The Cumberland Throw

Eels Pre-Season Training – February 6, 2018: Player Overview

Writing 3-4 training reports per week can be a challenging task. There’s always the element of looking for something different to the day before.

There’s also the essential component of not describing set moves or standard shapes or plays that we are likely to witness this season. I’m certain that all Eels supporters would understand why such descriptions would not be found in TCT training reports.

I was wrestling with that today as I watched another training session unfold and then later as BA took the time to answer a few of my questions. There was plenty to like about what I witnessed and a bit for the squad to work on, but I wanted a point of difference for this report.

TCT readers deserve more than another description of how Norman and Moses dominated or details about the difficulty that the defenders had with Bevan’s elusiveness. Of course, I could write about that, because it was exactly what unfolded on the training paddock.

Indeed, the easy option would be to copy and paste the last two reports – after all, it would be entirely accurate!

Instead, I offer up the following brief overview of the efforts of some of the fringe players during this pre-season. This is not presented as in-depth analysis, simply observations of their work during the field sessions.

Nathan Davis

Davis in action.

Over the last few weeks, Davis would possibly qualify for a most improved award. The pre-season did not start well. He struggled with the endurance work (not unusual for outside backs) then sustained what appeared to be a leg strain early on.

After hitting the new year, Davis has featured as fullback for the green team and looked much sharper. Positionally he’s measured up, and in full stride he’s been a handful to contain. This will be a crucial year for the big back, and he’ll be looking to impress for Wenty from game 1.

Greg Leleisiuao

GL at the start of the pre-season.

Plenty of Eels supporters have called for GL’s inclusion based on television coverage of the Eels 2017 NYC finals appearances.

Like Davis, he struggled with early pre-season endurance work, and also found himself in rehab with a knee injury. Paralleling Davis again, he is one of the most improved, especially in conditioning, with this translating into solid opposed work.

This is Greg’s first year out of the 20s and he’s likely to spend 2018 learning to play senior level football out of Ringrose Park. No need to be impatient here as time is on his side.

George Jennings

George Jennings – close to a debut with the Eels?

The recipient of the 2017 NSW Cup Coach’s Award is in contention for a first grade call up this season. Jennings returned to pre-season training in superb shape, and the departure of Radradra has opened a first grade spot.

Last season I watched Jennings excel at Saleyards, even filling in at fullback for the green opposed team. This year, he’s filled in on the wing for the blue team. Come round 1, I’m expecting Hoffman and Auva’a to be selected in first grade. Jennings will be next in line.

Dane Aukafolau

Dane is now in his second pre-season.

This is Dane’s second NRL pre-season. The big centre caught the eye with his physical presence over the 2016/17 summer, following it up with a season fluctuating between Wenty’s ISP side and the Parra NYC team.

Moving into 2018, it appears as if he’s met conditioning expectations and he has performed solidly during the pre-season opposed work. Like GL, Dane is in his first year out of 20s and would be expected to spend 2018 honing his craft at centre for Wenty.

Marata Niukore

A big hit was needed to stop Marata.

Our 2017 ISP player of the year has trained in both the forwards and the backs during this pre-season. Though making his presence felt in the back row last year, he has added bulk to step up to a middle forward role.

Incredibly, his versatility has seen him fill in at centre for the green team during this pre-season. His powerful charges have been a feature of the last two weeks of opposed work.

Mitch has already written an extensive profile on Marata. I rate our Cook Islands International a genuine chance of debuting this year.

Reed Mahoney

Reed leads the way with Danny.

Reed has been the surprise packet of this pre-season. He set the standard early with his conditioning from week 1 of training and has not missed a beat since.

During the opposed sessions he has played in the halves and dummy half for the greens. His pace off the mark has been his best asset and he looks most dangerous during unstructured play.

The promising rake is still eligible for NYC but I’d expect him to spend time at Wenty too.

Ray Stone

Stoney is another 20s graduate enjoying his first NRL pre-season. Like Reed, he’s more than met the mark from a conditioning perspective. It can be challenging to meet the physical demands at the senior level but Ray has looked at home in the squad.

Stone – a new “perpetual motion”?

During opposed sessions, when Mahoney has filled in at half for the greens, Stone has filled in at dummy half. This versatility could help to open opportunities moving forward.

The quality that Stone has demonstrated at training is that he’s prepared to make effort on effort. It’s a valuable characteristic for a footballer to possess. Undoubtedly, the hard as nails back rower is a big part of the future of the Eels. He played a number of games of ISP last year, and I expect 2018 to be a continuation of his learning curve at that level.

Jaeman Salmon
The recruit from the Shire has impressed with his superior fitness from the first day of pre-season. For much of this time he has shared the rehab paddock with Gutho, and the player that the King has dubbed “the Apprentice” looks likely to be a future challenger for Eels fitness champion.

