Parramatta Eels

Big Pete

Big Pete

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Dead-set they're an ordinary team.

Infact, let's be honest, aside from their mirage of form in late 09, they've been an ordinary team for years now.

What's the go with them? Why are they so terrible? Personnel? Culture? What is it and how do they go about fixing it?
 
They need to sign some quality forwards. They'll score points with Jayne and Sandow but getting them in a position to do that is impossible with their shit forwards.
 
What do you make of their current signings for 2014: Corey Norman, Gareth Hock and Lee Mossop?
 
Don't know much about the pommie forwards but I'd expect them to at least be tough competitors and add some aggression to their pack. who knows what will happen with Norman. It's a lit of money to spend on a bloke who hasn't reached his potential when you have no forwards.
 
They must be one of (if not the) worst teams if the modern era.

How has it come to this? IMO by letting nearly all your quality juniors go elsewhere whilst paying massive overs for highly over-rated players.

Agree with beads they need quality forwards. No offence to Tim Mannah (the guy seems like a champ) but when he is your best forward then there is a problem.

As for their signings. I know nothing of the two poms but the fact that they don't 'have a name' for themselves within an inferior comp would be a concern. As for Norman, his best position is fullback and he is going there to play five eight... He will be an improvement on Ben Roberts, but hey who wouldn't be?
 
Bucking Beads said:
Don't know much about the pommie forwards but I'd expect them to at least be tough competitors and add some aggression to their pack. who knows what will happen with Norman. It's a lit of money to spend on a bloke who hasn't reached his potential when you have no forwards.
Click to expand...

That's a really good point. Norman has been average at 6 for us and that's when he is running behind one if the better forward packs in the comp, what will he be like behind Parras 'pack'
 
I'm interested to see how Kaysa Pritchard performs this weekend and if he can inject some life into their dummy half role. Parra fans always seem to have them in their desired line-ups but I'm unsure if it's because they consider him a talent or they're just hoping he is. Needless to say, they need somebody there because I believe M. Keating is the most ordinary hooker in the competition - amongst a sea of them. Seriously, it says a lot when a 34 year old Buderus can return from Super League and instantly find himself in Origin calculations.

I haven't seen much of Hock or Mossop either. I recall Hock playing for Great Britain in the 2006 Tri-Series and him being a player of promise but like a lot of Pommy players (eg. Fielden) his career hit a snag and unfortunately unlike most he turned to drugs as a boost. I believe that took place around 4 years ago and he's served his time but gee it isn't exactly the type of player you want to draft over.

Mossop is a name I've always associated with the ESL, but know nothing about. It's strange how many ESL players are being drafted lately with Mike Cooper on his way to the Dragons and Tomkins being linked with the Warriors. Wonder if it's a good result for International Rugby League. That would make for a good debate.

Bringing it back to Parramatta, I believe their problem in 2012 is the make up of the team. They still have plenty of talent in their side but I feel like it isn't being utilised or compromised by the players around them. One player who hasn't been spoken about, because there's really nothing to say is Darcy Lussick. Wasn't he signed or a big salary? Gee, he's really earning that pay cheque isn't he? Doing the bare minimum off the bench and boy if you were Ricky Stuart, you'd just about want to drop him because he isn't bringing that authority element he was brought in for. This is a player who should be spoken in the same sentence as a Boyd Cordner as one of the best forwards coming through yet he's coming up with dumb mistakes.

Then you look at some of the other gumbies they've got playing. How are Ben Roberts and Ben Smith still playing in the NRL? Seriously, these should be names you see running around in the ESL, not in the premier Rugby League competition. Sadly, it's not like the Storm where names like Lowrie, Norrie, J. Lowe, Waqa and stuff can go to and still be made to look half decent. The guys covering for them like Allgood, M. Keating, Paulo, Ryan, Kelly, Tautai etc. aren't much better. You could make an argument for Sandow too who I think is a average team player but I understand that's a little controversial.

I like the changes Ricky made to the side for this weekend. It's good to see a coach make such a bold statement, generally coaches don't make any changes after playing on Monday regardless of how well or poorly they've played so it's nice to see a change. I really hope for their sake Pewhairangi makes that centre spot his own because between Blair and Morgan they have two of the worst centres in the competition. Terepo was one of their best props coming through before injury completely annihilated his 2012 season, I hope he takes this chance with both hands and I've said my piece on Pritchard.
 
So maybe Kearney wasn't so bad. The eels need a clean out from top to bottom. Need someone to do what Greenberg did at the dogs. Ricky can't do it alone.
 
I'm with Browny. I'd be happy if Parra lost every single game they played.
 
That's an interesting point you raise re: Exodus of junior talent.

They've lost some talented players across the past few years but I don't know if they're necessarily players that would improve the side. The likes of Mateo, Inu, T-Rex & Albert Kelly (at least recently) are all talented players but lack the professionalism to be world class. I think a Taufua would definitely help but I'm not convinced on the others.

I'm going to throw this out there as a hypothetical.

Mullaney was pretty impressive in his limited time at the back last year and Parramatta have a real weakness in the centres. Do they dare move Hayne from fullback to the centres? Or is Hayne a fullback for life?

With C. Norman coming in, I don't think the idea is as completely bat-shit insane as it initially comes across.
 
A lot of things

Their recruitment is ridicilous they sign overrated players for absurd amounts (Chris Sandow, Carl Webb, Chris Walker) dinosaurs like Willie Tonga and players that won't be playing for a year...Will Hopoate (if anyone knows what Hoppa was signed for can they point it out)

They have a halfback that isn't an organiser and refuses to get involved and can tackle to save himself. I've seen in each Parra game as set where Sandow doesn't get into 1st reciever and just walks around and doesn't get involved for the whole set. Plus he is terribly overrated and overpaid.

None of their forwards other than Lussick and Mannah offer any aggresion or intimidation and none of their backs other that Jarryd Hayne and Ken Sio look threatning.

Bad culture and they can't seem to hold any up and coming stars, i've lost count of how many great players that have been Parra juniors that the Eels have left on the scrapheap and have been picked up by other clubs.

And Ben Roberts plays there how this guy has a career playing first grade is a mystery

I don't think Ricky Stuart is a big problem he is doing his best with a rubbish team that was left behind by "I ride Bellamy's coat tails" Kearney. Since Sticky arrived I think they are playing with more belief in each other and he is trying his best to make a positive attitude within the playing group and at least he looks at reality instead of fantasy.
 
I reckon Hayne's best position is 5/8th, I've actually been thinking this for the last few seasons. Hayne is really too lazy and doesn't get involved enough, and ideally Para would want Hayne with as much ball as possible. And Hayne really hasn't done much at fullback since 2009. The ironic thing is that with Norman coming next year, they will be playing a 5/8th (Hayne) at FB and a FB (Norman) at 5/8th.
 
And out of nowhere they play their game of the season, next week.
 
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Given most of their current players probably grew up seeing Paul Carige play in an eels jersey, it's little wonder
 
Fair call on Matt Keating. He seems to be a poor mans McCullough. Decent in defense but terrible with getting the forwards organised. They should have been chasing Baptiste not Norman from us IMO. Now they've signed Norman perhaps turning Luke Kelly in to a Hooker could work.
 
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