This season the Parramatta Eels will be returning to their spiritual home – Cumberland Oval/BankWest Stadium.
Today, it was another return to the past as the Eels gathered on the hallowed fields of Richie Benaud Oval. The event had been kept very quiet, but it was definitely one of the “highlights” of the pre-season.
More on that later.
Earlier in the morning, the field session unfolded at Old Saleyards with more opposed work under the control of NRL referees. This was one of the more contrived sessions with first the Red team, then the Blue, given extended periods of possession.
As noted in previous training posts, this provides the defenders with varied scenarios, depending on where the restart was dictated. This could be from a drop out, a scrum, a tap or a turnover. There was very little set for set exchanges.
Once again it was not a perfect session. That said, the commitment and execution in defence was impressive, and the standard of the footy improved during the course of the morning.
Unfortunately, with some phone issues impacting my morning, I was not able to jot down my usual reminder notes. My apologies for this post not being as detailed as usual.
Opposed and Defence Drill Highlights
* A powerful Shaun Lane charge at the line was rewarded with a try close to the posts
* Strong lead up work by Schneider and French created a try in the corner for Haze Dunster
Sivo
* Maika Sivo was able to showcase some of his pace after being put into space by Rhys Davies (Wenty)
* A classic wingers try was scored by Blake Ferguson. The way he used his pace to get on the outside of his opposite from about 30 metres out following a backline shift was a thing of beauty
* Tepai Moeroa continues to demonstrate that he is stepping up to a leadership role with plenty of talk directed at his team mates, urging them on
* Tight defensive lines and good communication was a feature of the defence drills
Marata Niukore
* Marata Niukore and Salesi Fainga’a ensured the defence worked hard with impressive post contact metres during the drills
* The team finished the session with a solid set of “Malcolms”
* Mannah and French both addressed the squad at the conclusion of the session with strong words about staying focussed and setting goals for the following week – the players know that they need to take ownership of their play and it’s good to see a range of players stepping up.
The Cricket Cup – Gold Caps (Australia) vs The World
In a superb afternoon of fun, coupled with a healthy dose of team bonding, the Parramatta players organised their own prelude to long weekend celebrations with a cricket clash at Richie Benaud Oval.
The Gold Caps fielding
With the Rest of the World team in their specially made cricket whites, and the Australian team in their gold caps, the banter flew thick and fast as the players demonstrated why they chose a career in rugby league.
It was not exactly the classical cricket encounter between two first 11s. There were few spaces to be found with about twenty fielders per team. The staffing “ring-ins” bolstered each team, but the standard of fielding compensated for lack of open spaces.
More of the “action”
Wickets and boundaries attracted raucous celebrations, and a few select players earned the honour of retiring not out. Unless my score keeping was sadly astray, that magical retirement seemed to arrive after scoring a grand total of 12 runs or more.
A junior cricketer of some renown, Nathan Brown retired with two scoring shots off about four deliveries. Others who looked “comfortable” wielding the willow included Fergo, Gutho, Salesi, Moses, Baz and Stoney.
A big over from Dave Kidwell for the World team nearly turned the match on its head with what seemed like 20 dismissals. The finger of umpire Adrian Jimenez looked to be permanently raised in a sequence of decisions going the Rest of the World’s way.
Ultimately, the World couldn’t quite defend its total and the Gold caps were victorious.
This was an enjoyable gathering for the players, organised by the players themselves, before they get a few days break. Earlier in the post I used the term “highlight” to describe the afternoon. Whilst there were no C grade cricketers around Sydney under threat of losing their spots from this afternoon’s highlight, you could watch the fun and bonding in action for a squad who’d been all business at every session.
Have a wonderful Australia Day everyone.
Eels forever!
Sixties
(Photos courtesy of Parra Eels and Parrathruandthru)
Have we another new arrival sixties, or someone from behind the stumps “Daniel Lane”
One can imagine the three day break will go down well, but they have to come back on Tuesday, maybe then the real sessions start with only 3 weeks of playmaking until the first trials.
Ps, good report but lacked the excitement, although some nice pointers to a couple of the players. Tepai looks bigger and fitter this far. Marata I do not think is going to give up his top forwards spot without a fight.
It’s possibly my lack of note taking Colin.
I meant the general part of the post was in jest so no offence intended.
