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A quickfire turnaround from Round 14 sees Forty20 and Clint spring into action for the News and NRL podcast. The Tip Sheet takes a final once over at the loss to the Bulldogs before looking at the headlines for the Eels this week.
Junior representatives are the big ticket news piece with NSW schoolboy and schoolgirl squads picked cross the Combined Catholic Colleges, Combined High Schools and Combined Independant Schools. Parramatta are well represented across the board and it doesn’t end there with Matt Arthur, Sam Tuivaiti, Lindsay Tui and Ryvvr-Lee Alo all earning selection for NSW in Under 19s Origin across both the male and female games.
The NRL Round recap reviews some big blowouts before a serious development surrounding the future of Tom Flegler dominates discussions. Brandon Smith and Lachlan Galvin could both be leaving their current clubs but for very different reasons as the show looks at the stories swirling around bouth players.
In an earlier comment I listed those, now departed who gave our forwards a formidable reputatation : Ray Stone, Manu Mau, Ken Edwards, the young Junior Paulo, Brown. Of course, I left out Marata and Isiah. When you think about it it’s a lot of departures with replacement by a different type of player. Back in the Smith era we had the reputation of being a very professional side that didn’t know how to scrap for a win. My opinion is that we’re back in that territory.
Gday Noel, I agree.
And also Stone was very under rated in his efforts.
And A lot of ppl have mentioned that we don’t have the aggressiveness in the forward pack anymore.
I believe Marata & papali’i leaving, and Reed.
Was a much more significant loss for our team & us fans than we would have liked to realise at the time.
We haven’t had a solid dummy half since Reed left.
Marata had the aggression that our other second rowers don’t have.
Reed defended like a workhorse in the middle, and had great service.
The eels haven’t replaced those players if we are being completely honest.
Obviously outside backs & depth are an issue.
But many people fail to realise we lost a lot of great players.
And none of the replacements have been close to as good as them.
In many teams they often replace players with someone as good or better than the old players they let go.
It seems like we significantly downgraded & bought cheap (bad) players as replacements.
It’s honestly been sad for us parra fans.
Let’s hope a new coach, maybe (new head of football), can improve us.
The only bottle neck I can see is that if it’s actual Eels higher ups that are contributing to the issue.
If they are tight asses and stubborn – them our recruiting and budget allocation towards newer or better players may still run along the lines of a buy cheap player’s philosophy.
If that is still the same mindset moving forward – we will be lucky to improve significantly.
With any luck new coaches will insist on a new change of direction.
And hopefully our board supports them.
Looking at our current predicament i would lean toward McDermott.
We need someone who can work with the current HOF because it’s clear he is dead wood that has petrified himself into his chair.
Experienced at setting up from scratch. Because face it we need a new beginning- see Toronto Wolfpack.
Experienced winner as player and coach- Granted Super League is different but it’s better than nothing.
Accountability- he holds players accountable and doesn’t have them over for dinner.
Defence minded. He doesn’t ignore that part of the game.
Just my opinion. I’ll get behind whoever is selected. But I’d say we need a strong leader with strong experience as coach.
McDermott would need some very smart assistants with him. McDermott with Hannay as assistant might work. Or Hannay outright with an experienced assistant.
But it doesn’t matter if the front office isn’t fixed. We need a new and experienced HOF (at the least) before I can ever feel confident about direction of club. A new coach is window dressing until that happens.
Instead of the club celebrating how much money it makes how about it bloody uses a small portion of it to recruit a top HOF. That would be much better than persisting with the muppet that has presided over some of the most negligent roster construction you will see in your life as a parra supporter.
You are spot on Ron.
I think Hanay is potentially very good too. Is he right for now? Is the key question. I think he’s capable as shown with Qld and his Sharks input hes very hands on in both roles.
I think McDermott would not be afraid to appoint assistants that are possibly better than himself and not feel threatened by them.
Ryles, has been mentioned a lot. He’s definitely been around winning systems for last 10 years. Seems anointed as next assistant inline.
Unless the board clears out the HOF and restructures the so called football department we are in for years of pain.