Salmon – look out Gutho.

Salmon has only just started opposed work, and is not yet involved in full contact. His skills work with Joey Grima has been exceptional, and given that he’s played across five-eighth, back row and centre at junior rep level, his future could take a variety of paths.

 

A graduate of the 2017 Sharks SG Ball team that finished runners-up to the Eels, his move west came as a surprise. I expect him to debut for Parra at Jersey Flegg level before progressing to ISP.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this slight detour from my regular reports. It’s back to business on Thursday for both Eels training and the Ringrose Park trials.

Eels forever!

Sixties

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38 thoughts on “Eels Pre-Season Training – February 6, 2018: Player Overview

  1. Trouser Eel

    It must be very satisfying watching the development of these younger players. Let’s hope you’ll get the chance to look back and say “I watched him train back before he won his Dally M’s, I’m glad he’s still playing for us”

    1. sixties Post author

      Good point Trouser. Back in the days of weekly televised Commonwealth Bank Cup matches, with Parra juniors running around in a host of schools like Blacktown High, Parra Marist, Ashcroft High, Fairfield Pats etc (ie before Sports Highs existed) you could watch talented young players progress into grade, which in those days was three grades of footy at Cumberland.
      Lesser names like the Emery and White brothers (good footballers all) progressed alongside the likes of Sterlo, Ella, Kenny and Grothe. They might be on Friday arvo TV for their school one week, then running around in the under 21s a year later (or even the next week). It was a terrific time to be able to track that type of progress.
      Nowadays we try to get to junior reps as often as possible, and the squads are full of future NRL players.
      These fringe NRL players have taken quite a journey to get to this point. Talent helps to determine how far they go, but watching them work at training gives the perspective about who really wants it.

      1. Colin Hussey

        The sorrow with both the brothers you mentioned is that they were huge in the lower grades but the step up to first grade was just a bit high. IIRC young Steve was a fullback and made the grade into the firsts and doing a fair fist of things until.

        Eels were playing Saints and the name of the Saints player escapes me but a very big 2nd rower, broke through and only had the fullback to beat, Steve would have been half the size/weight of the forward but he stood his ground and tackled front on, bringing the Saints player down, last game he played IIRC.

        Geoff Emery had huge skills but for a prop, too small. Sadly.

  2. Chiefy

    Brilliant update sixties. I love hearing about our best up and coming players and it definitely seems like Parramatta are in a very good position in that regard.

    In fact this sixties blog was that good, I feel almost compelled to copy and paste it onto the 1ee and claim it my own !

    But, it won’t be happening, I think ! 😁

    1. sixties Post author

      That would be a smart call Chief.
      These are the ones at that next stage right now, in the full time squad – but the 20s also has a host of future NRL players. I’m pretty sure Forty will be unleashing a lower grades preview soon. Watch this space.

  3. dessy

    You guys are the best in the business.!

    All due respect not only are we the Parramatta supporters and readers of The Cumberland Throw greatful for your insightful articles. But the Parramatta organisation should be very appreciative for the detailed information you provide the readers.
    You guys go above & beyond and I for one believe you should be on the Parramatta pay roll.

    Thank you for your professionalism and unbiased analysis

    Go Parramatta bring on 2018 season. Good luck all involved.!

    1. sixties Post author

      Thanks Dessy – we appreciate that feedback. We’re all supporters – just like our readers. Our intention has always been to provide a site that we’d like to visit.
      Payroll? I’ve taken a step away from teaching so any offers for funding a supporter odyssey would always be considered!

    2. Parra Pete, Thurgoona

      Totally agree with you Dessy…
      I wouldn’t mind forking out an Annual subcription to help you bloke with your costa, and time an effort.
      I look forward to – and read every item – the boys publish.
      Without a doubt, the BEST fan site on http://Www….BAR NONE..

  4. Colin Hussey

    Excellent report 60’s, snippets such as these on the up and comers makes for very good reading.

    Its interesting to read about George Jennings, and the award he received, if he has anywhere near the pace that big bro had/has and defence is up to it, being a more specialised winger wont hurt his case one bit, no doubt would love to play alongside big boy.

    Jaeman Salmon, has very much the appearance of Gutho in the pic, if he makes the grade with Gutho in the side, would be a wind back to the days when Sterlo and Paul Taylor shared the twins aspect of look alikes.

  5. John Eel

    It would seem that from the 8 players highlighted only 2 are local juniors. This would appear to be a change by BA from previous policy that tended to rely solely on home grown

    1. sixties Post author

      The Parra junior rep squads are a mix of local and imported talent. The secret is now the system. Anthony Field is responsible for creating that mix as he identifies players that best suit the club’s needs. There’s a long term plan and pathway mapped out for each. He has an involvement with most of those listed above, and fans will soon see the fruits of the labours as the young stars push through. BA wants our junior system to be the major provider of future Parra first graders.
      We will always lose some. There are other clubs that throw big dollars, there are managers that take unnecessary early risks with huge contracts. But ultimately, our system is now one of the best and fans will soon become familiar with the names of current junior rep players.

