The hooking stocks for the Eels are perilously low following the loss of Kaysa Pritchard for the 2017 season to a gut-wrenching lateral collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in Round 15. Kaysa’s absence is compounded heavily by the ongoing unavailability of Isaac De Gois – who has battled issues with concussion since the preseason.
While Will Smith has made an encouraging transition to a utility role for Brad Arthur in recent weeks, the commander-in-chief for the Eels would surely be reluctant to lean on him as the #1 hooking option. That leaves Cameron King as the only other recognised hooker on the books at Parramatta and while King will get his chance in Round 17 against the Canterbury Bulldogs, he too has been plagued by a raft of minor injuries in his tenure at the Eels.
Whether we take an eye towards 2018 and onwards or somehow conjure a June 30 miracle, it seems all but a given that the Eels will go to the player market to secure someone to compete with Pritchard (and possibly De Gois pending fitness) as the #1 rake. There are a few options available for the Blue & Gold, nearly all of which fit a surprisingly similar playing profile. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each player likely in our sights.
Nathan Peats
This is the name that I imagine most Parramatta fans would want to see listed at #9 in 2018. Peats, a casualty of the 2016 salary cap sanctions, has finally cashed in on a promising but injury plagued start to his career with his breakthrough selection for the NSW Blues in 2017. Renowned for his prowess in defence and plucky character, Peats is some what limited as an attacking option at #9.
Curiously, despite his heroics in the arena of State of Origin, Peats remains unsigned for 2018 with both his current club the Gold Coast Titans along with the Parramatta Eels reportedly balking at his asking price of in excess of $600,000 a season. It is a fascinating situation to observe as a fan given the frantic run on spine players we saw earlier this season. When there are plenty of clubs desperate to bolster their hooking ranks, why is Nathan Peats still unsigned?
Pros
Excellent Defender – Peats has carved out a reputation in the NRL for his outstanding line speed and ability to hit and stick in defence. Ever since losing Isaac De Gois the Eels have lacked a leader in this department and there is no doubt that Peats would remedy that deficiency in our defence.
Tidy Service – Short and sweet here. Peats regularly provides his halves with crisp service. Solid check mark.
80min Performer – Again, allow me to be concise for such a simple point. Peats has proven that when he is fit, he is capable of playing a full game.
System Experience – Although it plays less of a factor for hookers over halves, Peats would come with intimate experience of our systems.
CONS
Expensive – While $600,000 a season for a core spine is becoming increasingly the norm, Peats is nonetheless the priciest of all options available to the Eels. With that said I feel this wouldn’t even be a talking point if it weren’t for the following con…
Injury Prone – All players are at risk of sustaining a serious injury but there is injury prone and than there is Nathan Peats. Since pulling on the Blue & Gold in 2014 and becoming a full-time starting hooker, Peats has played a staggeringly low 55 out of 88 (87 regular season and 1 finals game) games for Parramatta and the Gold Coast. Coughing up $600,000 a season for a first choice rake that is likely to only play 63% of games in a season is not a comfortable decision for any coach to make. It also adds secondary salary cap strain because you are burdened with the knowledge that you likely need to rely considerably on your second and even third string hookers.
I am massive fan of what Peats brings to the a team, both tangibly with his defence and intangibly with his character but his proclivity for injury has me seriously concerned.
Limited Attacking Skills – “At Parramatta we had dominant halves, but up here we’ve got young halves. Tyrone [Roberts] and Ash [Taylor] really play off the cuff and that’s the type of footy I like to play.
“I can probably do a bit more for myself up here rather than Parra – I’m not working as hard on my defence – and that’s nothing against Parra. I loved my footy while I was there and I loved playing there, but I probably wasn’t doing as much work [on my attack] down there as I am up here.” [Source]
These are the words of Nathan Peats as he helped lure Jarryd Hayne to the Gold Coast in 2016 but they ring somewhat hollow with the benefit of hindsight. While Peats has cemented himself as a top tier defender in the NRL his skill set on the other side of the ball has never really taken off. While a standout game against the Melbourne Storm in Round 10 which netted Peats 3 try assists has him on top of this crop of hookers with a tally of 4, Peats (32m per game) gives away significant metreage per game to Michael Lichaa (46.7m) and trails behind Mitch Rein (38m).
