The Parramatta Eels head into the 2020 season as top four favourites having finished fifth in 2019 and progressing to the second week of the finals.
Strong recruitment in the off-season has seen them bolster their forward pack while the continued development of Dylan Brown and Reed Mahoney has seen them with a settled spine for the first time since 2014.
Ins: Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Ryan Matterson, Waqa Blake (mid-season)
Outs: Manu Ma'u, Tepai Moeroa
The Eels were big improvers throughout the 2019 season, jumping 11 positions from the 2018 wooden spoon. Leading the charge was halfback Mitchell Moses who took out the 2019 Dally M Halfback of the Year award and then led the Kangaroos to the inaugural World Nines title.
The revelation of Maika Sivo on one wing and the experience of Blake Ferguson on the other provided the Eels with two genuine try scorers who also led the team in kick returns and got the side's sets off to great starts.
A key concern for the Eels and head coach Brad Arthur was their defence. They conceded 473 points across the season - the worst defensive record in the top five. They'll want to improve that record by 100 points this season, allowing for them to more than likely finish in the top four.
The additions of RCG and Matterson to the Eels pack improves the grunt they have up front. If RCG reaches the form he once showed that had him playing for NSW he'll form a formidable partnership with prop Junior Paulo who is reportedly on Brad Fittler's shortlist for Origin this year.
Matterson was on the fringe of Origin himself last season and has been a key part of both the Roosters 2018 premiership winning side and the Tigers side of 2019. His size, strength, footwork and ball playing ability means he'll fill the void left by Manu Ma'u.
Ultimately the Eels's season will be mostly determined by the performance of one of the youngest spines in the NRL with Clint Gutherson, Moses, Brown and Mahoney.
Moses is clearly growing into his role and has established himself as the dominant play maker with Brown showing maturity beyond his years in his burgeoning career. Mahoney is being talked about as a QLD Origin bolter while Clint Gutherson is the heart of the side and was named 18th man during last year's State of Origin series.
Perhaps the greatest addition for the Eels is the appointment of rugby league legend and eighth Immortal Andrew Johns as a halves consultant.
He's previously been vocal of his support of Moses and Brown but has said both have areas they need to work on.
Speaking of which, Blue and Gold fans will be approaching this season with cautious optimism given the side has never performed well when expected to be one of the best teams in the competition.
If Moses can find the balance between looking to win games while staying in control of his side, the Eels will go a long way to being a top four team.
Replies
The forwards appear to be stronger than last season especially the primary 6 and likely bench players. The spine players should be much better also with Joey steering them in the right direction.
While the following comment may draw criticism, my areas of concern is in the backs and if Sivo can maintain his domination of last season, while only a trial he was well contained in his spell against the Riff, I noticed how the tackling of him was much better in the trials than against him last year.
The other aspect with him is still the Court case hanging over his head in Fiji..
Tad, his slow start was also getting used to a new game, I believe we will still be seeing the same Sivo this season but there are things on his mind, no doubt, and opposition coaches will have watched his play in both strengths and how to counter them and try to find any weaknesses. In both trials I saw him try his heavy fend, but not with the same results especially against the bunnies where one of their players was pushed away by Sivo but quickly got back up and took him on, on his side in assistin two others.
In no way am I writhing him off owing to the strengths he has, hopefully he has done some rules homework as well as his playing style, happy to see him backing up for the eels and not against us.