Finally, Bumpers Up has come back to T..C..T..

I can’t offer this in the Rock’s iconic voice, but as it’s been some time since the last column, it feels appropriate to begin with a proclamation of return.

There have been plenty of topics to dig into out of PARRAdise, but some issues have required more of an in-depth treatment, hence the recent offerings of The Spotlight.

There have also been other talking points that I have preferred to steer clear of – if you smell what I’m cooking.

As for this week’s offerings, I reckon there’ll be no shortage of opinions.

Bumpers Up!

Stop The Presses!

I couldn’t post this edition of Bumpers Up without a comment on last night’s Origin debacle.

To quote my mate Forty20, poor old Damien Cook was boiled, roasted, grilled, baked, poached, fried, smoked and steamed out on that Suncorp Stadium field. Forty also had another opinion about what Fittler had done to Cook by sending him out into the centres but for now let’s just say that there was no heating process involved.

There was always a massive risk in selecting Tom Trbojevic. Turbo at his best is a dynamic match winner. Unfortunately, the Tommy that most supporters will remember is a player whose career has been plagued by injury. It’s been that way again in 2023, and despite playing just one impressive game this season, he was selected out of position in the centres ahead of in-form players such as Campbell Graham.

Then, when Trbojevic almost predictably suffered another serious injury in Game 2, it’s the replacement dummy half that is pushed out to the centres!

Literally every NRL coach would opt to shift a back rower into that position under those circumstances. It’s not ideal but they are used to playing on the edge in both attack and defence so it’s a minor adjustment to move a little wider.

Obviously Fittler believed that Cook’s pace would offer the best solution, but it was apparent very early on that the dummy half was adrift and way out of his depth at centre. What followed was something that the Souths veteran didn’t deserve.

In the days to follow there will be many opinions about NSW Origin selections and performances. As far as Mitch Moses is concerned, he was let down by very average chases on his kicks and in a couple of instances, non existent support runners.

As for other selection decisions, I have not the column space nor the inclination to write further on it.

Perhaps Queensland simply understand Origin football just a little bit better than NSW?

No Resting On The Laurels But…

Back in May, I declared that the Eels were playing more consistent football in 2023 than they were in 2022. The last month of football has only strengthened my stance.

As things stand, the Eels currently hold the second best points differential in the NRL.

Let’s break that down.

In attack, Parra also sits second at just over 26.1 points per game. Only the Sharks (26.3) have a better average.

When it comes to defence, the Eels (19.2) place fifth behind Souths (18.9), Warriors (18.4), Broncos (17.5) and the standout Panthers (12.6).

Without question, there is a marked improvement in both attack and defence in 2023 and it’s only getting better.

Last season the Eels scored an average of 24.9 points per game at the mid point of the season and 25.3 by the end of the regular rounds. In defence, they conceded an average of 20.9 points by mid season, and 20.4 by season’s end.

Now to this season. Over the last four matches, the Eels have only conceded 12 points per game. For those that believe this sample size is too narrow, the average across the last ten games sits at 16.4 points.

There is a long way to go in 2023. However, considering the obstacles around player availability, dubious officiating and the inequity in the draw, the Eels have demonstrated plenty of resilience to this point.

Whether they can go on with it and push further up the ladder remains to be seen. For now, there’s plenty to feel buoyant about.

 

Selection Headaches

Though Parra’s backline options remain limited, especially with a top 30 roster that still sits at around 27, Brad Arthur will face a genuine selection dilemma in the near future.

Shaun Lane is close to returning from his hamstring injury, whilst Wiremu Greig is a strong chance of getting back on the field well before finals football.

Given that Arthur is likely to keep both Hodgson and Hands in the 17, he will be left with plenty of options for the starting pack and the bench spots.

At full strength, the run on forwards should be Paulo, RCG, Lane, Carty and Hopgood, with Matto, Ofahengaue and Greig as the interchange rotations.

This would mean that a spot couldn’t be found for in form players such as Davey, Ogden, Doorey, Makatoa and Moretti. Mind you, that’s just my opinion. Others, especially the coaches, could see things differently.

The advantage of going through a player availability shortage is that the coaches find out more about the fringe options. In 2023, the Eels have learnt that their forward depth is very good.

That depth will leave BA and his staff with some big decisions to make in coming weeks. And with the promising pathways players currently in the wings, future retention calls will be even more critical.

 

Women’s Origin

Is it my imagination or has there been minimal publicity around the Women’s State of Origin clashes?

The crowds aren’t the same as for the Mens Origin. I also acknowledge that Women’s Origin doesn’t rate close to the Mens nor generates anywhere near the same revenue.

However, professional women’s rugby league is in the development and early growth phase, so if the governing body wants to be able to boast about such a product, it has to be prepared to invest money in its players, coaches, staging, marketing and promotion.

Expanding to a two match Origin series is a step in the right direction, but how much media has been dedicated to the training and lead up to either game 1 or 2? Where’s the hype? Indeed, how many people even realise that Game 2 is this Thursday?

Perhaps this is one of those NSWRL and QRL vs NRL issues. So if the state bodies don’t have the funding for promotion and if the media/broadcast partners aren’t interested in promoting the match, then surely the ball should be taken up by the NRL.

Another issue that I raised in this week’s news episode of The Tip Sheet is where the Women’s Origin Series sits on the calendar.

The series is staged during the NRLW preseason. Imagine if Mens Origin was staged in the preseason?

Obviously, the NRLW has a much shorter season than the NRL and the capacity to stage a series during their regular rounds is limited. However, it’s been some time since the state competitions have wrapped up, so players aren’t in any form or in optimum match conditioning. From a punters perspective, there’s minimal vibe because there’s no sense of who’s in line for selection.

