The Rugby League Eye Test released its mid-season report todasy and calculated Top and Bottom 20 players for player contribtion.
In the Bottom 20 list, Penisini sits . . . 3rd (worst). Luckily the resident 1Eyedeel Recruitment & Retention Experts were around to lambast the club for not paying overs for Sean Russell, because he sits . . . 5th (worst). Of course the next centre/winger up for the Eels has been Brian Kelly, who sits . . . 9th (worst). Those outside backs are all in good (well, I guess we mean bad) company, because some of our forwards who have played on the edges feature highly (lowly?) too: Williams 2nd (worst), Kautoga 12th (worst).
If it's any consolation for Moses bloody-well-again going into Origin and not making it out healthy (this time not even playing a game), his replacement Ethan Strange sits . . . 1st (worst).
So, um, like, if Penisini is off to Warriors and Russell to Bears, this means the Eels Recruitment & Retention team have just scored a coup, dispensing of the worst centre combination in the league?!
So Daz, your attack on posters with criticisms of R&R is identifying quite a few Eels players - who have been recruited or retained by the Eels - as amongst the worst in the league for contribution to their team?
And your closing statement is by losing Russell, and possibly Penisini, two players the Eels have spent years & money retaining & developing into the 'worst centre pairing in the league', this would be a coup for the R&R team?
While also ignoring players who have left the Eels system and are having good to great seasons elsewhere?
two players the Eels have spent years & money retaining & developing into the 'worst centre pairing....hmmm, perhaps not the flex Daz thought it was...he is determined to defend the status quo in head office...just like Hoe
I got a "Mod note" for wryly asking Daz if he was on the payroll and another for replying to him "'dis you MoN?"...I was taking the piss but damn it knotted some knickers & raised some surprisingly hairy hackles....probs another missive inbound for this one.
Some of the points made sit in a bin of self justification....
R&R sits with who again?
Now Russell looked really good last year and we were all disappointed to lose him to Perth, that doesn't stop the current judgements, but it is handy.
Will Penisini is/was a project, he started this year fitter and faster and has ended up a cripple, as Tim Robbin's said in Shawshank.... "I find that considerably inconvenient"
Williams our best player last year, has had a pretty shit season, Kautonga for all his promise has not delivered, Taulaiga fits in the same boat, players like Kelly was a nasty after thought, JAC and Moses have played mostly injured, our fullback most of the season, Doory season, Simmosson season, throw in a half dozen others out for 4 to 6 weeks and yes R&R have really fcuked up. Pezet turned out a wrong call!
I think you will find a lot of cynisism in various people adjudging this disaster of a year....but I feel there is a reasonable amount of "mitigation" I say reasonable, but it is also factual, original opinions held by some protaganists notwithstanding......I don't know much about the physcology of "lynch mobs" but I would be interested to know what is the turning point between rational and irrational.
In the interim I will continue to live in my glass house and when someone actually throws a stone that justifies breakage, I will probably join that lynch mob!
Poppa, the players identified in our centres and backrow just appear on that worst of the worst list re: player contribution. The data is the data. On the RLET he does give a caveat that bottom performing contributors can be the victim of problems elsewhere in the defensive line. That is, break happens through them but problem generated elsewhere. Though in Penisini's case his catch and pass in attack would garner negative points.
Thus, taking into account that caveat, we could ask what is happening system-wise for the Eels? What is happening that results in the edges being vulnerable?
Daz, you missed my point, I was if anything mitigating the R&R not defending the actual players.
I can be equally disparaging of our players, but that was not an objective in my responses.
Hell On Eels > Randy HandlingerMay 26, 2026 at 10:02am
Randy, The only single post of yours edited or deleted in recent times (many months) was a low, cheap shot at players’ medical conditions; making fun of it.
Not cool. If you continue with that rubbish, you’re better off out of here.
As for head office, that’s up to the club. Not me or you. R&R like everything, needs to improve. But I don’t have to follow the standard social media cycle.
Daz is entitled to his opinion, Randy, without being trolled or vilified by you. Same as I’m entitled to mine.
I notice you're continually white anting moderation. It's becoming a pattern. Moderation is not perfect. But fairly or unfairly, to repeatedly white-ant this site's moderation, again and again, is unacceptable.
My couple of spicy replies to Daz, who I have long conversed with & usually support, amounted to neither "vilification or trolling" & suggesting they did reeks of gaslighting.
Several posters state that they have felt attacked by you & Daz....did the "Mods" sent you a note?
"I'd suggest Milky and Tago as instant improvements and without a word of a lie it couldn't happen quick enough if we are in competition with others the odds are dropping by the minute.
I'd be shocked if Farnworth or any other elite player is looked…"
"Simonsson was already signed long term before that so Ryles had a plan for him. So makes sense just keeping him.
