Are we about to witness Ray Stone taking his game to the next level?
After just two weeks of this preseason, the uncompromising Eels forward is already making a statement on the training track. Mr 3:16 has returned to Kellyville in what looks like the best shape of his career.
This morning’s session was a relentless combination of conditioning runs and energy sapping defensive drills. Torrential rain had delivered a heavy 9 track rating, making every kilometre feel like it had been doubled. There’d be no cruising into the weekend.
Ray Stone
And there was Stoney, sitting just behind Jake Arthur’s heels in every run, almost reminiscent of Dylan Brown chasing Clint Gutherson in recent years. In fact, Jake Arthur is probably the closest to Gutho in the fitness stakes right now. Little doubt that Ray hasn’t spent his off season taking things easy.
To clarify, it’s not as if Ray has turned up at previous preseasons unprepared for what lies ahead. Rather, this year he looks like a bloke with a point to prove.
But that wasn’t the only positive about the tough back rower.
He also took on the role of encouraging a couple of the younger players, a sign that he now sees himself as a senior player amongst this group.
New coaching consultant Michael Ennis joined Simon Woolford in watching the young Eels go through their paces in what was a very demanding session. Though this wasn’t his first visit to Kellyville, it was the first time I’d observed him at a field session.
From a conditioning perspective, those to shine included Arthur, Stone, Dunster, Perham, El Zakhem and Hands. In a sign of the overall fitness of the players, the majority of the group kept in a relatively tight pack during the runs. However, the aforementioned players were consistently pushing up towards the front.
Conditioning
The first of the defensive drills had the players paired up making single player tackles. The ball carriers were encouraged to score, whilst the expectation was for the defenders to prove that making the tackle was important. Going through the mechanics of the tackle would not suffice – each had to prove that it meant something to them.
In the later drills, the squad was broken into groups, with both attackers and defenders. The tacklers worked on contact technique through to movement out of the tackle and into the defence line. And just when I thought that it was all about defence, the coaches would also identify and praise any ball carrier who was able to execute a faster play the ball.
I had intended to identify players that created the strongest impression during this drill. Unfortunately the sound of the collision was a major distraction, drawing the attention from one group to another. Needless to say, the ice packs would have been in demand afterwards.
The final whistle blew after about 90 minutes, and with the rain getting a little heavier there were no extras on the agenda.
Final Word
I wanted to take the opportunity in this report to answer some concerns that people have been expressing to me.
As far as I have observed, it’s been business as usual at Eels training. The players are professional and focussed. The staff are mixing their demands for standards of efforts and performance with healthy doses of encouragement and guidance. There is not the slightest sign that contract negotiations or outcomes are impacting the work on the training track.
Therefore, it will be business as usual for these training reports. I’ll continue to write about what I witness, whilst providing updates on the efforts and progress of individuals.
Senior NRL players should be returning next week.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Thanks Sixties for keeping us updated and also keeping our spirits up with these reports. It’s so good to hear about the football rather than the politics behind.
Cheers
Cheers Pete. Even standing in the rain was a welcome distraction today.
Cheers sixties good to read from up here in qld,
You’re welcome Ken. Thanks for the reply
Thanks for the report sixties, and news that the senior players will be back next week.
There has been a bit of talk regarding Brandon Hand from Penrith joining the eels, and noticed his name in the report, have seen a bit of short footage and seems that he could be a handy pick up if signed with the club.
Hopefully with Stone taking more of a role and Oregon going better we do have ready replacements in important areas.
If you got anywhere near the rain that we have had the today and the last couple, you are a brave man going to training, and you certainly deserve the thanks for these reports.
I gather the overall players will train for some weeks then break for Christmas, when should they return?
Colin, it was wet but I had company watching today so I wasn’t alone in my lunacy. The NRL boys will train up until the week of Christmas – I think they do one or two days that week. They then have a two week break for Christmas and New Year.
I’d also heard good reports about Hand. I’m looking forward to watching his dummy half play during opposed sessions.
Sixties, I very much admire your stayability in this weather, and kudo’s to you in a big way.
Look forward very much to the reports continueing until Christmas and hope to see some good presents before then in the form of player signings.
What I am hearing with Hand is the same thing about his plays, there’s a nice clip of him on the other site, and seems he’s close to the Api performance in what I see, he has shown up in the 6,7 & 9 jersey’s, and a good build with decent perception and speed.
Cheers Colin. Yes, looks to have some good toe from what I’ve seen at training.
Sixties I would second Colin’s thoughts about your tenacity to keep us all informed about what is going on in pre season.
Also I hope Colin’s glowing report of Hand is on money. However I may wait another 12 months to make up my mind.
Notwithstanding there was a post I did some months ago where I suggested that Penrith may be a good place to start when looking for off season recruits.
John, just to add Hands was in the Rif Development squad this past year, and in what I have seen on his play and game read is very promising, there is however not a lot regarding him in the media. There are a couple of players who could fit in but so far I lean a bit more towards Hands for the 9 spot in 23.