I am not suggesting that Lichaa or Rein are vastly superior attacking options but relative to their cost they will likely offer just as much, if not a little bit more, with the ball in hand given our edge dominant attacking structures.
Michael Lichaa
Lichaa arrived at Canterbury with considerable fanfare. Des Hasler was hailed a genius for getting under the guard of the Cronulla Sharks to steal the signature of arguably the most highly decorated junior hooker in the modern game. Instead it was the Sharks who had the last laugh with discarded Canterbury rake Michael Ennis revitalising his career at the Shire and helping lead the Sharks to a maiden title in 2016.
Regardless of your stance on Hasler’s…unique attacking structures, Lichaa struggled to find his feet in attack with the Bulldogs and along with Moses Mbye, Josh Reynolds and William Hopoate he has helped form one of the least intimidating spines in the NRL.
Rumours of Parramatta’s interest in Lichaa have swirled for several months now and despite his dour tenure at Canterbury, there are some genuine positives for the young rake. Let’s break down whether Parramatta should be seriously considering this former wunderkind.
Pros
Efficient Defender – While Nathan Peats is undeniably a leader when it comes to defensive prowess, Lichaa is no slouch either. While Peats’ average of 42.9 tackles and 2.3 missed (94.7% tackling efficiency) trumps Lichaa’s average of 36.1 tackles and 1.4 missed (96.3% tackling efficiency) on a sheer productivity basis, Lichaa has shown himself to be the more efficient defender in 2017 – notching up 1.6 points of greater tackling efficiency through the first 16 rounds.
80min Performer – Much like Peats, Lichaa is a proven 80min option at hooker. Des Hasler has toyed with Matt Frawley and Moses Mbye at hooker in 2017 at various points but Lichaa still has nine 80min efforts and one 77min effort to his name.
(Re)Teaching a Young Dog New Tricks – While Lichaa has struggled for offensive impact at the Dogs, he has shown that he is still adept at running the ball with nine game over 50+ running metres in 2017. Going back to his days as a junior days at Cronulla he was a prolific attacker around the ruck so perhaps it is possibly Hasler’s prop dominant attacking structures that have impeded his development. Regardless, Lichaa is still only 24 this year so it is far from impossible to develop his skill set in a new system.
Brad Arthur has made a habit of taking young, damaged goods (Norman/positional uncertainty, Gutherson/injuries, Brown/discipline, Edwards/off-field, Ma’u/off-field) and extracting considerable value from them. Could Lichaa be the latest in a long line?
Prove it! – While Peats may have two clubs balking at his lofty asking price, Lichaa is far more likely to accept a team-friendly and/or incentive laden ‘prove it’ deal. His lack of production and lack of interest from his current club mean Parramatta could likely hammer out a cap-friendly deal that could keep the Eels ahead of the cap curve if he over-performs the hypothetical modest deal.
Cons
Mediocre Service – If there is one area that Lichaa has struggled with in his time at Canterbury, it is with the consistency of his service from the ruck. This is my prime concern, more so than any play-making limitations, when it comes to Lichaa. Edge dominant attacking structures require crisp service from their rake. Fortunately, both Isaac De Gois and Kaysa Pritchard both had struggles in this regard before improving this aspect of their game.
Limited Attacking Skills – While I may have given Lichaa something of a ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card in my Pros section, a lack of consistency in calling out his poor attacking skill set would be unseemly on my behalf after knocking Peats for the same thing. There is no doubt that Lichaa has struggled to capture any sort of attacking spark under Des Hasler. I will make it clear that I am not expecting him to transform into an attacking dynamo should he land at Parramatta – our attacking structures run heavily through Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses. With that said the last rake to leave the constrictions of Hasler’s attacking schemes fared pretty well for himself!