Issue is why complain about not signing Katoa or Ramien? They are fine and are slightly better than what we have but there are options…"
"Lomax was a top 3 winger in the comp, I was never expecting a 1:1 replacement and I would've accepted Sami, Katoa or Cobbo.
its just the fact that we we ended up taking the easy option in bringing Simonsson back who had a cry and requested a release…"
"Not an intelligent response overall but "like your dementia" was funny and witty.
Now I have figured out that Mr Vlandy/s problem in your eyes is that he is "ugly" .....and I am the excitable child???
I don't squeal (defintely not with glee) unless…"
Replies
Warriors going great atm. Why would they want to dampen that by signing will penisini?.
The Rugby League Eye Test released its mid-season report todasy and calculated Top and Bottom 20 players for player contribtion.
In the Bottom 20 list, Penisini sits . . . 3rd (worst). Luckily the resident 1Eyedeel Recruitment & Retention Experts were around to lambast the club for not paying overs for Sean Russell, because he sits . . . 5th (worst). Of course the next centre/winger up for the Eels has been Brian Kelly, who sits . . . 9th (worst). Those outside backs are all in good (well, I guess we mean bad) company, because some of our forwards who have played on the edges feature highly (lowly?) too: Williams 2nd (worst), Kautoga 12th (worst).
If it's any consolation for Moses bloody-well-again going into Origin and not making it out healthy (this time not even playing a game), his replacement Ethan Strange sits . . . 1st (worst).
So, um, like, if Penisini is off to Warriors and Russell to Bears, this means the Eels Recruitment & Retention team have just scored a coup, dispensing of the worst centre combination in the league?!
So Daz, your attack on posters with criticisms of R&R is identifying quite a few Eels players - who have been recruited or retained by the Eels - as amongst the worst in the league for contribution to their team?
two players the Eels have spent years & money retaining & developing into the 'worst centre pairing....hmmm, perhaps not the flex Daz thought it was...he is determined to defend the status quo in head office...just like Hoe
I got a "Mod note" for wryly asking Daz if he was on the payroll and another for replying to him "'dis you MoN?"...I was taking the piss but damn it knotted some knickers & raised some surprisingly hairy hackles....probs another missive inbound for this one.
Some of the points made sit in a bin of self justification....
R&R sits with who again?
Now Russell looked really good last year and we were all disappointed to lose him to Perth, that doesn't stop the current judgements, but it is handy.
Will Penisini is/was a project, he started this year fitter and faster and has ended up a cripple, as Tim Robbin's said in Shawshank.... "I find that considerably inconvenient"
Williams our best player last year, has had a pretty shit season, Kautonga for all his promise has not delivered, Taulaiga fits in the same boat, players like Kelly was a nasty after thought, JAC and Moses have played mostly injured, our fullback most of the season, Doory season, Simmosson season, throw in a half dozen others out for 4 to 6 weeks and yes R&R have really fcuked up. Pezet turned out a wrong call!
I think you will find a lot of cynisism in various people adjudging this disaster of a year....but I feel there is a reasonable amount of "mitigation" I say reasonable, but it is also factual, original opinions held by some protaganists notwithstanding......I don't know much about the physcology of "lynch mobs" but I would be interested to know what is the turning point between rational and irrational.
In the interim I will continue to live in my glass house and when someone actually throws a stone that justifies breakage, I will probably join that lynch mob!
I asked Claude what you meant in that dogs-breakfast of a comment and it replied "You know I can't do that Randy" then closed the session
Poppa, the players identified in our centres and backrow just appear on that worst of the worst list re: player contribution. The data is the data. On the RLET he does give a caveat that bottom performing contributors can be the victim of problems elsewhere in the defensive line. That is, break happens through them but problem generated elsewhere. Though in Penisini's case his catch and pass in attack would garner negative points.
Thus, taking into account that caveat, we could ask what is happening system-wise for the Eels? What is happening that results in the edges being vulnerable?
Daz, you missed my point, I was if anything mitigating the R&R not defending the actual players.
I can be equally disparaging of our players, but that was not an objective in my responses.
Randy, The only single post of yours edited or deleted in recent times (many months) was a low, cheap shot at players’ medical conditions; making fun of it.
Not cool. If you continue with that rubbish, you’re better off out of here.
As for head office, that’s up to the club. Not me or you. R&R like everything, needs to improve. But I don’t have to follow the standard social media cycle.
Daz is entitled to his opinion, Randy, without being trolled or vilified by you. Same as I’m entitled to mine.
I notice you're continually white anting moderation. It's becoming a pattern. Moderation is not perfect. But fairly or unfairly, to repeatedly white-ant this site's moderation, again and again, is unacceptable.
I made no claim of deletions.
My couple of spicy replies to Daz, who I have long conversed with & usually support, amounted to neither "vilification or trolling" & suggesting they did reeks of gaslighting.
Several posters state that they have felt attacked by you & Daz....did the "Mods" sent you a note?
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