      1. John Eel

        I enjoyed the interview with Anthony Field and think that the system that BA has in place is a great way to go forward.

        Having players come into the club thru the juniors Pathways is an effective way of overcoming Salary Cap restrictions and with someone like Anthony Field overseeing the recruitment a way to ensure that the squad is full of quality in every position

        Whilst there may be a larger portion of imports currently over locals among the present emerging players does not mean that it will always be that way.

        What is important is getting the quality players to fill the squad.

        1. sixties Post author

          Glad you enjoyed that interview John. Fieldsy does a great with the junior rep talent identification. It’s all about our systems and pathways now as we build into the future.

  6. Milo

    Yes Sixties thanks again for the read and information on these young guys. I for one am impressed with Jennings and think he could be a viable option for our backs; Salmon also from my little view has been v impressive with his fitness and no doubt the coaches see him as a future half / back rower.
    Should we assume these guys will be given good game time for the Norths trial?

  7. Glenn

    I recently saw a picture of Tepai next to Nathan Davis who was on the far side. Nathan seemed huge, he certainly had larger thighs, and being taller would weigh around the same I would estimate. Could his future be in the forwards as imo he would become too large and lose mobility for a back? Based on the players at our disposal I’d assume his prospects of playing NRL would improve as a forward especially with his skill set.

    1. sixties Post author

      When you see Davis in person, he is Greg Inglis proportions. I still believe that he is a centre/fullback. I want him to believe in himself too.

  8. Paul taylor

    Brillant mate as always. Loved the summary of these kids and you get a feel for where they might end up this year .

    Given the way we have trained I am thinking we are going to play a very expansive game and lots of involvement and off the play action .

    Thanks again for you and your team . Brillant stuff

    1. sixties Post author

      It’s stating the obvious if I reference our halves, but there are also players all over the park who are capable of generating a different point of attack. Expect the team to make full use of the skills at their disposal.

  9. John Eel

    Sixties you mentioned that Ray Stone has spent a bit of time at dummy half in the Off season. I remember a game late in the season (not sure the opponent) he went to dummy half and darted over. I was impressed by the try at the time and mentioned it on here.

    Couple that skill together with his good hole running, aggressive defence and his game sense and you can see that it would not be unthinkable to have him there.

    1. John Eel

      Having thought about this try all afternoon I am not sure if he scored this try from dummy half or first receiver

      1. sixties Post author

        He spent very brief periods at dummy half for Wenty. I’m not sure whether there is a solid plan around this given the dummy half talent here now and coming through.

  10. Big Derek

    Jeff Emery got a mention, he is now a senior detective and has been in the media for some high profile cases.

    The mix in the junior reps is very interesting, Fieldsy has adopted a policy of securing elite talent in positions where there are peceived gaps from our own system. This years Matts is 90% local, there are a few players in Ball recruited externally but still the majority have progressed through from Matts and mainly from our junior league.

    The names we expect to see in the next couple of years will form the basis of the club going forward, having said that Tigers/Manly and Bulldogs are heavily involved in trying to sign players from our system. A major issue is that Manly has employed teachers from Westfields into their junior reps, and even the Tigers have made inroads by making junior staff appointments from coaches in our system.

    Think we will lose 2/3 players a year to other clubs as they see massive value in the preparation our rep system provides

    1. sixties Post author

      Derek, from memory, I’m sure Fieldsy addressed a Parra Junior clubs meeting to reassure them that our local clubs would continue to be the major source of our talent.

  11. Rowdy

    Wow Sixties, what a head-spin. So much to take in from the report on these up and comers and also the very constructive comments from many of the readers. It’s easy to see evidence of our success through these development pathways, having watched most of these young blokes play in the U20’s and for Wenty over the past couple of seasons.

    I hope to see most of the two trials tomorrow arvo/evening at Ringrose Park. Trials are usually a good indication of who is able to play at these senior rep levels and who might need to go back and develop their game within the local club competitions.

    Although it is less likely these days with all the structured pathways, there is always the possibility of seeing a good blow-in too. Some kid who has been rewarded with an invitation to show us his stuff on a slightly bigger stage.

    BTW, who is our reserve coach this year?

    1. sixties Post author

      Hi Rowdy, look forward to seeing you there.
      Cayless is the coach again.
      There are nine of the Parra pre-season full time squad named in this trial.
      One of last year’s squad, Matt Woods, has also been named.

  12. John Eel

    Sixties what is the minimum salary for a top 30 contract. I thought it was $100,000. I read today in Foxsports that it is $85,000.

    Any idea?

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