There’s no doubt the morning sessions were as hard as normal but the cricket, how many no balls and laughter would have been there? Can imagine the old Grandstand would have still been a wonderful spot in air conditioned comfort, not far from the gravestones.
Its going to be an interesting battle between the 2nd rowers who are picked, Lane I believe will add thrust and defence to the pack and capable of big minutes, with the general need for 2 players on the bench to cover the props, there’s only 2 other bench spots to split between 7 candidates.
I believe that picking the backrow and the bench will an interesting exercise for BA.
Great report Sixties. I thoroughly enjoyed being invited into the spectators pavilion at Richie Benaud to watch the “international cricket match” doubling as a bonding session and the “boys own” Australia Day celebration.
I’d also like to acknowledge Starr Partners for their continued support of your preseason training reports.
It’s wonderful to have sponsorship Rowdy. Fortunately Parrathruandthru was there to take a few pics with my phone being out of action – not that the photos my phone takes would be of any use!
One of our glaring problems last year was goal kicking. Are the 3 acknowledged (although no way near great) kickers, Moses, Gutho and Dylan Brown practising after training? From your observation who’ll have the job.
They practise with a specialised coach – Damien Hill. I haven’t seen this during this pre-season as its not happening when I’m there. It is something I’ve watched in the past. Sometimes they take kicks in opposed sessions so based on that I’d think Moses.
Great report again Sixties and hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful day over there for Australia Day. Regards to all and thanks for the report- seems the boys have ended another tough week with a good wind down of cricket to coincide with the wonderful Aussie Day celebrations.
Thanks again and interesting to read Tep stepping up and Bevan addressing the team. Gee how good would it be to have Bevan and Jenko having seasons like 2016/17…..
Last year it was expected that the players would step up and take ownership of their on field actions. It just never happened. That aspect of their play will be interesting to follow.
The Ferguson comment…flashback- could substitute Eric Grothe in that sentence. In his first U23’s year he murdered opposing wingers by running around them, and when no space, through them. We started sitting down the northern end, behind the posts just to watch it…a thing of beauty! Sixties, it’s in the eye of the beholder, Ray Higgs never wandered from the dusty middle strip at Cumberland, that was a real thing of beauty.
Other unexpected things of beauty:
* The Bear and Joe Joseph enjoying the magnum of champagne in 1981
* Graham Olling stalking Artie Beetson
* Cumberland Oval on a Sunday arvo
I recally fondly the Cumberland Grandstand Crowd heckling Rex and Ron when telecasting the “Match of the Day” from the very unique Cumberland Oval Media Tower. Goodness they gave them some.
The media tower! A couple of people in a metal box perched at the back of the embankment.. They had to climb a high ladder at the back of the box for entry, though if the entry had been designed differently, from the front to a side door, it would have only required about four steps.
Probably had the belief that the more steps the higher they could go, probably a Peter Peters idea.
😂😂😂😂
More unexpected beauty…..
Ray Higgs using what Frank Hyde described as the “Higgs drive”. Higgs would stop someone dead in their tracks front on and then use leg drive to force them backwards up to 5 metres. One of the best tackles I have ever seen was Bob Jay on Bob Fulton at Cumberland. Fulton’s top half stopped dead but his legs kept going (mostly upwards)
As Joe Joseph gave the bottle to The Bear (YouTube clip), you can hear Joe saying “where’s Peter Peters…shove that up your a…”
Nothing will ever replace Cumberland on a Sunday arvo
Higgs!
My favourite moment was him leading the Parra chant during the grand final parade.
I remember that comment from big Joe and concurred!
Cumberland – shame so many fans today never experienced it. I think it was the characters in the crowd that gave it something special. It certainly never won any beauty contests!
At 10:05 you can hear Joe’s immortal comments in the background. I must admit that i teared up watching this clip again, from the moment Cronin kicked the best ever goal kick into a typhoon strength swirling wind at 2:20. That street parade will last me a lifetime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZVwMFegWjI
Great add mate. I feared up with that kick to go to 17 to 11. I was at the back of the hill and it just exploded in blue and gold. That was when I knew it was won. That first premiership was an unforgettable experience. By the time the next one comes, it will feel the same for many supporters.
What a magical piece of video to watch!
Still impacts me.
What chance a long interview with Ray Higgs sixties?
Fair request.
