You gotta love Mondays.
That was the message for Eels tragics with big guns Mitch Moses, RCG and King Gutho returning to work at Kellyville.
Both Mitch and Reg looked in good order as they hit the field, but Gutho still has some rehab in store as he continues his journey from the late season knee injury. The club has reported that the King hopes to start running before Christmas.
RCG
There was less conditioning and more skills work during the session, though running mechanics and sprints were featured.
Most supporters already understand that Mitch Moses is fast, very fast. On his first morning back in training, the star half was burning up the turf during the sprints.
Actually, it’s probably inaccurate to describe his running style in such a way. He almost floats just above the grass as he hits top pace.
Moses stretches out
Ethan Sanders also caught the eye. He is much bigger than the traditional half back size, but he’s not short on speed.
As far as the forwards are concerned, their style may not be as “pretty”, but is there any greater sight than a big man striding out?
To that end, they don’t come much bigger than Wiremu Greig. Woody is one of the most awkward conveyances you could watch, and Trent Elkin probably grimaces as the man mountain’s arms and legs defy anything you’d see in the coaching manual.
However, the rising prop was one of the forward standouts.
The other middles to impress with their pace were Ky Rodwell and Toni Mataele. And it’s fair to describe their form as more conventional than Woody!
Outside of the running mechanics, the rest of the session put the focus on footy.
The forwards began with draw and pass drills and transitioned later into defence line movement and coordination.
Skills were a feature of the session
Conversely, the backs began with defensive movements and decisions, before working on their play the ball and passing skills.
Simultaneously, the halves were taken out of their group to work with Baz and Jordan Rankin. They honed their skills around the ruck with Baz and Jordan Rankin, including ruck skills and options, passing
The forwards then spent time in passing drills with Baz. grid passing drills with Baz.
To sum up Monday – ball work and defence. I sense that they can look forward to a heavier conditioning load on Wednesday and Friday.
Update On Missing Players
A detailed injury update has been provided by the Eels. The following players are yet to return to training, with the injuries as below:
Junior Paulo – surgery on a toe. Due back in January
Daejarn Asi – surgery on an injured finger tendon. Will be ready to play in the new year. (I’d expect to see him running at training soon.)
Makahesi Makatoa – already reported as being in rehab due to injury. It’s been clarified as a pec injury and he’s not expected to be able to fully train until the new year
Arthur Miller-Stephen – will not be seen in 2024 due to a serious knee injury requiring surgery
NRL and NRLW Draw Reaction
Firstly, the NRLW draw is much fairer to the Eels than previous seasons.
In the three seasons that the Eels have competed in the NRLW, the Eels have rarely been allocated home matches. In 2023, there were only two matches played at CommBank Stadium out of a nine round season.
Next season they start off with a tough away schedule, but then have four of the last five games at home. This includes two games at CommBank Stadium (including one stand alone fixture) and two clashes at Eric Tweedale Stadium at Granville (their training venue).
There’s much to sort out in terms of the coaching and roster at the Eels after a wooden spoon season. However, if the team can jag a couple of early results, the run home looks favourable.
I’m not sure when the Eels will ever get a favourable NRL draw. If only they were as blessed as the Sharks who year upon year get kissed you know where when the season is announced.
There is some good news.
Starting the season with the Bulldogs, Panthers, Manly and Tigers isn’t the worst outcome. Having all bar that Panthers game at CommBank should be an advantage.
Likewise, finishing the regular rounds with the Dragons and the Tigers is also favourable.
Obviously, it’s what’s in-between that the Eels must rise to overcome.
There’s the now usual collection of playing teams that are coming fresh off a bye. However when it comes to Parramatta’s byes we can’t complain as much about next year. Unlike 2023, the Eels won’t be required to play in every Origin impacted round. As a reminder, Parra were the only club expected to play without their Origin players in all three of those rounds.
What about five day turn arounds? The Eels have the equal most with three, but the devil is in the detail and he’s wearing only the lightest shade of red.
Between Round 13 and Round 18, the Eels play the Sharks, Bulldogs, Roosters, Knights and Rabbitohs. The five day turn arounds are before the Sharks, Roosters and Rabbitohs fixtures.
Compensating for that run of turn arounds is a ten day break between playing the Sharks and the Dogs, and a bye between the Roosters and the Knights, resulting in a 14 day spell.
Truth be known, the players prefer playing to training, so they might just enjoy the five day weeks in which they probably only train once, compared to the longer lead ins.
Finally, when it comes to the strength of the opponent, the Eels sit in the top half dozen clubs for toughest draw.
As usual they play the Panthers twice (hello rivalry beat up), as well as having home and away matches against the Storm, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs and Roosters. That’s six very tough opponents across twelve games.
In fact, when it comes to games against the 2023 top four, the Eels will get seven matches out of a maximum eight!
The only poorly performing opponents that the Eels face twice are the Tigers and Bulldogs.
Pundits will rightly say that they only face four of the 2023 finalists once – the Sharks, Knights, Warriors and Raiders. However, three of those matches are away from home, with only the Sharks fronting up at CommBank Stadium.
We should also note that the Eels will be playing the Dolphins in Darwin. Though it’s not the worst case scenario of the Cowboys or Broncos, it’s obvious that the NRL and broadcast partners will now be selecting Queensland opponents for that round.
As an aside, the Eels had requested the Storm for that game. Though Melbourne are literally stacked with Queenslanders themselves, you couldn’t get an opponent as far away from the tropics as them!
Finally, the days and times for home fixtures are quite reasonable. Nobody likes a Thursday night game, and the Eels get two of those at CommBank. For mine, the trade off is that there are no 6pm Friday fixtures at home. Overall, that’s a plus.
Final Word
The NRL draw will never be fair. It’s impossible to achieve because clubs don’t get to face every other team twice.