MITCH REIN
Mitch Rein’s fascinating fall from NSW Origin contender in 2015 to Intrust Super Premiership stalwart in 2017 is prime material for the adage that ‘pride cometh (or precipitates) the fall’. Rein ended up vastly over-valuing his worth to the St George Illawarra Dragons at the conclusion of the 2016 season with the Dragons instead securing the services of Cameron McInnes. Unwilling to budge on his own self-value and left bereft of options, Rein eventually accepted an offer from the Penrith Panthers to become their backup rake. Since then he has plied his trade in the ISP until an injury to Peter Wallace paved the way for Rein to return to active NRL duties.
If Michael Lichaa is a budget Peats, so too is Mitch Rein. In fact, that is very much the tale of the tape for the Eels in their hunt for a hooker – what flavour of defensive rake would you like?
PROS
Nose For The Try Line? – Much like how Nathan Peats’ game against the Melbourne Storm produced an outlier for try assits, so too did Mitch Reins’ game against the Canterbury Bulldogs lead to an outlier for tries scored. Rein crossed the white line twice in that game but hasn’t troubled the scores in the two games since.
80min Performer – As with the other two options for the Eels, Rein is comfortable with the workload of a full game.
CONS
Adequate Defender – Rein’s small sample size in 2017 make it difficult to extrapolate just what sort of form he really is in but over three games for the Panthers he has produced 133 tackles from 148 attempts for a tackling efficiency rate of 89.9%. His per game average of 44.3 tackles is excellent but he really pales in the efficiency of his tackling to both Lichaa and Peats. I have mentioned in the past that anecdotally in my various endeavors in NRL statistics that I have found a tackling efficiency rate of ~95% to be in the elite echelons of the NRL. Peats and Lichaa are both right around this mark but Rein is a full 5 points behind.
Inflated Sense Of Value – Rein was linked with a mid-season move to the Eels earlier in 2017 but like the Dragons before them, Parramatta were reported to be put off by his asking price. Rein seems unable or unwilling to come to terms with his market valuation as a backup player. While Lichaa could be potentially lured across on a ‘prove it’ deal, Rein seems to be adamant in accepting no less than what he believes he is worth.
CONCLUSION
I don’t think there is any argument to be brooked that Nathan Peats is the outright most superior option for the Eels at hooker in 2018. Cap management and a troubling injury history for the Gold Coast rake make the actual decision a far deal closer though. Mitch Rein and Michael Lichaa, while inferior players to Peats, have shown that they can shoulder the toll of a full NRL season without breaking down. On top of any regular injury concerns, Peats will also miss a minimum of three games a season moving forwards for Origin duties and has already failed to back up for the Titans after Origin 1.
Weighing up the three options, I find myself intrigued somewhat by Lichaa. As I alluded to earlier, Brad Arthur has consistently found value in young and talented but flawed footballers and Lichaa (or at least the Cronulla version) fits this profile to a ‘T’. Michael Ennis thrived outside of the restrictions of Hasler’s forward heavy system and while Arthur’s attacking structures don’t generally allow for a hooker to flourish in attack – by the same token that could be a great system fit for a hooker that has something of a running game but lacks in other play-making areas.
After the fall out of the 2016 salary cap sanctions the Eels need to increasingly find considerable positional value in order to alleviate a lack of TPAs when compared to competition heavyweights like the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos. Lichaa represents the sort of risk-to-reward opportunity that could put the Eels well ahead of the cap curve while at worst leaving us with an extremely capable defender and reliable contributor over the course of the season.
In a perfect world there is a fairy tale return to the Blue & Gold for Nathan Peats, or at least that is what my heart says. My head however is pointing me towards Michael Lichaa because for all of his flaws he represents the best value for the Eels – both on the cap and for the attacking structures that the Eels employ under Brad Arthur.
Of course it goes without saying that I will support whoever the Eels end up bringing in to compete for the #1 hooking role but it does make for excellent discussion material. So what does everyone else think? Is Nathan Peats worth the risk at $600,000 a year? Is Lichaa too damaged from his tenure under Hasler to consider? Or is Rein the best value option for the Eels? Did I miss someone like Adam Clydesdale or another ISP or ISC prospect that could be a dark horse?
Hit me up in the comments with your thoughts!
