With the 2016 season done and dusted for all Parramatta players,  attention has rightly turned to 2017 and beyond. As fans, we clamour for rumours about player negotiations or confirmation of signatures to be added to our NRL roster. At TCT, we take great interest in the players making their mark below NRL level and believe that they are an important factor in shaping current and future success for the club. Accordingly, we present to you our selection of Eels to watch.

Intrust Super Premiership

Inconsistency was the major hurdle in 2016 for Eels feeder club, the Wenty Magpies. Obviously impacted by player loss to NRL duties and their own injury crisis, they also navigated a mid season coaching change due to the illness of coach Joey Grima. Coming home with a wet sail and utilising a selection of Wenty contracted RM Cup players, they just failed to qualify for the finals.

We will limit our selections to those players yet to make their Eels NRL debut.

Cameron King (Dummy Half, Half)

Although he was recognised by the coaches as the ISP player of the year, it must have been tough to be in Cameron King’s boots this year. Even the departure of Nathan Peats and the injury to Kaysa Pritchard could not open up an NRL opportunity for this consistent performer. Patience and versatility were added to his repertoire as roster shortages saw King shifted into the halves for Wenty. Of course this could be a blessing in disguise as the coaches ponder how best to structure the NRL bench next year. With his capacity to cover an injury in the forwards or the halves, King’s stocks as a valuable utility player have risen. Although he’s yet to make his Eels debut, the 24 year old has posted 21 NRL games for the Dragons and the Cowboys and would not feel daunted when called upon. Fans could expect that King will get his shot at some time next year.

Matt Woods (Edge Backrow, Lock)

This Wests Tigers NYC recruit really made an impression during a tough pre-season and stamped himself as a player who would leave nothing in the tank in his preparations. This was captured perfectly by Eels media as he pushed himself to the point of being physically ill after completing the 1km time trial in the first training session of 2016. He literally sprinted the entire distance and streeted a number of outside backs in the process.

Moving into the season proper with Wenty, the 21 year old tyro impressed with his work rate in a team that would rarely feature the same players in consecutive weeks. Woods himself was no stranger to injury, but with a strong work ethic, he places himself near the top of the pack for NRL duties. With only one season of NRL squad training behind him and tipping the scales at around 96kg, the coaching staff might look to add to his frame during the pre-season.

The Eels are currently blessed with a strong roster in the back row, but the emergence of Woods can only be beneficial to a club looking to flex its muscle moving forward.

Jack Morris (Edge Backrow)

An industrious worker in the backrow, Jack Morris was rewarded for his efforts in his final year of Holden Cup eligibility with selection in the Queensland Under 20s, a handful of games in the ISP and a couple of 18th man appearances for the Eels in away fixtures. At 186cm and 103kg, Morris may lack the size of the popular explosive edge forward archetype that fans love but he certainly has a frame that will enable him to play in the NRL – form pending of course. Morris compliments his gritty defensive game with intelligent and effort driven play in offence, running subtle attacking lines for his half and relentlessly pursuing on kick chases.

The Eels have a wealth of talent in the backrow heading into 2017 so opportunities may be sparse for Morris in the coming season. As such, he has to ensure that he is on top on his game in order to grasp onto any chances that do comes his way.

Alex Twal (Prop)

Local product Alex Twal has spent time on both NYC and ISP duties this season. Long regarded as a player of the future at the Eels, Twal has begun that transition of mixing it with the older blokes at Wenty, a necessary process for any player who competes in the engine room in the world’s toughest sport.

At 20 years of age, Twal will move full time into the senior ranks next year. No doubt he will benefit from his second full pre-season with the NRL squad and at 103kg, he probably needs to add a few kilograms to make the next step up. That said, his mobility as a forward is a definite advantage and should not be compromised.

Looking over his performances this year, the coaching staff would no doubt be looking for Twal to develop consistency in his impact. He has the capacity to be damaging in both attack and defence, but was probably guilty of not delivering to his potential on a weekly basis. This is quite typical of many players graduating from an age based competition, so how Twal adjusts in 2017 will determine what opportunities will come his way at the Eels.

