7 from of the Eels last 11 fg standard signings have been nothing short of embarrassing. We're either signing over the hill players ( 29 - 30 you +), players with commitment issues, or players with zero upside unwanted by previous clubs
- Mitch Rein — 31–32 (Titans)
- Josh Hodgson — 32–33 (Raiders)
- J’maine Hopgood — 23–24 (Panthers system)
- Joe Ofahengaue — 28 (Wests Tigers, mid-season)
- Kelma Tuilagi — 24–25 (Wests Tigers)
- Zac Lomax — 24–25 (Dragons)
- Josh Addo-Carr — 29–30 (Bulldogs)
- Jack de Belin — 33–34 (Dragons)
- Isaiah Iongi — 20–21 (Panthers system)
- Jonah Pezet — 21–22 (Storm)
- Brian Kelly —30
In contrast Penrith haven't signed any player over the age of 28, signed players
- Heavy focus on:
- Undervalued forwards (Capewell, Sorensen, Garner, Papali’i)
- System fits over stars
- Young upside (Alamoti, Talagi)
- Young players with great potential Blaze, Alamoti
👉 Average signing age sits roughly 24–26
- Kurt Capewell — 25 (Sharks)
- Moses Leota — 24 (Warriors pathway → NRL squad)
- Spencer Leniu — 20–21 (Roosters system)
- Scott Sorensen — 28 (Sharks)
- Chris Smith — 22–23 (Bulldogs)
- Luke Garner — 27–28 (Wests Tigers)
- Zac Hosking — 26 (Broncos)
- Jack Cogger — 25–26 (Knights)
- Paul Alamoti — 20–21 (Bulldogs)
- Daine Laurie — 24 (Wests Tigers)
- Isaiah Papali’i — 27–28 (Wests Tigers)
- Blaize Talagi — 19–20 (Eels)
- Tom Ale — 26 (Warriors)
So who's responsible for this recruitment debacle. When brad Arthur was sacked Jim Sarantinos came out and blamed brad and said the buck stops with the head coach on recruitment and retention, whilst Mark O’Neill and the recruitment team weren't held accountable.
Now its happening again with Brian Kelly, Jack Debelin and Jonah Pezet looking like being the worst 3 signings in Parramatta’s recent history.
Is Ryles going to be made the next scapegoat, whilst Sarantinos and O’Neill line their pockets with membership dollars - you be the judge.
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Let me add one thing too: I do not believe in "depth" signings. "Depth" should be your youth products.
You sign players for your top 17. Maybe now for you top 19 if you want a specialist like a backup half.
But all the rest of your backup/top 30 should be up and coming juniors. Example:
Why sign De Belin as depth when Teancum or Ryda can play the same role? And have one NRL appearance every few weeks?
Papalili no one else wanted we got him for 150k.
Rcg penrith were part paying his contract
Sivo again no one wanted him
Cartwright no one wanted
Opacic same boat.
They were good buys but we got lucky and they were younger to so we good some good years out of them.
2022 geez when you look at that top 30 squad you scratch your head and say how the fuck did we go backwards
I agree but these things also makes them good signings, nobody else identified the talent.
Where is the praise in getting a Payne Haas? Everyone knows he's good, it's all about throwing money. Which we should do sure.
Our BA era signings were not amazing signings at all. BA was (and is) excellent at getting certain types of players to outperform their potential - that was his superpower that everyone marvelled at. No one thought our squad on paper was capable of what they were doing during those years.
BA and his staff made RCG, Ice, Carty, Simmo from unwanted discards into excellent players (which proved to be an unsustainable tactic thus our rapid decline).
That was BA magic. None of those signings were considered excellent. That would be like me buying average ingredients and giving them to a great chef and claiming that I made the meal taste good.
RCG and Matterson were highly rated. Papalii has continued being good for the most part.
But I agree out BA strategy had its limits.
Much like JR you imagine if BA had a DoF who was actually qualified to build a footy side.
Thats why I rated BA what he went through as a coach you could go through the whole nrl and you'd never find a coach who went through what he went through.
He took dog pooh and made something out of nothing with absolute chaos going on behind the scenes.
Our FO executives are mainly finance people who are adept in running a business bit lack the technical and practical knowledge what an NRL club needs. So maybe, Sarantinos et al are depending on MON, who so far is the 'office' guy, who has the experience of running in the field and playing the game. Unfortunately, I reckon he is not blessed just like some othe HOF in other NRL clubs. Beside he was punted by the Tigers alledgedly for some acts not conducinve in an office environment. This might explain the current and previous situations the club roster is at. R&R failed in both sides. Not getting players we targetted and releasing players we need abd replacing them with a lower calibre. So unless something change in FO people and R&R, we will again discussing the same issues in the years to come.
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