Well researched and well written ,definetly thought provoking , i agree wholeheartedly re 600k for peats being way to pricey and risky , 600k buys 3 good players and as we are finding out depth is a big factor not to mention the aspiring juniors in our system , BA does seem to have that bellamy touch in improving players so whatever his call im on board ,
I too am inclined to think Lichaa represents the best value.
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I’m with Lichaa on this one, while admire rein’s self worth it also the biggest sticking factor in why i wouldn’t want him in the blue and gold. Perhaps their is a little Hayne about him?
Peats, as much as I like the bloke and the connection he had with the eels I was always told especially when it comes to relationships; don’t go backwards. 600k is hefty investment and the titans should bite the bullet. The fact they haven’t sees me think that there is a glimmer of hope that would could have him back less 100k. Even then I think it’s 50k too much.
Lichaa, I believe there is a no harm no foul if he doesn’t work out. I believe a pre season with us will see Lichaa a solid contributor and be bond building.
When your an eel you’re all in and literally have your best mate beside you.
This is the connection I believe is missing for Lichaa and possibly why the bulldogs as a whole are a rabble.
Great summation.
It’s Lichaa ! For mine.
ATM I’m happy to sit back n watch smithy try n make his mark at hooker.
With smithy being a natural half I find he brings a good passing n kicking game.
Of late he has been kicking a lot from dummy half n to me that makes the opposition think twice about trying to tackle him. They sit back n think do I rush up on him n tackle him or do I sit back n wait for him to kick it leaves them in two minds.
Personally I’d hold off n wait. Go the eels
I too believe King should be given a fair shot at the position. He definitely brings more attacking options but is his defence solid enough for BA? I guess this is the $64 question but one we should finally get an answer to starting with our match versus The Dogs. Regrettably King also posesses a tendancy for injury so if we are scoring Peats low for this aspect we must apply similar logic to King. Nonetheless Ill be a very interested spectator Thursday next particularly given he will directly oppose Lichaa.
There were rumours doing the rounds re BA not offering Peats a new contract well before the Salary Cap issue. Were these just that. Rumours? Regardless, I agree that he does not supply value for money. I love his passion but his agressive style, similar to Kaysa’s will always be more prone to injury.
What with IDG’s uncertainty and age, Kaysa’s and King’s injury issues its obvious we will require a number 9 of substance. I guess Lichaa has the greater potential to fit the bill.
Gazza, I will be interested in seeing if King plays for Wenty today, he is not shown in the roster, rather Nelson is at the 9 spot. He has been out for some time this year with injuries and I would think that the coach would want to see him play a full match or close to it to really see how he goes.
The only reason I would see in him not being selected is because the dogs game is on Thursday night, a short turn round, but KIng could get a 40 minute show at least.
Kings injury history really is worse than Pritchards. For a player that is shown on Wicki to have been playing since 2010 when he made his first grade debut and played 17 matches in that year, and only 4 since then, raises too many barriers for me. He turns 26 in September and at that age he should have produced more.
As I said in my early reply, next year will look after itself with the remainder of this season being critical, BA has said he wanted to use King but also said not against the dogs, so I sense even he is not sure. If Lichaa is signed and for this year and 2 more then I see Lichaa as the best option.
I also agree re IDG, I see him retiring at the end of this season without playing a game, it simply not worth his future to chance getting another head knock.
Lichaa is 100% the value option.
Peats is the superior player, but when we will only get about 15 games a season out of him (average missed games thru injury per season, plus origin games missed) that $600k seems mighty lofty.
Lichaa for $300-$350k playing 24 games is the value we require and allows us to continue to strengthen our squad
To its like putting a game of two up in the starting post, basically with 5 names on the board to take the eels forward beyond 2017, which includes Lichaa, Peats, Pritchard, Rein and Smith. The question though is 2017 as the eels stand now, so we can pretty well rule out all but Smith and possibly Lichaa.
The eels need a primary 9 for the rest of this season next year will look after itself. Outside of Smith, none of the others are certainties to sign and play for the eels this season. The real need is for this season and to me Smith could develop more than adequately but going forward he will provide a fair back stop for Pritchard into next year.