Holden Cup

The bitter memory of our week 1 finals capitulation to the Tigers may be fresh but the Eels, under rookie coach Luke Burt, compiled what should ultimately be considered a successful season in 2016. Between injury and Brad Arthur pulling rank Burt lost his talismanic fullback Bevan French for essentially the entire season while Alex Twal also spent considerable time in the ISP. Despite these personnel losses the Eels spent the majority of the year in the Top 4 before slipping to 7th at the conclusion of Round 26 after a late run of losses. 2017 is a difficult season to get a feel for this far out with the Eels fielding a largely experienced spine (Dargan, Doolan, Tonise) but Burt will be relying on promotions and recruitment to fill out quite a few spots through the forward pack and back line.

Unlike our ISP wrap, from here on out we will be highlighting some of the best or most intriguing prospects coming through our junior ranks.

Tuimavave Afualo (Centre, Half)

Built like the proverbial brick shit house, Tuimavave ‘Tui’ Afualo is one of the most fascinating prospects coming through the ranks at Parramatta. An almost contradictory blend of ruthless power and deft touch form the hallmarks of Afualo’s game and are the elements that enable him to dominate at centre and also cover the halves in a pinch. Afualo completed what can only be described as a stellar season in 2016 after earning NSW Under 18s and Australian Schoolboy honours in addition to locking down a starting position in the Holden Cup at the tender age of 17. The bullocking centre had little trouble adapting his attacking game to the 20s but struggled for consistency in defence at times. He enjoyed quite the reputation as a defensive enforcer in the District Representatives so with a full pre-season to prepare for the Holden Cup in 2017, hopefully he can find the same level of play in that aspect of his game in the 20s.

Despite having another year of eligibility in the SG Ball, Afualo will almost certainly be a Day 1 starter at right-centre in the Holden Cup.

Dane Aukafolau (Centre)

Billed at 193cm and 95kg by the club, Dane Aukafolau is an intriguing, albeit raw, prospect in the outside backs. Aukafolau enjoyed a productive campaign in 2016, notching up 13 tries, 11 line-breaks and an average of 135 running metres per game from 22 starts but it was punctuated with the defensive lapses and fade-outs you tend to expect from big outside backs in the Holden Cup. The upside to Aukafolau does make for a tantalising thought though and he is penciled in to participate in full-time pre-season training with the NRL squad. If all goes well and Aukafolau finds greater consistency through the punishing pre-season program then he is set for a breakout year in 2017.

I am projecting him to be a Day 1 starter at left-centre for the 20s but don’t be surprised if he spends considerable time in the ISP.

Troy Dargan (Half)

2016 was an odd year for Dargan. A brilliant indiviudal start to the season from the young half catapulted the Eels into the Top 4 and would eventually lead to him picking up Holden Cup Team of the Year honours. The statistics will show that he finished the year leading near or at the very top of line-break assists and try-assists and yet I can’t help but feel disappointed as his form dipped considerably through the home stretch, which in turn coincided with the Eels slumping from 2nd on the ladder to 7th before getting toweled up by the Wests Tigers in the first round of the finals. 2017 will serve as a cross-road year for Dargan and his tenure at Parramatta. Serious technical issues in defence (in particular a bad habit of not attacking a ball runner from in front) and an over-zealous compulsion to overplay his hand in attack need to be addressed. In spite of all this, Troy Dargan has all the raw attributes to be a great half. He can run, kick and pass with the best that the Holden Cup has to offer but he what he now needs is the mental fortitude and grit to be a successful product in Brad Arthur’s NRL system.

Dargan is locked in as the Day 1 halfback for the NYC Eels but he should also get a decent run in the ISP through 2017.

Beni Valu (Lock)

A rangy backrower that possesses the athletic length that coaches are increasingly enarmoured with in the modern game, Benny Valu is one of the young players that can make an impact in the Holden Cup in 2017. Valu was a core member was our 2016 SG Ball squad and excelled in both starting and bench roles. An honest and capable worker in defence, Valu’s true value to the team comes in his deceptive footwork before contact and his tireless support play up the middle.

Valu is a tricky one to gauge as far as the depth charts go for the Eels given there is considerable turnover in our forward pack heading into 2017. I am tentatively drafting him onto our bench and tipping him to come good as the season progresses on and he finds his feet.