If I’m Hanay or Ryles I would be very cautious. As going into season after season with incomplete rosters, lowballing and bargain basement recruitment will end badly for them.
As I said I’ll get behind whoever is appointed. They need to be able to attract players.
Hi Pete, that’s the possible issues I see too.
If Ryles or Hannay come in to do due diligence.
They see the bargain hunting & low quality player buying philosophy and no evidence of the club expressing they are willing & open to change their ways.
It’s hard to imagine these guys would be even fully confident taking the job.
Ryles definitely won’t sign the contract if the club can’t agree on committing to filling the roster and cleaning out the roster.
Hannay will have good people in his inner circle too.
If these individuals can foresee the club potentially not giving them the resources they need to succeed.
It’s likely they will be extremely hesitant.
If us nobody’s on a football blog can see the writing on the wall of how much of a basket case our recruiting & head of football is.
You can only imagine the thoughts & discussions people like Ryles or Hannay would be having.
I’m of the belief it’s almost coaching suicide for Ryles or Hannay…
If our club doesn’t agree to change their ways for them.
Imagine if the club is still short rostered next year AND doesn’t clean out our old players?
We would be even worst than this year and last year with our forwards being even older.
That could be an absolute disaster for a new head coach to try to navigate!
Hannay & McDermott together would be an exciting prospect for us eels fans. 🤞
Hey fellas,
I think Mc D would be a great suit possibly too with a good assistant coach.
The only issues I identity which many individuals are failing to mention.
The issues may start much higher than HOF, Mon, or BA for example.
Generally in organisations the issues from the top in almost every situation.
There’s an actual employment / recruitment philosophy on penny pinching that goes back for many years.
The idea that a new coach or HOF will suddenly be given the reigns to splash cash on top talent like Roosters, Penrith, or even bulldogs do.
It’s extremely unlikely.
We have been a notoriously conservative team in regards to recruiting for a long period of time.
We do not even go after big if name players 9/10.
Even if we have cap space and a roster that isn’t filled.
We have signed probably 1 good back in years in several Lomax.
He also probably too unders because at that time he hadn’t played state of origin yet – and wasn’t clearly identified as a true elite back to sign by other clubs yet at that time.
I hope we are wrong, I hope the board & execs prove us all wrong.
But generally (coming from a business background).
You see it time and time again the enterprise can’t outgrow its leadership.
Core value’s & philosophy’s come from above the individuals most people blame.
It’s most likely not as simple as sack Mon & Ba.
The clubs got a very long history of being tight fisted and notoriously act like bargain hunters.
The financial rewards (allegedly) even come in the form of bonuses for HOF, etc, if they save money on the budgets for recruiting.
Now this is a direct conflict of interest for the actual NRL team’s success.
The clubs evidently
(and almost all of us can see it)
Placed the importance of short term financial goals and “club monetary success”
Above actual football success in the NRL.
The actual leadership of the club would have to do a full 180.
How many times have you seen CEO’s and clubs or companies executives.
Change & do a full 180?
Rarely ever.
I hope I am wrong.
But In my years of doing business and studying it.
It’s extremely rare to see people turn things around with the same people controlling the organisation.
Especially if they do not take accountability themselves.
Because when they blame other people and use them as scape goats.
Usually nothing ever changes.
Look at the tigers.
It didn’t matter what coach or player they employed for over a decade.
The rot started at the time and no person could change their luck.
It could take them years now to climb out of it.
But the previous administration / head leaders.
Were always the issue.
No amount of coaches or new players can fix it completely if the Rot is at the top.
Let’s hope the eels can do a 180.
Let’s see if they can start filling rosters and no more big slow or old players.
And let’s hope our new coach and (hopefully)…
New signings in next 1-2 years make a significant impact.
If that doesn’t work?
Then we can refer back to this comment here I made.
Because then it will be clear where the real issue lays.
And i strongly believe the issue is much deeper than HOF & BA.
The club CEO etc, is the one who’s money obsessed and thinks more about their financial success.
Then the actual NRL team’s success.
A fish rots from the head. So that being said culture and outcomes are driven top down mostly. Some rare occasions 2009, it was player lead (JH).