I am inclined to hope and agree with you Colin, Rein will still have the opportunity presumably to be first choice. Just the same a lot can happen during the year, a couple of injuries and he can find himself making a FG debut.
I am also interested to see how Ray Stone goes this year. Notwithstanding his errors at the end of the season gone, he is the only player I have seen for a while capable of tearing a team apart with his defence in the middle. Starting him for the softening up period is not as silly as it sounds.
Those opposing big forwards don’t mind wrestling but I can tell you they don’t like to be hit by a cruise missile when Stone gets them in his sights.
Thanks Pops, thing is Hand is in most respects an unknown, and basically I don’t trust too many of those short clips that display a player at his best, at least in general. What I have seen in the clip and some articles/snippets are encouraging, the aspect also is he was in the Rif development squad this season just gone. I wonder if he was a possible replacement for Api at the riff if he left.
I am very much with you regarding Stone, he has been a favourite of mine for years, even in the DH role. With the loss of two of our backrow players, I would not discard him atm, likewise I would like to see Oregon given more time in the forwards. He showed some good form this year but two foreigners had the spots sown up, but next year very much a different story.
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Cheers Shaun.
Is there any reason why Ray Stone can’t be our hooker in development over the next year? I think he showed enough that he can provide a lot of benefits in that role in a Brandon Smith kind of way and it could definitely pay off. The man is an asset to the team! Who do you reckon out of the players Phil Gould has poached this year the Bulldogs will be paying to perform at another club when they do not work out?
I think it’s time for Stone to settle in to a spot, whatever that may be.
As for the Dogs, they will be paying for players to play elsewhere, of that there is no doubt.
and the hirer at the Bulldogs has also shown at times to be a ferocious firer of ones he hired.
It’s interesting that the two “bad taste in the mouth” of the off season with photos both include the Dogs with Gus involved.
Good write up to end a shitty week. These kids are not looking at Reed, Ice and Niko departure as devastating news, quite the opposite. Some are looking at this as their opportunity to become the next NRL player …
A wise guy once told me – whatever you do in life, it is temporary. He lifted up a work shirt in one hand and a footy jersey in the other. You get the great opportunity to wear that shirt, jersey for a limited time. You dont own the brand, the symbols, the reputation or history. You just get the chance to add your bit to this shirt, jersey before it passes onto someone new.
The next Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Nathan Hindmarsh is sitting in a baby chair as we speak . Their time will come.
Well said Paul, wise words
I hope they are a bit more advanced than that, lets hope they are starting their first paper route. LOL
Thank you sixties for your report, it was a difficult week for us loyal Parra supporters. As always we will move on, and stay loyal. We all understand that players have limited time in their career , but when you have fan favourites who are able to walk away, it feels disappointing.
I’m really pleased that we have new blood in the consulting rolls, that is a positive move.
Go Parra always.
Lynbeth, we will all have an emotional response to favourites departing, but logic starts to kick in. I don’t want to revisit our salary cap drama years. Until any retention decision proves to be disastrous, I’ll back the calls.
Thanks Sixties, great to read again.
So Stone is doing well and he is one tough player. Where is his best position?
As Squiz Taylor said below, no-one owns the brand, and the jersey is temporary.
We move on from players leaving and thats just tough luck.
It’s interesting the club has two former hookers now working, which is just a coincidence overall.
Sixties, and i think i know that this may too hard to answer, but who would you say is first up as back up hooker?
I’ve seen Stone look terrific in the back row in the past and in preseasons.
Well done sixties, you just keep taking the ball up. Hopefully the development and energy of the young blokes with aspirations for 2023 is a feature in 2022.
Hi mate. First time flowing through the link to read your stuff on the site. Spurred on by the disappointment of losing Mahoney I think. Seeking out some perspective. Enjoy your articles. Long time Eels fan. Passionate. 43 years. Surprised that we only offered him 450k for two years (I know we went to 500k over 3 under pressure). I’m glad we didn’t stretch for the edge forwards we let go recently…It makes sense…but given the importance of a good hooker, especially under the recent rule changes and the lack of good hooking options currently out there, Im struggling to reason as to why we didnt fight harder. I can’t help but think there’s more at play here. Is Mahoney’ shoulder suspect? Is a junior player on the rise? A fall out with Arthur? Something? I back the new recruitment regime…but if we lose Paulo…I’ll start to worry.
Sixties i can’t wait to 2023 n see dtone smash Mahoney. Smash him that hard he won’t come back on the field. I hope we sign api for next yr then put Mahoney in reserve grade or even make him 19th man.
Look at the end of the day id drop papali’i, Marata and Mahoney. We shouldn’t develop these player’s any more.
That doesn’t sound Christian or Charitable Reverend, I would have thought you would have wished them well on their new journey’s and pray for their safety in the process.
Personally I will just rely on Karma having what ever effect that it may have if the circumstances are justified.
Sixties has Dantoray Lui been doing any training with the NRL players?