Eels Blogs

Just some observations.

Junior was inspiring for Samoa yesterday. Have you ever seen him so fit? Of note, was he was also wearing the 13, presumably playing lock. The last time he wore a 13 in the NRL was...never. Not that long ago there was much not much difference between locks and props.

What really caught my attention was he was in many cases second receiver — yes that's like 5/8 —  and his passing was so selective he made space repeatedly and showed what a different style of player he can be. He embodied that ideal link-man role that Yeo turned into the modern day 13.

Despite having a prop's body, it puts a difference perspective onto a 120 kilo behemoth with a thinking and deft passing game; and perhaps the road ahead at the twilight of his career. Add his leadership skills, and the Eels still have a winner on their books. And Future Club Legend.

And what about Moses on social media discussing drop kicks with Cleary? Some may remember me suggesting Cleary would not help Moses in a month of Sundays. I felt the body language still suggested that also that Reece Walsh would have liked to tell them both how to do it. Observation from afar is that Moses is not a good drop kicker and hopefully he managed to learn something, our goal line drops need some help. Gutho is as good as I have seen in doing them.

Although the magnificient Fox replaced Lomax on the Kangaroo Tour, he's still at the forefront of my mind. Is he staying? I have seen nothing to suggest otherwise. Am I missing something? Or Did V'landy's threats of a career ban persuade him to reconsider R360? There are at least 10 other players in the same boat without much conjecture about them playing next year; contracts hardly stopped clubs or players doing what they want.

Finally, one more thing on Lomax. Did you notice how the "Poms" effectively stopped Marky Mark aerobatics wizardry like few have in the NRL this season? Essentially, that is what everyone did to Lomax this season; blunting this great aerial weapon. We just need a little more subtlety and nuance to counter the counter-defence.

In closing, add in the Pezet deal that unhinged most fans, and this might go down as one of the craziest "orf seezuns" I can remember not withstanding my youthful 78 years on a healthy diet of selective memory amnesia. I wonder, what drama will unfold post November 1st? One thing is for sure, if we can't find any drama, we'll create plenty to make up for it.