In April, the board did ask Bennett to be coaching director he refused and BA when interviewed said he didn’t want someone holding his hand.
The board must have identified an issue with the football department. Then they lost patience after BAs 50th blow out loss. Moving at glacial speed it was already too late for Bennett. He was always going to Souths- see Dodds signing.
I still think the board lacks football know how and is way too slow in making decisions. The HOF is part of this slow and rigid decision making. A lot needs to change if we are going to turn this ship around.
McDermott has coached Mon before…
So true Pete
– I remember that now mate with BA saying doesn’t need someone to hold his hand
You are right the Fish rots from the head and so does each organisation.
In 09 we had the best player in the comp Hayne to carry us there so to speak didn’t we.
The Eels back then should have gone after Bennet with big money.
Like you said, the problem is we are slow.
Also, we don’t like to pay overs especially to individuals who are outside of the organisation.
An example would be that Matto, lane, Paulo, are all on way too much and are well past their best.
But even if those players were in their prime now (at another club )
We would not sign them for what they are on now.
We would low ball them or offer limited years on contracts.
Meanwhile over paying om dead weight due to loyalty to undeserving players in our own team.
We would be too conservative in paying, and too slow to move, to get Bennett.
It’s unfortunate mate, but we simply don’t bet on ourselves to succeed.
Even if you look at players we do sign.
They are other clubs junk they do not want.
Lomax was also told early this year or in ore season – he could look for another club if he wasn’t happy.
Just lucky he is actually playing good, for our future benefit.
But our club, top to bottom, doesn’t actually try to win a premiership.
All the Decision making is about penny pinching …..
Or they’ll only sign big contracts due to the fear of losing a key player like Moses or brown (in the past).
It sucks being negative about a club we all love.
But the reality is anyone who understands football properly knows we don’t have any chance of winning a competition.
Possibly for a very very long time (yet to come).
You simply can’t win a premiership with a weak roster.
You definitely also cannot win it with having absolutely zero depth.
The club is kidding themselves if they honestly believe you can win a premiership.
Without the Human Resources.
Even if we play good full strength,
We have absolutely zero depth.
All it takes is 1-2 injuries to a half or a fullback.
And our club can’t win a game.
That is not a club who can honestly expect to win a premiership.
Let’s hope they read these conversations we write one day.
Because then us stupid fans who aren’t even coaches can identify how stupid this organisation is in terms of recruiting & retention.
Hi Muz,
Huge mistakes have been made in recruitment. Out bidding ourselves in most cases.
We payed overs for Matto a bench player that had one good period just before the contract was being done.
Lane has only had one good season as edge. Yet we let Papalli walk a Dally M backrower of the year?
Bennett would never spend big money on prop forwards we’ve got over $1.2M tied up in two props.
Guthos contract negotiations are always embarrassing and poorly carried out….
I mean the list goes on. How does HOF keep his job?
I know what u mean Pete.
Let’s hope with a new coach or with whatever happens.
The Hof & front office learns some lessons from this steep decline.
Because it’s evident the processes & decision making they have been following for years.
It’s clearly not working in the best interests of the NRL team in terms of maximising their chances success.
What’s a big red flag tho I thought mate:
Our CEO etc said they believe we have the roster to win a comp?
This also backs up my observations which most people are over looking – but I believe I am spot on.
This issue is deeper than the head of football or blaming BA entirely.
The actual leaders of our club believe the football team has the talent & roster to win a comp.
This is evidently far from being true.
And even if our clubs leaders didn’t want to say
“no, we don’t believe we have the roster to do it”
They could of simply stated “we believe we have talented players who can take us there, what’s probably held us back us injuries and not enough depth to fill in those key positions during certain periods.”
Something like that.
But instead they didn’t take any accountability.
They simply stated they believe we have the players to win a competition.
Either they are delusional or simply lying – to cover their own assess for having a paper thin roster with zero depth of back up quality players.
Also big props to Matt Arthur, I hope he plays well in origin.
We will need him in our eels first grade team soon.
Hope he can continue staying healthy & playing well.
