I think this could be an exciting exercise. Pick your roster. If every player was available and you had the power to pick a complete roster who would you choose? How many, if any, Eels players would you keep?
For myself, the only player I would select from the Eels is Isaiah Papali'i, and he probably won't be an Eel next season. Dylan Brown would make the cut but only if Munster was selected at fullback. I wouldn't go that way. Junior Paulo could possibly get a bench spot.
I guess my point is that maybe the current Eels roster is not as good as many fans think. Maybe the Eels are nothing more than a mid-table team. Maybe the Eels management must make some hard decisions on what direction the club needs to go. Are we happy being a regular mid-table side or would they rather have some lean years attempting to build a premiership winning roster? If it's the premiership winning option, the 1st and most important thing that needs to improve is junior development along with player identification from both Rugby League and Rugby Union carnivals. Junior identification is extremely difficult. It is easy to spot the biggest and strongest kid playing in an under 13's carnival, the Eels have made this mistake for many years. The trick is to find the kids that have the skills but they are not dominating as they haven't developed physically yet. I believe the problem the Eels have had for many years regarding junior selections and development is they seem to select and develop kids that will provide junior rep competitions more so than kids that could someday succeed at NRL level.
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Knockin off the Riff n Roosters n Rorters suggests to me we are better than mid table , genuine top 4, just not coached well enough. Not smart enough or resilient enough...
Lattrell. Reynolds. DCE. Chin all lead the way for their teams and the team follows, we don't got that
Half realistic:
1 - Matt Burton
2 - Dominic Young
3 - Will Penisini
4 - Herbie Farnworth
5 - Waqa Blake
6 - Adam Doueihi
7 - Mitch Moses
8 - Junior Paulo
9 - Dylan Brown
10 - Reagan Campbell-Gillard
11 - Issiah Papali'i
12 - Shaun Lane
13 - Marata Nuikore
14 - Ryan Matterson
15 - Addin Fonua-Blake
16 - Hame Sele
17 - Connor Watson
This must be considering the salary cap. My question is not about salary cap. Just select your dream team. X-factor players throughout. Another thing the Eels are lacking, 1 or more X-factor type players.
Would still get flogged the moment they meet souths
Ridiculous blog as we have a salary cap, but I will play anyway.
1 - James Tedesco
2 - Semi Radradra
3 - Turbo
4 - Latrell
5. Manu
6 - Munster
7 - Mitch Moses
8 - Junior Paulo
9 - Korisaou
10 - Reagan Campbell-Gillard
11 - Issiah Papali'i
12 - Joseph Tarpine
13 - Cameron Murray
14 - Ryan Matterson
15 - JWH
16 - Jack Wighton
17 - Matt Burton
7 jakie if daddy is coaching
Think it would be better players to replace the ones leaving
Here is my dream team
1 James Tedesco
2 Valentine Holmes
3 Latrell Mitchell
4 Joseph Manu
5 Joseph Suaalii
6 Cameron Munster
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Joseph Tapine
9 Harry Grant
10 James Fisher-Harris
11 Viliame Kikau
12 Isaiah Papali'i
13 Cameron Murray
14 Brandon Smith / Ben Hunt
15 Payne Haas
16 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
17 Jason Taumalolo
So I only have 1 Eel and he isn't a stand-out must-pick. 3 Roosters plus 1 coming next year. 3 Panthers, 2 Bunnies, 3 from Melbourne ( 1 is going to the Roosters), 2 Cowboys, and 1 each from the Titans, Dragons, Broncos, Raiders, and Eels. Players like Tommy Turbo and Papenhuyzen were hard to leave out.