The Eels have the talent to break their long premiership drought - but can they finally put it all together when the pressure is on?
RECRUITMENT: Plenty of traffic in and out over a busy summer, with Isaiah Papali'i and Nathaniel Roache (both Warriors) and Keegan Hipgrave (Titans) adding more muscle up front.
STRENGTHS: Plenty of depth and a strong forward pack, mixed with strike power out wide. Strong top four contenders again.
WEAKNESSES: The Eels have been thereabouts plenty of times in recent seasons, but seem to lack the self belief in the big end-of-season games. Last year, for example, they started well but then scored a mere 28 tries in the final 10 regular-season matches, the second worst record in the league.
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ONE TO WATCH: Signing Bryce Cartwright was a gamble by Brad Arthur - but it may just pay off. A genuine talent on his day, he has had a couple of poor seasons but could be a bargain buy.
WHAT THE BOOKIES SAY: To win comp $13, to make finals $1.67 (via Sportsbet) WHAT MOLEY SAYS: With the Roosters on the downward slide and Cam Smith leaving the Storm, the Eels will never get a better chance to win their fifth title.
Replies
No pressure, Moses, no pressure. Except to be a dominant half and take us all the way! But yeah, no pressure.
Sometimes things work better when you have no pressure but can be more relaxed and feel freer to harmonize with whats happening. i would suggest the more pressure you put on someone where you want to create an expansive style of play you tighten up and are more likely to tighten up all those around you---lots of mistakes. I think we saw that too much end of last season..If you focus on the pressure you have no time to work on creative instinct..Put the pressure where you want it to belong---on your opposition
Im willing to give Moses the benefit of the doubt after last year .i think it's been stated on here before . He was playing great footy up till he did his calf muscle.and i believe he came back way to early and from then on he was not the same player. Time will tell . So we won't know until things get underway one way or the other .but he has to be given the chance . Just my humble opinion
MM's running game was certainly off for a while after he came back, so that certainly supports your idea he came back too early. Calf muscles can be tricky things to get right. Mine was troublesome for bloody ages and I can only imagine it's infinitely worse for a proper athlete who is pushing their body regardless.
Why was Moses goal kicking if he wasn't 100% fit?
Stop making excuses for him, he can't handle pressure, simple!
Scott...
I thought i said i would give him the Benefit of the Doubt. I don't see where thats making excuses as you put it. So I said thats my Humble opinion and your entitled to your opinion as well . As for the goal kicking i thought Gutho was kicking as well when Mitch first came back .and when he started to kick again he did not seem as comfortable as prior to the injury as i said just my humble opinion
Thanks Grunts. Not worried about that other chappie
Sorry Hector, I mis read what you wrote.
The Moses injury is just an excuse, Cronk played a Grand Final with a broken shoulder and got the job done.
Same thing with Sam Burgess, fractured his cheek bone but just got on with the job.
We need a halfback that gets busy when we are inside the opposition 20m, Moses goes missing.
Moses isn't hopeless, he has the ability to be anything but the sooner he and Brad realise he's not an organiser the sooner this club will move a step closer to a premiership.
Cheers,
Scott
Some people cope with injuries better than others. It also depends what type of injury as well.
Thanks for signing off all your posts with your name Scott. It helps to know who posted what.
Oh...hang on...your avatar is shown above every message. Ignore my first paragraph.
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