Season Preview: Wing

Rating: 9

When you can't even find a place on your flank for a player like Kris Inu, you know you're going pretty good. With Eric Grothe and Luke Burt the Eels have two quality wingmen who know how to get the ball over the line and also bring additional value to the side other than just being able to get the ball over the line.

Eric Grothe, for instance, provides the Eels with invaluable early go-forward. Grothe is often the difference between us being pinned in our own 20m and being able to get a deep kick away that puts pressure on the opposition. Luke Burt is a point-scoring machine. There's no better finisher in the game and he boots goals from all over the park as well.

Both wingers can have problems defensively. Eric Grothe is well-known for his fondness for coming off his wing prematurely while Burt's size means he can struggle to stop bigger, steamrolling flankers. Grothe, in particular, can be a little slow turning for kicks but even Burt was caught out on this front quite commonly last year. Both however, tend to do very well with high kicks.

Despite talk of Kris Inu moving to the wing, I have no doubt both of these senior backline players will start the season in the top 13.

Like fullback, the Eels have plenty of cover for the wing spot. Inu can fill in there as can Jono Wright. If Anderson wanted to shuffle his team around Inu could come into the centres and Reddy could move out to the wing. Etu Uaisele has proven he is not out of place at NRL level and if it came down to it, I think Tom Humble could easily slot onto a wing spot. Tim Mortimer is another option.

This is going to be a recurring theme across the backline, but with the flanks we go into 2010 with rep-quality wingers in the starting side and then options aplenty in case of injury. Indeed, the only argument you might make is it wise to have so much of one's cap tied up in wingers? That's another argument for another year. This year, we should just be grateful we have such experienced, quality players in a position where a lot of other clubs aren't nearly as strong.

I think they are both awesome wingers but i think too much money is spent on the wings, the max money needs to be in the quality positions as winning teams have shown this in the past. i mean a young bloke earning lower money could be better i mean he is eager to get a spot in the nrl and play his best footy to get another contract and keep his spot, i mean you look at the time players come in and they are known for a good 1st yr like inu and hayne and not so much hayne but maybe inu has backed off cause hes got the contract same with folau he had good yrs with storm now signed the big money and hasnt gone too well. i mean look at bryson goodwin for the bulldogs he has had a good few seasons fighting for a spot ( el masri on one wing), what about the broncos bring through kemp, boyd, yow ying etc knowing that they had competition in hunt,hodges, now folau etc.

"How farcical would it be if Canterbury were able to miraculously sign him this year , they'll literally be buying a comp and I would eat my words in saying Gould's a myth. He will have 100% proved me way wrong. As much as I hate Canterbury you…"

"Parra needs to be a top eight or better side to have good juniors wanting to further their career with the Eels. Good juniors will favor sides who can enhance their skill base and enjoyment of feeling success. I am sure if Gould was after Galvin he…"

Replies

jake arnold March 5, 2010 at 8:14pm

And this is why we cant keep the players we want. Mortimer, Keating, Mateo. Look at storm how they have kept the magority of there team over the the last 5 years.n They do not spend 200k on each winger than also have a 250k winger (inu) playing ithere reserve grade.
Johno March 5, 2010 at 8:21pm

Yes. In my opinion we have the two best wingers in the game. I wouldn't trade them for anybody else, maybe Grothe SNR in his day but.
Michael Ericson March 5, 2010 at 10:09pm

Huge huge huge Grothe fan.

I mean yeah the guy shits you sometimes with his brain explosions, but for entertainment value - I don't think there is a better winger.
1Eyed Eel March 6, 2010 at 1:48am

I've seen Jono play plenty of wing for both Wenty and Eels lower grades, he's a very natural winger. I've actually been more surprised he's been as good as he has in the centres.

Etu only had one bad game last year and had two pretty fair games before that. As our fifth drop, I reckon we're doing pretty good :-)
jamesy March 6, 2010 at 2:35am

If inu doesn't make the starting side I think its only a matter of time before Grothe is dropped and replaced by Inu. I think this season more than any other with the evenness of the teams, Defence will be more important than ever. If Grothe leaks points he will not hold his spot.
YDIDISAYIDO March 6, 2010 at 4:37pm

Reddy will most likely start in the centres... but if Inu makes the team, I see value in playing Reddy on the wing. Inglis/Foloa are the best leapers in the game but I think Reddy was the equal of any other 2 years ago.
will swain March 7, 2010 at 10:41pm

I think they are both awesome wingers but i think too much money is spent on the wings, the max money needs to be in the quality positions as winning teams have shown this in the past. i mean a young bloke earning lower money could be better i mean he is eager to get a spot in the nrl and play his best footy to get another contract and keep his spot, i mean you look at the time players come in and they are known for a good 1st yr like inu and hayne and not so much hayne but maybe inu has backed off cause hes got the contract same with folau he had good yrs with storm now signed the big money and hasnt gone too well. i mean look at bryson goodwin for the bulldogs he has had a good few seasons fighting for a spot ( el masri on one wing), what about the broncos bring through kemp, boyd, yow ying etc knowing that they had competition in hunt,hodges, now folau etc.
Drinky Drinky Yeah Boi March 8, 2010 at 10:16am

If memory serves, I thought Burty's kicking was woeful at times during the season, particularly during the end of our losing streak and early in the year as well. He's a good finisher I would've thought but there were more consistent surely.