Rein is first off wanting to put himself at SOO quality and price while Penrith have supposedly said no to releasing him. Also he is on contract at Penrith until end of 2018 likely they see him longer term owing to Wallace’ age. He is a good 9 but not at his asking price.
Peats is the pick but his injury issues along with asking price really rules him out for me.
Lichaa would be the best option, especially if the dogs agree to release him for the remainder of this season along with how much he would be asking, problem is the clock is ticking. The dogs lost to the Warriors but, Lichaa made the 2nd highest tackles in the game with 42, so he certainly matches it with other 9’s including what Kaysa has carried out with this year, Lichaa also is not mentioned in the missed tackles either.
The thing for me is that Lichaa is the best option going forward, I agree with 40’s that Lichaa’s game has stalled under Hasler, and if he is released to come to the eels for the rest of this year will be a boon for the team. Hopefully he will recapture his pre dogs form and go one up on how Ennis performed when the leash and collar was discarded.
Pritchard. The injury Kaysa suffered hopefully is not career ending, but he will I think be somewhat hesitant when he comes back, or at least should be. The problem is that once he is back he will champing at the leash to get back on the field and try to over extend himself, this is the only real area that I see Kaysa needing to control better. I certainly am wanting him to gain the top spot again but having Lichaa at the club could mean that Kaysa works his knee back to full strength at Wenty and once right can go on the bench to have a seamless transition with Lichaa.
Smith. If the dogs do not let Lichaa go, then Smith could well be the best option going forward for the year, he may not be 80minutes but there are enough others in the 13 who can fill in when Smith needs a break.
Given that the Dogs can’t make the eight from here it would make sense for them to let Lichaa go given that they reportedly have cap issues for next year. I think that he would fit the mould of what BA is looking to coach in a hooker
John fair comment, thing is that Lichaa is off contract end of this year, so unlikely to affect them after this year, except that Lichaa is highly unlikely to be offered a contract there, besides I doubt if he would stay anyway.
If what they can save from this years contract money for him and able to use it for next season may be enough incentive for the dogs to release him, I guess we wont have to wait too long to find out though.
According to Brent Read (See TCT Tweet) the Eels have turned their back on chasing him for this year in favour of King.
John, saw that, but then another post over on the other site has a new post saying its a done deal and by Friday.
We shall see I guess, however I would think the dogs would likely want to keep him from playing against them on Thursday night and if they even play for them, the paperwork would be done for registering on the last day. Friday 30th
Col according to a TCT tweet by Brent Reed the Eels have rejected the opportunity to discuss a mid season transfer with Lichaa and instead will throw their support behind King for the rest of the season.
Also whilst Lichaa would be contracted until November with the Dogs your right, there would not be a lot of gain for the Dogs to release him although it does sound as if they were willing.
John, there’s likely some unknowns, and a question asked is if King was to play NRL against dogs, why was he not playing for Wenty? I noticed Vave played and for me a good move to get him fit, but as for King is he still injured?
I honestly don’t get it, if BA was looking to Lichaa for next year, why would he knock him back for the remainder of this year? Lichaa is on $300K at the dogs, so most it would likely cost would be around half that, or perhaps, $180k a good deal if he is seen as a future signing.
If dogs were agreeable in releasing him, they must have someone to replace him, talk that Mbye is to move to 9 and seen as a better option.
We will have to wait and see I guess.
I have much respect for Peats after what he did last year and the heart he has when he plays but if we pay his asking price he has to be an 80 minute player. What does that mean for Kaysa and what does it do for depth as possibly Kaysa or a young up and comer looks somewhere else for a chance? With Peats history with injuries you need depth to cover- we are still a chance this year to make the semi’s because we have depth in the squad to cover our endless injury toll- BA likes an aggressive defensive style of play, while i like it, it also leaves you succeptible to more injuries therefore paying overs for any player is a step backwards and has huge risk , squad depth wise, associated with it.
It also intrigues me as to why he is not signed yet and why clubs are not lining up to get him- an off contract Origin player is normally much sought after. Is there something we don’t know about??? Don’t know, just a little confussed.