Flying under the radar – Steve Dresler, Ethan Parry (injured), Michael Tupou, Filia Utoikamanu

SG Ball

2017 will see two dominant Harold Matthews rosters (2015 Grand Finalists, 2016 National Champions) come together for the blue & gold in the 18s age group. This certainly makes for a tantalising proposition for any fan of the District Representative programs but there is one question mark hanging over the 2017 campaign – who will be coaching this talented group? Nathan Cayless was at the helm in 2016 but after ISP coach Joey Grima dealt with personal issues, Cayless was promoted mid-season to cover the unexpected vacancy. Regardless of how this plays out, look for a number of these kids to filter through into the Holden Cup at the conclusion of the SG Ball.

Josh Curran (Lock, Edge Backrow)

Curran is a prototypical Brad Arthur forward. Tough as nails in defence, dual-flexibility across the middle and edge and a productive factor with the ball in hand. If my description comes across as a bit too brief and terse it is because Curran really fits the mould of an older-school forward packaged into a modern day playing physique. Given that he has a year of eligibility left in the SG Ball I expect him to turn out for that campaign before pushing up into the Holden Cup later in the season.

William Kei (Centre)

Kei was a try scoring phenom in 2016 as he posted an incredible 20 tries in the shortened District Representatives format (9 regulation season rounds). Key (pardon the pun) to his try-scoring ways was his balanced running style and wiry strength that saw him break both ankles and tackles and made him a nightmare to defend in the redzone. As defences tighten up in the SG Ball and beyond I expect Kei’s try-scoring feats to normalise somewhat but he is undoubtedly an extremely dangerous outside back in attack – the litmus test for him will be how he handles his duties in defence.

Kyle Schneider (Dummy Half, Lock, Half)

Schneider just pips Afualo as my favourite junior at the Eels but for very different reasons. Whereas Tui blends wildness and subtlety in a ball-of-muscle package, Schneider is the epitome of a professional player – in spite of his relative youth. Primarily a hooker, Schneider has proven to be equally effective at lock and in the halves through 2016. Possessing outstanding levels of fitness and a cerebral feel for the game, the ubiquitous talent is adept at picking apart team around the middle with short balls and incisive darts while also leading his team in defensive line speed. Schneider is my tip to start at hooker in the SG Ball and I don’t expect him to give it up anytime soon.

John Paul Nohra (Fullback)

Nohra was a nightmare for opposition teams in the Harold Matthews in 2016. Equally disruptive in both kick returns and chiming in at the end of a backline move, Nohra used his superior athleticism and skills to terrorise teams through all three channels of the field. Despite his athletic advantages, which often lead to a player taking shortcuts, Nohra was extremely diligent in his custodial role for the Eels. He proved to be quite willing to distribute the ball to better positioned outside men rather than force the run himself and was a constant presence in support of his runners. All of this bodes well for the young talent as he looks to progress to the SG Ball and beyond but he will be locked into a fierce tussle for the #1 next year with incumbent fullback John Fonua and at this stage it is too close to call.

Stefano Utoikamanu (Prop)

Stefano Utoikamanu (younger brother of SG Ball and NYC player, Filia Utoikamanu) is potentially the most physically impressive specimen in our system in some considerable time. The biggest issue for the young wrecking ball is staying healthy after his campaign in 2016 was derailed by a string of injuries – most notably a dislocated shoulder. Stefano bucks the trend of getting by purely on his size and athleticism in the junior grades and is a hard worker on the training paddock, which is exactly why I am excited by his potential. He is due for a run of good luck and if he gets it look for him to become an integral weapon off the bench for our SG Ball team.

Flying under the radar – Austin Dias, Matt Doorey, Harry Duggan, Charbel Tasipale

Harold Matthews

After sweeping through the season undefeated en route to the National Championship the Eels now start from scratch in 2017. There has been some positive buzz about our Under 14s Talent Squads in recent times so it will be interesting to see how the Eels will shape up in this grade next year.

Tyler Field (Half)

There is a massive amount of turnover in our triumphant 2016 Harold Matthews squad with nearly all of the core players graduating into the SG Ball in 2017. As such, the return of Tyler Field and the experience he will bring to a young squad will be of utmost importance to our long-term success in 2017. Field carved out a niche in our National Championship winning squad as a running half and is tipped to bloom into a well-rounded prospect in 2017 by better judges of talent than I.

Flying under the radar – Henry Hall, David Hollis

– Sixties & Forty20

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