Jaydn Su'A likely only the beginning.
But if Mason and Horo are right, we're still only at the earliest stages, even if we recruit well.
If Parramatta had paid enormous overs to secure Keaon Koloamatangi, many fans may have celebrated the recruitment victory. But would it necessarily have been the right long-term decision? Apparently not according to Souths or Wayne Bennett. Like us, they weren't prepared to pay through the roof for him.
Interestingly, despite some of the fan pessimism surrounding Parramatta, Mason sees hope.
"I've seen their reserve grade. I've seen their 21s. I've seen their Flegg and SG Ball."
"They've got about six, seven of the best Australian school boys in the country. They're coming through. They're like 18. So, give them two years."
"They're the ones that you think can make the difference to the club."
Their argument is that the Eels' future may depend less on winning recruitment battles, cautioning against the Dragons approach, and more on developing the next generation already inside the system over the next few years.
The Broncos are evidence of a mystery beyond that.
Elite talent. Enormous resources. Strong pathways. A two-time premiership-winning coach. A roster packed with Origin and representative players. Recruitment comes easy. The result? Only one more win than us at this point of the season.
What do you think ultimately turns a club into a contender and then a premiership winner? And do you agree or disagree with Mason and Scope, and why or why not?