The late great arch brown scorching down the sideline , the legendary Mayor Ken thornett chiming into the backline the colossus Dick thornett with the obligatory field goal attempt from half way the third degree burns I suffered sitting in the eastern side seats. Cumberland on a Sunday arvo. HEAVEN
Burns? What about the splinters?
I’ve still got those in my arse 55 years later The only thing that stopped you carrying in cartons of grog was how many shoulders you had! Go thirsty Lynch another champion
😀😀😀😀😀
Burns, how on earth could you burn your butte on those old seats, nails and bolt heads were too far down in the rotting planks you sat on to burn your butte, why in the 70’s most of the people who had to sit along those rows took a fold up chair to put over the benches, that remained.
Sunburn and splinters, no pain if Eels won.
The only way I burnt my butt is if I sat on a lit fag, I am talking about sunburn.The ratio of eels wins to pain and suffering in those days BDon as you seem to know was like scoring on your first date
That may vary from person to person!!! 😬😬😬
It was pretty bad to see the bench seats just left to fall apart on a ground used for first grade footy. I remember the fanfare when they built a new scoreboard. The writing and numbers were so small they couldn’t be read from the stand side. They had to use larger hand painted number boards the next match.
Very true sixties, for a RL ground the atmosphere was great but even that and the team winning still had a sadness over the place with the amount of missing bench seats around the ground, all it needed was no one to mow the grass to make it really look like a back hick ground.
Can’t think of his name now but the caretaker lived in the old house next to the leagues club, and he also had control of the gate that allowed cars into the park at that end, he had an old push mower to use inside the oval, outside was done by outdoor council employees who kept the park in decent order.
When at High School we had our sports carnival day there, and each of the 4 school groups took turns throughout the day for their cheer squad to sit in the mini grand stand on the eastern side, near the club end entry gates. It was that rickety a wonder no one fell off it.
Good ol’ Cumberland, had its problems but nothing could beat it for atmosphere especially under the main stand getting a pie and the Parra Parra chant went up with foot stumping, with wonderment of getting out of there alive, also the liniment smell filtered out to the food area making it a wonderful experience to savour along with the pie and sauce.
My mates family had the catering contract. Remember it well.
At least with Rosehill pies one could get a good one back then, had meat and size to them at fair prices compared to what is put out these days, even under the gourmet tag.
Peanuts – in the shell or candy coated?
That’s just too funny. A couple of my old school mates still imitate him. He spoke very quickly and completely bland “peanuts in the shell or candy coated 20 cent” (No “s”). Him and the old bloke with a limp (could be me now) who wandered around selling streamers. I swear they were both everywhere we went
Streamers! At the 1976 grand final I turned myself into a Parra swamp monster with streamers attached to my clothing. I was literally a walking fire hazard in the days of people smoking everywhere. My stupidity/naivety was astounding.
Eric Snr, had one of the more uncommon running styles where he was crouched as he ran to the opposition which made him hard to tackle, once through the defence he straightened up a bit and was very hard to catch and put down.
IIRC, when shovels played with the eels and the tackle he made on Artie was one the best and hardest tacklers around, I was sitting in the grandstand at Cumberland on that day and he got big Artie under the rib cage head on and drove him back into the in goal. I never saw any other player able to do that.
At that point of time also. Shovels had started a course of Steroids to help him build muscle as he was not really a big man, he took them under medical supervision and at the time was not illegal,
I was there that day too. Was that the day that the ground announcer said something towards Artie that got him into trouble?
Do you think Moeroa could be in the mix for being one of our middle forwards, possibly from the bench? I think that’s where his future lies. If he could develop some footwork and short passing at the line, combined with his decent pace, I reckon he’d be a good middle forward. We don’t need him on the edge.
In the last couple of seasons I’ve viewed him as a middle forward in waiting. Given he’s only 23, it’s still likely.
Fridays junior report ??
Forty will be posting his notes.
Look forward to it , fix your phone mate .
Wednesday.
Interesting to see Rhys Davies having a run. Do you know what position he was playing, (I know he is mostly a half or hooker), Has he been training much with the NRL squad? Are there any other Wenty players having a run with the NRL team?
Cheers.
Rhys has filled in occasionally at half during opposed sessions. No. They haven’t had any other Wenty players.
Ok thanks mate. Perhaps Rhys will be our reserve grade half. Has there been any sign of Beau Henry?
Possibly. He’s very good defensively. No sign of Henry.
Ok thanks mate.