With the Women’s Origin being staged as stand alone events, maybe some thought should be given to setting aside two weekends during the NRLW season for their series.

There must be better alternatives to the calendar as it currently stands.

Mitch Rein Retirement

There were no surprises this week when Mitch Rein announced that he was hanging up his boots.

Listeners to The Tip Sheet were aware of our suggestions that news around Mitch Rein was imminent. The veteran dummy half had been omitted from all team lists for an extended period and was not listed with any injury.

The announcement from Rein means that the Eels require at least two more signings or upgrades to finalise their Top 30. Let the speculation begin!

As for Rein, though he only played two NRL matches for the Eels, he can look back with pride on a career that includes 210 first grade games and 2 NSW Country caps.

We wish him well on his future endeavours.

An Extension or Four!

There’s some retention news out of PARRAdise with Daejarn Asi, Bailey Simonsson and Josh Hodgson extending their contracts till the end of 2024, and Matt Doorey inking a deal to the end of 2025.

Doorey’s management company posted photos of the contract signing on their social media earlier this month and the Eels have now confirmed his extension.

Doorey has played 11 NRL games this season and the local junior is highly regarded by the club. He’s about to turn 23 and played alongside Dylan Brown in the Eels elite pathways.

Daejarn Asi has emphasised his value to the club whilst capably deputising for Dylan Brown, and his capacity to play multiple backline positions could prove handy in the back end of the season.

A mutual option already existed for Josh Hodgson, so it was no surprise to see that triggered. Though currently injured, the English rake had found improved form and his off field contributions to the squad are frequently praised by the club.

Bailey Simonsson has proven to be a revelation at centre in 2023. A couple of games at centre in 2022 signalled that a switch from the wing might be on the cards, and his recent form has exceeded the expectations of many supporters.

We now await news on Bryce Cartwright and Wiremu Greig who are both keen to remain at the Eels. I’d suggest that their retentions would be highly regarded by the Blue and Gold Army.

Premiership Rings

Congratulations are extended to the Parramatta Eels for honouring the 1980s premiership players with special premiership rings last Saturday.

The celebration of those legends at a CommBank Stadium function prior to the clash with Manly was a huge success, and the players kicked on by firstly cheering the Eels to victory and then continuing their catch up back in Parra Leagues.

After speaking to a number of the players I have little doubt about how special the occasion and the rings were to them. Actually, it was like the old days back in the club with players enjoying a drink and mixing with the punters.

Personally, I always enjoy spending time with these blokes. They are humble and engaging to chat with and generous with their time. I’d especially like to thank David Liddiard for his impromptu appearance with Forty and I on our live podcast in Jacks Bar & Grill.

Please note, this was not the annual old boys day. The Blue and Gold Alliance (BGA) will be staging the official players reunion in early August, so supporters will have another opportunity to cheer on those who’ve proudly worn the Eels jersey.

 

Welcome Aboard To ATS Building Products

The Parramatta Eels have just announced a new multi-year partnership with ATS Building Products.

With their head office at Northmead being just a couple of minutes drive from CommBank Stadium, this company has its roots in Western Sydney and is a perfect fit for the Eels.

ATS is a leading supplier of construction timber and building materials and you can find out more about them here.

Welcome to the Blue and Gold family ATS!

 

Joey Grima

We recently wished Joey Grima farewell in a special edition of The Tip Sheet, and this was followed by a special tribute by the Eels at the Junior Reps Presentation night.

Joey has spent a lifetime at the Eels, 31 years to be precise, after starting his journey as a junior reps footballer. I’m not sure how the Eels will fill the huge void that he’ll leave, but I know that those connected with him are all excited for his future.

Here at The Cumberland Throw we are proud to call Joey a mate and are confident that he’ll play a huge part in creating rugby league history in Papua New Guinea.

Joey is now a week or so into the role of establishing PNG elite pathways systems as part of the impending bid for the NRL’s 18th franchise, but already huge steps are being taken.

Trials have commenced as part of the talent identification for 14s, 16s and 18s players in Port Moresby. Facilities are a long way from what we enjoy in Australia, but that doesn’t hinder the passion for the game. There are 68 schools in the city that participate in weekly rugby league.

Not only are large numbers of youngsters engaged in the trials, there are also huge crowds turning up to watch proceedings. The kids don’t all have jerseys or boots but that’s a measure of what they’re overcoming, not an indicator of what lies ahead.

We’ll keep you updated of any big news as it comes in.

Site Records

Since our launch in late 2015, The Cumberland Throw has enjoyed extraordinary growth.

In our first full season, 2016, we registered 277K site visits. Aside from the Covid impacted 2020, those visitor numbers have grown every year. In 2022, we hit over 695K.

I don’t want to predict a number for 2023, but I have no problem in declaring that it will be another record. Every month this year has set a new record, including a sensational 100K visits for March which exceeded the previous best March by over 38K.

Even a relatively quiet June with two scheduled Eels byes and no live TCT coverage of lower grades will still produce the highest June figures in our history.

A huge thank you to all of our followers and our partners.

We are honoured to be able to work with Parra Leagues in our coverage of Parra Juniors and Eels elite pathways football as well as presenting match day podcasts from Jacks Bar & Grill. PLC is truly the Home of the Eels.

Furthermore, partners such as Big Swing Golf Northmead and Starr Partners Auburn, Narellan and Parramatta make it possible for us to bring you year round content. Many people probably aren’t aware of the costs associated with a website which generates the traffic that we do. Needless to say, without our partners, we couldn’t do it.

Our next project will involve developing our YouTube platform. The Tip Sheet podcasts are available in audio format on our channel, but you can also access what will be a growing library of videos, including historical junior reps matches and future video interviews. Any subscriptions to our channel will be greatly appreciated.

Eels forever!

Sixties