Eels Blogs

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  SuperEel 22 April 12, 2024 at 9:42am

  There are some fair comments from Baz about Sanders. The pressure would be immense and he'd be essentially tasked to explode from game one, which is unfair on him. I think it was a mistake from BA to keep Talagi in first grade as the 5/8 when Asi ably filled in at times last year.
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    EA > SuperEel 22 April 12, 2024 at 10:39am

    I reckon if BA had his time again, he would have done a DB and Sanders combination and then reverted to Asi if that failed. BA wants to back his juniors but after Talagi not working, it is too big of a risk to give Sanders a go now.
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  Poppa April 12, 2024 at 9:58am

  

  I have not heard Barrett speak since he has been at the club.....I have add a neutral view on him and of course supported him through the fact of him being a Parramatta asset.

  I could not be more impressed by his speaking, explaining and rationalising decisions and the calmness of his approach.

  I feel that he is impressive enough to the point of us ever needing a caretaker for any part of the season that he would prove more than adequate. BA should as should  the CEO as well, encourage senior members from the coaching department to offer more opinions like Barrett has done on this occasion. Its not a matter of liking or agreeing with what he says as much as the clarity with which he says it. God only knows there are many on the coaching and playing side of the game who cannot put a few words together, Barrett is an exception on the face of that interview.

  Message to the board and BA "Its called communication".
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    Hell On Eels > Poppa April 12, 2024 at 11:13am

    

    Exactly Poppa and Super. Agree. He communicated well, with a lot more clarity and eloquence than BA. A good move.

    I wonder about a few things though.

    1. Why as a head coach couldn't Barrett get more from his teams?

    • Is it because he's best suited at this stage as a behind the scenes mentor-assistant-ambassador mouthpiece? Dunno all the reasons, but he looked a lot more relaxed than he used to as head coach. Go watch his pressors: he was stressed outal as a head coach seemingly without answers to getting more from his squad. Can't blame him all, though.😂

    • Is a worse head coach than BA? Perhaps? It seems so, but I'm not sure. Neither him nor BA have got the team up in recent weeks.

    2.  Why are they happy to run with a six as halfback that is not an "out and out" halfback? One that doesn't give the team the voice and confidence of an out an out half like Mitch?

    • The answer to that seems to be they, unlike many other teams, don't have an "out and out" back up halfback and Sanders isn't ready and it's too dangerous for his long term future.

    • Was 19yo Talagi ready? Not really IMO. I don't think he's good enough basically. Yet, he was afforded an opportunity. Another 19yo Ethan who played with Sanders at U19 SOO (at centre at times) Ethan Strange in the halves at NRL level is doing alright. He ripped is to shreds at times last week, R5. Galvin in the halves is another young gun doing well at NRL level. He also ripped is to shreds at times in R4.  Ironic in many ways. If you're good enough, age shouldn't be an impediment to learning at higher levels with and against better players.

    • It also adds weight to all the criticism of one problem we have which centres around us not having a geniune organiser or half. Dylan is the best option to do the job until a real half returns.

    • We certainly have looked rudderless, panicked, headless and have our confidence shot to pieces over the last two weeks. 

    • On Sanders, we'll see if after R6 if he signs with the Raiders or another club looking for more opportunities - he's now eligible to. Or whether BA, Barrett and co have sold him an Eels dream with enough dosh to keep him.

    3. It raises questions in terms of the senior on-field leadership "voices" of the likes of Gutho, Poalo, Dylbags, Lane, RCG and Matto to a degree. There's a lot of experience there that should translate to more leadership you'd think, right?

    • If it's Mitch who brought the most "dominant voice" (which we suspected) and "confidence" to the team along with Carty on the right edge, what does that tell you about the remaining senior voices?

    • Perhaps, Gutho being out of the front line is more telling without Moses. It's a point Bup has made numerous times. You'd think as the Big C he'd be a big voice that could inspire some confidence. Maybe not. 

    • It suggests the real pivotal glue to this team, without the C next to their names is Moses and to a degree Carty. But, we'll see how long it takes to retain confidence when they're back.