Boods, Guymer, and Hopgood are the future forwards of our club if we can keep them all.
I believe: Jnr, RCG, lane, matto, makatoa.
Could be all on the move in the not too distant future.
Iif we get a new coach (if) they decide to clean out our roster of ageing forwards, and opt for more mobile & younger players moving forwards.
I’ve watched the Dogs’ winning try a few times and Crichton definitely goes straight at Brown on the outside shoulder and makes decent contact, he just takes him out. Brown was no certainty to stop the try but he would have been a certainty to get into the area of the try, he is a renowned scrambler. Also Russell stays near the play such that the winger had to position himself pretty flat to create a channel for the pass.On video the pass looks forward. Also the winger runs outside the field and it’s hard to tell on the side-on view whether he catches the pass before re-entering the field. On the day, Kayo didn’t offer front on replay after Cooper Cronk (I think) questioned where the winger’s feet were.Gutho probably had a case to blow up, but we had our chances.
BDon, all that is true they were so fast to move on with awarding the try and as you say No front on replay.
BDon it was an obstruction plain and simple. I’ve never seen a play where a defender has been knocked to the ground (and several metres backwards) where they haven’t looked at what happened. It defies belief that the bunker did not call that a no try. You just cannot run into the line and knock a defender over as Crichton did.
I have heard that Barrett is now close to the leading contender for the top job. Would the club seriously be that stupid ?
We don’t need a coach who is one of the ‘mates’ of the players but it comes as no surprise that the playing group are apparently pushing hard for him.
Whilst I respect the knowledge and ability of Trent Barrett, appointing him to take over the Eels would just send us further into the oblivion and cement us as the club where standards don’t matter and if you have a go – well that’s good enough.
It will become a haven for players seeking an easy ride from a coach who is willing to be a mate whilst the players who are seeking excellence and trophies will stay away in plague proportions.
You think it’s hard for the Eels to recruit now ? You try selling a Trent Barrett led club to a young hungry player looking for success.
What a shambles.
After the Bennett pursuit we will literally go from the penthouse to the shit house.
The best advice to the club is to listen to the players at the Eels and then do exactly the opposite.
We need a coach to give them a bloody good kick in the rear and a reality check.
We have already had a coach that went to bat for them and covered for them and they let him down.
The very last thing they don’t need a ‘good mate ‘ coach.
I seen this apparently Fox says Barrett us fav for next year coach.
Why? Apparently a lot of the players like him / approve of him 🙄
The team doesn’t need another “mate” as their coach
We need some hard ass leadership coming in – no buddy buddies
No offence to baz – but I think the eels need a hard coach – discipline and strong STANDARDS demanded kinda like Melbourne or something
I don’t know why some people want Hannay who’d done nothing to show he can be successful as a head coach of one of the biggest clubs, besides sit next to BILLY
Fox is reporting Barrett might be our next head coach
I am a Fan of Baz as a person and I wish him all the best working for us
But in no way do I want him as our head coach next year – I have met him and he is a gentleman
I support him this year
But all of us Eels Fans want a strong new coach that is hard and will set a new standard
If the club keeps Sean lane, keeps Paulo on big money, keeps matto, signs barret as head coach for 25-26’
Honestly gentlemen – this could be a recipe for a wooden spoon
I hope that history isn’t repeating itself and we are turning into a big fat mess 🌪️
Am I missing something?
Do you agree this could possibly spell disaster?
Not just the coach staying – but some of those players mentioned too.
I feel like Barrett is a good man and doing a decent job.
i strongly disagree with us signing another buddy biddy coach who most likely won’t be aggressive enough in rebuilding the club’s standards & roster
I do support baz – but it’s hard for me imagining him just cleaning our roster out and aggressively making power moves like a new head coach (may) do who’s from outside parra?
My biggest take away from the possibility of Trent Barrett is simply this … Will the team with Trent Barrett as head coach be able to attract the kind of recruits we require moving forward ?
I almost choked on my cornflakes this morning reading that Lachie Galvin is a special to go to the Panthers.
Damn they have absolutely no problem in recruiting players.