I think a Lichaa/ Kaysa combination could be ideal- fingers crossed Kaysa comes back well from that shocking injury, if not this sort of rotation could be the perfect way to ease a young , talented dummy halve into grade. From all reports we have a couple with real potential in the juniors and Holden Cup, such as Reed Mahoney.
Kaysa coming from the bench after 30 minutes with speed to attack a tired defensive line and not having to make 50 tackles and be buggered by the 20 minute mark- this has much potential and could be great attacking wise. This allows for flexability as to style of game and allows for choice later in the game for BA, depending if we are chasing/ defending points.
In my opinion Rein is a poor defender and is too selfish a player who does not follow the plays, exactly what we don’t need. We have a strong backline, talented and creative halves and quick outside backs- Especially if Radradra returns- they need good, consistent ball and lots of it.
Lichaa/ Kaysa combo for me, especially as combined they will probably cost less than Peats.
It’s a hard one. I suspect that the club would like to develop a dummy-half of its own: a Schneider, or a Mahoney, etc. In the meantime, a combination of a durable option at the position (Lichaa) and a more dynamic, yet injury-prone, one (Pritchard) – with a suitable backup thrown into the mix (Smith, King, Tonise) – might be the way to go.
Very wise Achilles. I’m with you on that. Develop one of our own, bring in Lichaa, with KP and Smith as back up.
Peats is a no for me….he does not offer much in attack, and does not kick. Just my view and also he seems to think he’s worth $600, of we believe the media. Good player no doubt….but I’d prefer a younger player.
Mahoney, Schneider if they come thru well please. KP is tough as they come though, and Smith has shown he can put in.
I think you’ll find that Peats has kicked in every match he’s played for the Titans this season. Only once or twice a game so far but getting better at it.
Al, he may have but he is hardly a tactical kicker if you follow; i think he is a defending hooker more, and a good one; and his passing has improved. I just do not see he is worth $600k.
Agree re tactical kicking Mitchy but he’s obviously being encouraged to try without going overboard. I don’t think he’s worth 600k either due mainly to his injury concerns.
I reckon Will Smith has done a fantastic job when called upon and deserves a shot.
Bank the money or load up a few other players for this year and put some trust in the team we have.
Yea, I was OK with the Kaysa/Smith combo for the limited time we had it. It’s still a couple of steps too far for Mahoney or Tonise. I can’t recall seeing Schneider, so ???
True JonBoy. I have often wondered where BA sees Smith eventually. Was he signed purely as a back-up half and outside back who has now developed skills at hooker? From what I have seen of him, he would be a serious contender at hooker, and as you say has already performed well there over the last couple of games. I suppose BA has the rest of this year to see what potential he has and whether he would be considered as an option at hooker long term. It would be good to add him to the discussion above to analyse his pros and cons against the other candidates.
I agree with nearly all comments above. But I think we need to look for a short term replacement and continue to develop our own hooker.
Right now I see Lichaa as a better fit. His price tag dictates that and I think a new club with our current structure would benefit his game and bring the best out in him.
Long term I personally like the looks of Reed Mahoney currently playing NYC U20s. Dynamic running game, Great defender.Smart hooker all round. Impact player off the bench and speed to burn.
Still only 19yo and able to play 20s next year 2018.
My only concern is his size. Good build but very short. What he lacks in size he makes up in other area’s.
Another long term replacement could be Kyle Schneider who play SG Ball a year young this year and was also named captain. Schneider is a tough defender, Great passing, Organisation and offers a good kicking game. Problem is he is only 17yo and isnt the size of the typical hooker. Id say he be close to 85kg and standings above 183cm tall.
Comparisons have been made to Cameron Smith. But still requires time to develope
I think those boys need time to develop and both have bright futures. But right now we require results and I think AB can get the best out of Lichaa.
BA. Not AB Sorry
Brilliant post Forties, you summarize our position so eloquently.
We are not in a position to be sentimental or emotional about this decision. As much as I’d love to see Nathan Peats here, unless his price were to change, Lichaa represents the best nominal salary cap value for all the reasons you state. At his current nominal value, he’d be a steal with plenty of potential for upside & if it doesn’t work out, we haven’t invested too heavily in him.
Any Brits who might fit the bill?