    • It also leads me to suspect my initial thoughts on a rebuild after this five -year cycle (from 2019) might not be too far off the mark. That being, the graceful aging of our older senior players showing wear and tear (closer to the end than the middle) over the next year or two should be a rebuild (hopefully with a new coach) around the core of - Moses (leader, C), Dylan, Carty (leader until body goes), Hopgood (a leader by action and more laidback than Mitch), and Penisini - whilst holding on to NRL cover of the likes of Hands or Lussick until we find quality replacements. We.need a few tougher heads and a bit more leadership.

    • It suggests we desperately need to find a quality fullback as a priority, not just more speed and dazzlimg x-factor (which we desperately need too; look at us without Moses' speed we look like plodders) because Gutho's high quality and quantity of work at fullback in A&D is difficult to replace even if he's not the voice that inspires confidence in the team or has the x-factor speed. At the moment, they're grooming Talagi at fullback. But, I have my suspicions he won't be the star or gun we are hoping for. And won't be as good as Gutho even at fullback. Just my suspicion. 

    Barrett's just confirmed some of my suspicions lol. Just my two cents.
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      Poppa > Hell On Eels April 12, 2024 at 12:15pm

      

      I accept all your coments HOE, but I think more qualification is required past the analysis.

      My guess is that getting the team up to perform (a major focus of your analysis) is something that is much more subjective than we may appreciate. If you want to look at history since BA took over, he never really had the cattle and so his emphasis on coaching was getting the team up to perform above their abilities. Think back and analyse the spare parts he was building with. Its a bit like a racehorse trainer, you can't get them to go faster than the ability they possess. Now a good trainer will do evrything to win his share of races, but you can't get those horses to be champions.

      Speed and Athleticism are key aspects and I suspect that BA does very well with those "tired" horses to make them competitive. I think your seeing that at Parra without Moses, Carty and some speed from somewhere, they simply are not good enough. They may lift themselves this weekend and Cowboys might have an off day, but in the end class tells.

      Penrith /Melbourne and the like we can compete with, but when the big "races" start in the Spring, class comes through.

      I though it was amazing we got to the grand final in 22 but the obvious factors came through. Think about it, its very obvious that we are pretty good with all our cattle on the field and everything going well. Soon as something breaks that combo, we are back with the tailenders. It could arguably be a monument to BA's coaching he has achieved what he has. They (the players) must love him for something and it just maybe he is making them better players than they are!

      I could go on but I think you get my drift? i.e. unintentionally he is holding everything back because we have not got a wealthy owner coming in and refreshing our stock.....we are playing a racing game with old stock!

      When WINX's filly foal brought 10m at the sales, there was/is no way that BA is going to be given it to train. Does that mean BA is a bad trainer NO, just a battler doing the best with what he has got!
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  Alfred Mateo April 12, 2024 at 9:58am

  Baz actually speaks quite well and his comments/observations with Sanders are on the money. Whether or not Sanders sees it that way is a different question 
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  LB April 12, 2024 at 10:05am

  Barrett has done a lot of courses over the years for the NRL on coaching future coaches. There are videos of him explaining defence using footage. It is incredible the brain he has. People here knock him and i think it is very unwarranted.
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    EA > LB April 12, 2024 at 10:38am

    I highly rate Barret as an assistant coach.
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    The Badger > LB April 12, 2024 at 12:43pm

    Interesting that he hasn't yet fixed our defence. Maybe he's more of a theorist that can't put it into practice.
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      RustyNuts > The Badger April 12, 2024 at 1:49pm

      I was under the impression that Barrett looked after the attack, and BA and Anotoli(spelling?) are defence. Barrett could be correct in saying how defences should operate, but if BA doesn't want to change his system there's nothing Barrett can do.

      Maybe having Barrett more involved in defence would be a good start. As an attacking player in his day, he'd know what to look for in the defensive line. Maybe coaching the defence what he'd be looking for could be a positive outcome.