As we moved into the second week of the new year, my expectations from Week 1 came into focus. I’ve been chomping at the bit to get a glimpse of the attacking combinations forming at the club and I finished the week pleased with what I witnessed. With no apologies for my enthusiasm, I present my overview and opinion of the week.

Strength and Conditioning

This constitutes a massive part of any pre-season preparation. The various running drills on the field gets those kilometres into the legs, and the blokes in the rehab groups engage in gruelling alternative work on the bikes, ropes and the boxing pads. Plenty of conditioning is happening in the gym and can be viewed on the official website – www.parraeels.com.au – so I’ll let that vision speak for itself.

From my perspective, it was great to see the transition into more opposed work this week. The involvement of NRL referees took this training into genuine match preparation and provided an interesting insight into the season ahead.

Referee Involvement

The referees were in attendance on both Monday and Tuesday. On Monday I reported on the likely increased focus on correct play the ball. After the frequent penalties against the attacking teams on Monday, correct play the balls became commonplace during the following days.

Evidently, there is not universal use of the referees by NRL clubs. The refs will travel to any clubs that request their presence at training. I would assume that having them control training match ups adds a level of reality to match simulations. It would also open up the opportunity for dialogue with the refs regarding infringement problems.

Emerging Combinations

The recruitment of Gordon and Foran will have a significant impact on the club. It’s not just their own play that will enhance the Eels’ prospects this year. It is also their capacity to utilise/unleash the untapped potential of those around them. There are plenty of players that the fans regard as being full of promise – promise that we’ve seen glimpses of but not brought to full fruition. I suspect that we may be about to see the best of players such as Manu Ma’u, Kenny Edwards, Tepai Moeroa and Junior Paulo simply through the addition of quality to the spine.

How have I made such a prediction from watching training?

Foran has been displaying his organisational skills during the match simulations this week. I just cannot draw any parallel between Foran and Sandow. Last year, Sandow looked fit and enthusiastic at training. I thought that he was in line for a good season. However, he was always an “in the moment” type of player. Foran is in another class with what he does, even at training, and the simple fact remains that it has been a long time since I’ve witnessed anyone of his quality directing the Eels around the park.

The greatest value from Foran could be the potential he harnesses in others.

I have no intention of giving too much away about attacking structure specifics, but I can report that Foran varies where he receives the ball and how he delivers it. The outside backs are obviously going to benefit from his service, and the forwards look to be running some interesting lines when he brings them into the play. As halves, Foran and Norman look to be working together far more than Norman did with Sandow. We may be about to witness Norman’s best season.

This is also where Gordon enters the picture. Apart from his combination in the spine with Foran, “Flash” is developing combinations with the outside backs. In training, they are benefitting from the space that he creates.

Below the Headliners

Mitch Cornish is an intriguing recruit. I really like what he brings to the table and he is a standout player in the “second team” during opposed work. This is because he is crisp with his ball delivery, takes on the line, possesses an impressive kicking game and seizes on opportunities. I watched him score a sharp try against the “blue team” when he rushed to dummy half and darted 15 metres with barely a hand laid on him. It was a wake up call for the defence and a nice reminder to BA of his vision as a player.

Daniel Alvaro has a different presence about him this year. He has featured strongly as a “blue team” member thus far and has a confidence about his work. It might be a big call, but he could be a future leader.

Kelepi Tanginoa looks really fit and focussed. I’ve always been a fan of this kid and perhaps he has benefitted from his time away from the club. He has been running some great lines in his work and could be a handful for opposition defences when he’s at full pace.

Coaching Staff

Brad Arthur is confident and authoritative in his management of the operation. It is a worthwhile experience to witness a full field session in operation and it is not possible to adequately describe the organisation in a few words. Everything is conducted for a specific purpose, not just for routine. Players are told what they are about to do, why they are doing it and the expectations of them.

Brad Arthur – confident, specific and explicit in his methods.

I had the opportunity to have a casual chat with some of the staff before and after training last week and I can’t speak highly enough about their respect for the fans. Thanks fellas.

My Expectations for the Coming Week

I’m looking forward to seeing more of the developing combinations and maybe get a glimpse of some 9s preparation later in the week. I will make it a higher priority to look for the work of the forwards and report on that.

Author’s Note

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the preparations this week and had the pleasure of doing so in the company of other fans. Brad Arthur threw a curve ball with a 4am start on Friday, so there was no reporting on that! Website duties are likely to limit my observations to Tuesday and Thursday this coming week. (More interviews being filmed).

Again, I’d like to thank the players and staff for their friendliness this past week. I’d also like to emphasise to any potential visitors that these are not open training sessions and the workspace of the football department must be respected. Please keep behind fences and don’t approach players or staff when they train. They might say g’day to you before or after their work, or as they walk past, (which are the greetings I report on) but the best opportunities for this are the open sessions.

Sixties

Credit to the Parramatta Eels for all images used.

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