I hate to say this but I think we need to re-build and I don't like saying that as it seems like we have been doing that for ever and a day now. I think we need to do like the Knights or the Tigers have done and pretty much start a fresh and look towards the future.
My thoughts on our current roster;
Matagai, not consistent enough and should be moved on,
Vave, not fit enough, not consistent enough and should be moved on,
Terepo, drops way too much ball and needs to be moved on,
Alvaro, try's hard but doesn't really bend the line. Could possibly keep him as he is still young,
Timmy, still try's hard but doesn't really bend the line. Still gets the meters though and is our captain so possibly stay but also should think about retiring,
Evans, we only just signed him so he deserves his chance to earn his keep even though he hasn't gotten off to the best start,
Kaysa, if he does a lot more running from dummy half he should stay as that it his best trait and the Eels look better when he is doing it,
King, needs to be able to play for 80 and do a lot more dummy half running,
Tepai, could possibly keep as he is still young but he just isn't living up to the hype and seems to be injured a lot,
Beau, was a great player but is past it and needs to retire,
Mau, still try's hard and we need some senior players so stay,
Kenny, still try's hard, hasn't given away to many stupid penalties this year and we need some senior players so should stay,
T-Rex, is going ok but he is playing for a contract and is known to get lazy once it's renewed. Stay but on a 1 or 2yr contract on the cheap,
Takarangi, hard to say as he has that X factor but haven't seen enough of him in the 2nd row to say. See how he goes for the rest of the season but is a bit injury prone so maybe go,
Brown, stay for sure,
Moses, stay for sure,
Norman, has had plenty of time to be the player he should be but hasn't and likely won't so go,
Jennings, stay but he is getting on and we need to be looking towards the future,
Hayne, unless he pulls an 09 in the last part of this season go as to much drama with him,
Auva'a, he is an ok center and still young but is not a winger. Possibly needs to shed a kilo or two and play lighter for more speed and better lateral movement,
Hoffman, was a great player but isn't what he used to be and Super League would be good for him,
Smith, great utility who can fit in anywhere and we should keep for sure,
French, I am sure he is playing injured which is why he was so dreadful tonight but is a good winger who can cover fullback so should stay,
Gutherson, is our future captain and if he can stay injury free and if we could have three more of him we would win season after season.
I think we need to go through the under twenties and try to poach the best up and coming talent and go from there as the side we have just aren't up to it.
What we really need;
Two big attacking props, Paulo and Nelson Asofa solamona,
One more good attacking second rower, Manu and Kenny are good but are also getting on so we again need to be looking towards the future,
A new 6, Norman only has a few tricks to his bow and isn't anywhere near consistent enough,
A young up and coming center as Jennings is getting on and Hayne is unlikely to fire and his best days are likely gone as well.
One really good winger, we should have thrown the cheque book at Semi.
It is a really sad time to be an Eels supporter when you feel like almost the whole team needs to go.
I still like BA but I think I may be one of only a few who do so maybe he needs to go as well?
Replies
matt i agree 100% would not change a thing on this blog
I agree.
We definately need to rebuild.
We had a chance to win it last year but we blew it. Lost the best winger in the world and it's curtains.
I'm sorry to say only Guth and Brown are the only NRL top 4 level players. They could walk into any NRL team at the moment. The rest wouldnt get a sniff. Moses can improve. I'd get rid of Norman for a running half. Would look to get rid of plenty of dead wood (Auva'a, Hoffman, Scott, Mau, Terepo "D*ck fingers"). Would send a few to Wenty too.
Look at the Dragons. 2 year ago they were in a mess. Massive in-fighting, half their fans banned from the clubs FB and Twitter accounts for calling their board, coach and players dogsh*t. I've got a few Saints friends and they were giving it thick. They have half our membership yet they were all on the same tune demanding better players and results.
2 years down the line they sign Vaughn, Sims, Graham, Hunt, McInnes, Mc Donald sorting out their pack, chief play maker and go to guy for their kick returns. Brought through Dufty and they are now a top 4 contender and might even win the comp. This when I had said 2 years ago, "If I was a Dragon's fan, I'd self harm. They are really bad. Thank god Parra are going places". Mary literally told Dugan to go feck himself when he asked for overs. Saints fans are blessing their lucky stars he's gone.