What we do see is similar teams, year on year, getting either the benefit of a kind draw. Likewise, there are others that regularly get the rough end of the pineapple.
All that aside, and playing devils advocate, it has been said to me that the top teams rarely comment on the draw. Yes, there are sides that might qualify for finals footy or earn a higher finish at the end of the regular season due to a favourable draw, but the cream usually rises to the top.
As far as the Eels are concerned, the 2024 draw isn’t ideal, but it’s an improvement on 2023.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Thats a shame for AMS. Still nothing on JJBM is concerning.
The silence on the front speaks volumes. All signs point to jjbm moving on as parra didn’t give him a real pathway (like stefano).
Also, we need a centre and Michael gabrael (formerly our gun junior) is now part of the dogs top 30 but has no likely pathway into the dogs backline with Xerri, Kiraz, fox, chrichton, Blake Wilson all in front of him. Has parra ever signed a young gun from another club or do we only shop for 24 and above discards?
These updates are getting more n more exciting. Thankyou
I like the running style of Mitch’s!⚡️
I imagine gutho will itching to be out with the boys..to make sure no one takes the lead.🥵
Was wondering if he was in rehab alone but looks from the update there are a few other boys in there🤕
The preseason can be busy in rehab. Not so much from major injuries, but rather managing workloads. They prevent niggles from developing into something more.
How is Dunster going with his sprinting. I really hoo he gets back that end of 2021 form.
I didn’t really notice to be honest. When there’s over 30 players in different drills around the track, you can’t always take everything in.
I like a Friday 6pm game it’s easier to get my son in bed and up to play footy the next day early.
No body likes a Thursday bring back Monday night footy..
I reckon the dislike for Thursday fixtures is something most supporters agree on.
I don’t know – for those who live close enough to Parramatta, a home Thursday game is pretty good – doesn’t mess with the list of other things to do over the weekend.
Yeah I have to jump in here; Thursday night is ridiculous for many fans; as coming home from work and then going to Parra for an 8 pm time game? If i was retired / or didnt work then fine but No way and let alone kids or not many young ones would be attending.
I am only looking at day games / Saturday games for myself as even Friday evening is not the best but hey I am only a fan….
Longfin, I’m a local and unaffected by Thursday night games. However, I recognise that the Eels have a large number of fans who travel for games, let alone those that have kids. Thursday night games are problematic when it comes to finishing times due to travel, work or school on Fridays. The draw at the start of last season was awful in that regard. There were those with full season tickets who missed up to three games – or around a quarter of the scheduled home fixtures. It felt even worse because it fell as a sequence early on.
When they are charging $279 for 1 adult and 1 child to sit right up in the corner of the stadium for one game, that’s just not on (yes it did happen – was one of the last home games this year). And that’s despite the stadium being barely half full. There are bigger issues at play here than just Thursday night games. If the price point, start time and marketing were spot on these games would easily sell tickets. I was going to take my son to that game, but not at that price!
Any thoughts on whether we might look at Curtis Scott? Off field drama aside, would he be worth a roll of the dice if the NRL let him return? I thought we were looking at him a few years ago before he went completely awol.
He was going to be a recruit until things went south. It’s very quiet in that regard now.
The five day turn arounds are before the Sharks, Roosters and Rabbitohs fixtures – these are normally top 8 teams so not easy.
Compensating for that run of turn arounds is a ten day break between playing the Sharks and the Dogs, and a bye between the Roosters and the Knights, resulting in a 14 day spell – so we have a break before we play the weaker teams.
Is there a bias here as it certainly looks so! Thanks NRL (for nothing).
Knights finished above the Rorters.
Glenn, the Sharks are continually blessed. I can’t work that aspect out.
Does anyone know what type of knee injury Gutho has?
AMS out for season – seems our backs depth is going to be tested again.
It’s not an ACL but I can’t recall what it was – and if you remember he was playing with the injury late in the season and had the op when the season was over. Hes expecting to be running before Christmas which is a great sign.
Thanks mate. Just hope it doesn’t slow him down.
If he is running by xmas surely it isnt season ending?
Look, the ins and outs of the draw do not overly bother me if they are consistent, but they are not. You only need to look at Brisbanes amount of homes games in the first part of the season.
I feel as though the club is hoping a youngster comes up to compete for the centre role too and we only wish this occurs; but it comes back to poor roster management in who they signed to mult iyr deals (some forwards) which has now left us short in quality outside backs; if we were able to off load one or two forwards then it would be different.
I would also love to hear from M O’Neill and also James Shepherd about retention and the junior pathways – that would be interesting.
Milo, I’m currently working on the date of our annual podcast with Mark. There will be questions that we will ask, but I don’t expect him to declare that they are trying to offload any players. If that’s occurring, the last thing any club would do is to name anyone as being on the chopping block.
As I’ve written on the topic, I’ll ask about recruitment. As for juniors, you can understand Sanders intent on moving. He sees Parra’s halves locked in at a time when he’s ready to push for NRL time. Did we make mistakes in handling that? I believe so. But my greatest disappointment is losing the player just named as the outstanding PJRL player for 2023. Lachie Metcalfe is a 15 year old Wenty half who, from an age perspective, would be ready for NRL as Moses career winds up. He caught my eye playing in the development squad and all of the feedback I had put him as one out of the box. Footy isn’t an exact science. Maybe he won’t progress. But if he does it won’t be with us. And because he has linked with a rival NRL club, he will also be lost to his junior club.
An interesting question for Mark O’Neil would obviously be the issue the club has in retaining its own juniors, strictly those that have played for local clubs and then into junior reps. Is it purely financial , or do our competitors show better pathways and support.
Lachie , Ethan and others have left with some returning later,, but do we need to do better in this space given it’s a recurring problem.