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The Parramatta Eels are only 2-3 after 5 rounds in the NRL but the warning signs are clear as The Tip Sheet looks at where the Eels are letting themselves down. Sixties, Forty20 and Clint revisit the brutal loss to the Raiders before discussing the changes made by Brad Arthur for Round 6 – which just so happens to be Old Boys’ Day for the club.
There is some good news this week. The Lisa Fiaola, Harold Matthews and SG Ball squads are all in action in Week 1 of their respective finals series. Brent Read says the Eels are closing in on a Lomax announcement this week in another sliver of sunshine amidst the gloom right now.
Just how bad was the Dom Young high shot last round? Was it a send off? The boys discuss the mechanics of the tackle and why the right call was made…but why wasn’t similar discretion used back in Round 2 with Jarome Luai? Is Trent Robinson going too far in the defence of his team following this incident and the Leniu/Mam racial row earlier this year?
South Sydney and Latrell Mitchell find themselves in the headlines again following a brain explosion from the Rabbitohs’ fullback. Mitchell received a 3-week suspension for a nasty elbow strike on Shaun Johnson in a weak showing from the match review committee. Where does it leave the Bunnies as leaks threaten to sink the team and their coach?
Thanks for the podcast
A thoughtful podcast. And lucky we have the Bunnies as they are copping most of the flack for now. But another loss and the Eels will be the top story.
I’m perplexed by Sivo. I’m sure the coaching staff have worked with him but it does seem some issue with his mental approach. We’d all love to see him back to his best but I am afraid there maybe no comeback.
Lomax would be a good get but it does not address the glaring issue of back line depth. I of course live in hope there is a mighty turnaround and Parra restore some pride and get the two points. Otherwise as the unofficial reps of the club it will be another tough week. I won’t blame you if you ditch the socials and move to a place where no one has ever heard of Parra (I believe such a place is called Victoria). Look after yourselves gents.
Thanks Shaun. To be honest, John and I have had serious conversations about aspects of what we do recently. The timing of the Eels heavy loss, and the responses, made things a bit rough this week. Fortunately, we had the privilege of recording a really enjoyable podcast with Steve Georgallis today, and it genuinely re-charged the batteries
Hi guys, please can you explain for the laymen, on why Wayne Bennett would probably get the squad that he wants absolutely no doubt, and Bellamy would have the greatest influence in the squad that he desires at Melbourne, yet at Parramatta ba has very little, or no influence on the squad that he needs.
Thanks.
Hi guys, please can you explain for the laymen, on why Wayne Bennett would probably get the squad that he wants absolutely no doubt, and Bellamy would have the greatest influence in the squad that he desires at Melbourne, yet at Parramatta ba has very little, or no influence on the squad that he needs.
Thanks.
In other words when the media say that Bennett had built a good team at the dolphins, we all know his influence, but you guys are saying that at Parra that this isn’t Brad Arthur’s team.
Bill, I’m not sure what you are asking us to comment on. Different clubs have different recruitment processes.
What I’m saying us that you guys are making excuses for Arthur, saying he hasn’t been given the team he needs to compete, yet we all know that every head coach has the most influence in the roster, especially after 11 years.
It’s his team, his club. He lives and dies by the results. Absolutely no excuses.
There lots of excuses on TCT when it comes it involves BA. It’s part of and parcel when it comes this this forum, unfortunately, there won’t be much of a forum when BA is sacked by the club for missing the 8 again, because no coach would allow the access that these guys get.
Unfortunately we are a club in crisis.
1. Two signings over the summer .
2. Nsw cup coach has had two bad years and has gone from nz to West tigers roosters and has done nothing.
3. Many players in nsw cup really should be playing either sg ball or flegg . Pushing young players to fast through grades.
4. Jordan rankin and Josh hodgson are not coaches they need to leave the club. They will kill many young players careers . Who ever was coach for flegg last year bring them back
5. Sarantinos and oniel are not the correct people to run the club
6. Roster management is a joke .
Are we in crisis we are
That’s quite a list of complaints. There is one thing that I’ll agree with and that is our roster – as it pertains to recruitment. I wrote last year that the club needed to seriously examine its processes because it wasn’t working.
Adding insult to injury to the shellacking at Canberra was the fact that Nathan Brown was the best player on the park besides DCE against Penrith.
Its all between the ears at the moment. No one is running like they want to get through a brick wall.
Hooker needs to provide more threat to take some pressure off our halves.
Let’s not go back over Nathan Brown. With respect to Nathan he struggled for the last two years of his time at Parra. Firstly due to injury, and then his form. He was then unwanted at the Roosters. I’m glad for him that he’s seemed to rediscover the old Nathan at Manly.
Quite simply, the players didn’t perform against the Raiders after a poor game against the Tigers. I agree that’s between the ears. But there is the concern that there are few selection options when form drops off.
Just seems BA is painting himself into a corner with non selection of a promising halfback.
A halfback played origin and best junior player award last year. Someone who is an organiser, kicker and trained in that position with the top grade. Allegedly told would be next in line?
Yet, picked Blaize out of position, who hadn’t trained or played in that position recently. As was playing fullback.
Didn’t Nathan Brown provide a report on favourites amongst other things?
The rumours circulating was negotiations broke down and Sanders reps left the meeting with so called football department? Is this the real reason Sanders isn’t selected? Is this the glimpse into the football department and the problems across the grades? Where there’s smoke there’s fire.
The only remedy is winning. But that only glosses over the cracks and structural problems remain.
That Nathan Brown review had nothing to do with the senior grades.
Blaize and Ethan Sanders were not in the Senior grades then. Who is to say that Ethan hasn’t been blocked because of soured negotiations?
That review sheds a light into the rumours about how juniors are delt with by the football department. Its happening to juniors then who’s to say other questionable business practices aren’t happening in the senior grades. Perhaps this is why we cannot attract players.
It begs the question. Doesn’t it?
Sixties, I haven’t gone back again to listen to your last interview with MON, but I do recall thinking at the time that it instilled me with little confidence or hope that the roster gaps would be filled. More a case of its a tough market, involving any number of factors, we’re doing our best type of thing. That can’t be the outcome year on year, particularly when a couple of recent recruits such as Momoisea and Murchie have been moved on ahead of their contract time and others are filling top 30 spots when they will never be considered for first grade. I’m not having a go at Harper, but he can’t possibly have been seen as such a coup by R&R that he was our major (only) back signing for the year. Its obvious that there are issues in R&R that are not being addressed and if the incumbent can’t sort it out then get someone in who can, pronto. BA isn’t/shouldn’t be immune to criticism but at least give him some options that a full squad would.
Our top 17 should be good enough for finals football, but those problems around injury or suspension are even worse when players are out of form. A coach needs options for all contingencies. BA hasn’t had that since 2022.
Yep, defending the Brad once again because it’s not he’s team right. Maybe we need a coach who could demand the players he wants then. Do you think Wayne Bennett isn’t going to have the most influence in the team he gets ?
Unbelievable
So true, we lost something like 7 players from the GF roster, and they were replaced by second tiers and could be’s.The depth in th etc club is actually the worst I have seen, and that’s for over 50 years.
When decisions are made seemingly to fit players in a pre determined cap number , then that becomes an issue. The juniors are being pushed up which is fine, but without the sort of experienced and close to NRL standard support they should have. Think the whole recruitment strategy has been the reason for thedecline in the last 2/3 years and really needs a shake up and new personnel to refocus and regenerate the club. There’s really no escaping that in any conversation.
If the coach can’t influence recruitment then he has no place in the club.