Makes you want to cry that BA has been at Parra 5 years now and all he's managed is Gutherson and Brown.
LOL and here come the excuses, BA has the team he wants. After 5 years there should be no excuses, pre season Sterlo said the pack looks light on and he got upset and said he was happy with the side and we will make do. Stevie Wonder could see our pack and dummy half options were nowhere near good enough but not Moneyball boy. How after 5 years at a club are you not able to address our lack of size in the forwards department he hasn't even been able to draft a young bloke from another club looking for a chance. It's just terrible recruitment.
We also had the option to hold onto both and let loose what dead wood we had at the end of the season. Junior was going to go whatever happend since the Raiders offered him double the coin + Junior's issues with the Bikies. He wanted/ had to get out of Sydney. Peats was really the only player we lost due to cap pressure but although he's better than both Kaysa and King, I dont think many clubs would blow their load for him.
BA has failed to refresh the team in the last 2 years. Having a small and mobile pack may have worked last year but the game evolves and when you have to commit a minimum 4 players having to wrestle your opposition props, then you are always going to be short in players defending once there is an off load or basically having 2 markers and 2 scurrying to get back on side. During 1 tackle today we had 5 players trying to wrestling Junior to the grass. Kaysa was given a few piggy backs today.
The whole place needs a nuke job, the culture and losing mentality of the entire club is sickening.
And the sad thing is the majority of the fans are just happy to accept it, no makes hard decisions they're just happy to pass the buck and make excuses. We have a head coach who is everyones mate and refuses to drop anyone no matter how poor they play. BA showed last year when IDG was unfit to play all season, i'm sorry but instead of moving him on and using what we could of the rest of his money he was happy to keep him in the squad and get paid to do SFA. It showed while BA is a nice bloke he is not the hard nosed son of a bitch the club needs to take us to the next level. It's a cut throat business and trying to be everyones mate all the time gets you 0 from 6.
Scott and Mannah should of been moved on last season and with that coin we could of chased an elite prop, instead he is happy to use the blokes he has because they are all his mates, well Brad looks where all your mates have got you???
Agreed Alan and looking at our team last nite they were just terrible in attack. They looked to pass the ball to give some second phase play (finally) but it looked un-natural and forced and the attack was manic but there was no plan of attack.
As many of you know I've been saying for years we need size, and been criticised for it, but now its coming home to roost. I said before the season started that with our roster if we make the 8 we'll overachieve but now I'm certain we'll fight over the wooden spoon along with the Cowboys. Who would have thought?
Most of our current forwards need to go. I'd keep Alvaro (only because contract extended), Williams (depending on form going forward) and one or two of our current squad and do a complete rebuild of the forwards. Acquiring Junior is a move in the right direction. Also bring Shannon Boyd into the side. A new dummy half, and I don't think Maloney is the answer but Schneider may be but is 2-3 years away, and another big winger will complete the rebuild. Fill the side with juniors to bring the squad up to 29-30 players and introduce new players into the second row. Sorry but Ma'u and Moeroa just don't cut it for me. Niukore and Faingaa is the way to go, they'll bring some aggression with skill and size. Hayne maybe go but depends on form going forward and Auva'a is just not a first grader for me.
Team against Manly:
1. Gutho
2. French
3. Au'va
4. Jennings
5. Hayne
6. Moses
7. Norman
8. Terepo
9. Pritchard
10. Brown
11. Ma'u
12. Williams
13. Alvaro
---------------------
14. Edwards
15. Stone
16. Niukore
17. Vave
Not enough changes.
French has to be dropped after that effort last night.
One of the halves has to go - they can’t play together.
Youve dropped Mannah and right now he is sadly our best prop. Alvaro needs to go.
French. What effort. We played the whole game with 12 men. A couple weeks in Wenty will do him justice. Let Davis have a run. Cant be anyworse than 1 run for 7 metres.
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