Isaiah Iongi, the Eels 21 year old recruit from the Panthers, has commenced his preseason training at Kellyville.
Publicly touted as Parra’s successor to Clint Gutherson, supporters will be pleased to know that the former Queensland Under 19 fullback, and the 2023 NSW Cup fullback of the year, will now be officially staking his claims for the vacant Eels custodian position. Perhaps Joash Papali’i will make that more of a contest than many expected.
Starting today means that Iongi will get the best part of two weeks of training before the Christmas break. Members will therefore see him go through his paces this coming Saturday at Granville.
Isaiah Iongi (image credit Eels media)
On day one in PARRAdise, “Double I” was mostly involved in the on-field skills components. Like all players who have arrived since preseason has commenced, it appears that an “easing in” process is in place.
Please note, that’s only my observation and it’s not based on feedback from staff. However, it makes sense that new arrivals would not be expected to jump straight into the same loading as others who are in their fourth or fifth week of the preseason.
Talk about training conditions being poles apart! Whilst Friday was oppressively hot, today unfolded in cool, drizzly weather.
As per previous sessions, the backs and forwards were separated for skills work.
For the backs, it was all about kicking, either executing different types of attacking or territorial kicks, or fielding said kicks.
It’s apparent that every back is expected to be able to kick, and training time is dedicated to that end.
Simultaneously, the forwards drilled taking the ball into contact. Bumpers up, fends, whatever would help them bounce out of tackles.
The squad then came together for ball skills, and that sequence of drills culminated in a series of left side vs right side races. In teams of four, the players had to cover about 50 metres moving the ball from centre field to the wing, with the aim of getting their winger across the line first.
Opposed
I don’t think the players were placed on their usual sides or positions, after all it was only four in each team (though it was mostly wingers playing on the wing). That said, the competitiveness of the players came to the fore with each race victory noisily celebrated.
The squads then split into three teams of ten, pitching left sides against right sides as they rotated through drills which tested both attack and defence. This was followed by eight-a-side contact work through the ruck, with a focus on playing at pace and pushing up in support.
Eventually, the opposed work expanded to 13 on 13, with non stop kick chases. Early on, the kick was taking place very early in the set. Later, it was possibly four tackle sets. This meant that the team had to work through yardage, just as they would on match day.
My listed highlights are quite unfair, because they are based on players showing up in attacking opportunities rather than workhorse efforts.
Nonetheless, I will mention Arthur Miller-Stephen chiming in from a fullback type position and standing up his opponent with swerve and pace, Josh Addo-Carr’s anticipation and pace in fielding kicks, the elusive kick returns of Joash Papali’i, and a very powerful charge from Will Penisini in taking a hit up off the try line.
As extras were called, my time for standing in the rain was done.
Bring on Tuesday!
Eels forever!
Sixties
Thanks sixties.
There is a ‘different’ feel about your reports this year. But that is natural with a new coaching team, new signings, and turnover of players. It all seems to be coming together. Lack of speed cost us so many games in the past. I’m ‘waiting’ to see Lomax in your headlines! Must be soon….
Cheers Graz. Training is structured differently so I simply try to report what I’m seeing. I’m still trying to put the puzzle pieces together.
Gotta thank you, Sixties. You are whetting my appetite for kick off 2025. Go you mighty Eels.
Thanks McFersie. Interesting times ahead.
Let the JPap vs Ionghi competition begin!
Joash has been making a statement.
Woody it would be interesting to see. Both of them have an enormous amount of potential and very young. Hopefully we see young papali’i get his chance a few times next season. As sixties suggested, it would be great to possibly see him come on in a 14 role or something, the kids got talent and extremely good footwork and raw talent. Pretty exciting to see young players like this at our club.
I’m thinking that he will be gunning hard for the No.1 Jumper.
Ryles said no position is guaranteed and I’m not going to write him off.
True woody. And iongi is young, he will no doubt get hurt or lose confidence or something at some stage. Papali’i will get a chance likely. I wonder if Ryles will train Sean russel or Lomax there occasionally as a 3rd stop back up Incase both of the kids go down during the season. It’s highly possible with very young players getting first games of first grade. Especially at our club where the fullback truly has a hard job. Unless we reduce line breaks made against us in 25’.
Muz, at training, Joash strikes me as a very confident player. Whether that manifests on game day we will soon see. The 14 role I envisage would be that additional playmaker one that coaches have begun to use. But as I said, maybe Joash is aiming to make the fullback role his own? Due to the Panthers dominance, and Parra’s pursuit of him, we all knew a bit more about Iongi. It will be interesting to see him at work in opposed sessions.
Sixties that’s awesome and those Samoan young kids often have got the upbeat personality’s and a bit of confidence, but he seems to me like a future nrl player. Great to see iongi is there with us too now.
Joash in the 17 hoping. Was good to hear Ryles making competition for each position just as Iongi and Joash haven’t been guaranteed the 1 jumper.
He’s impressed so far, but now we’ll get to see more of Iongi. Interesting times ahead.
How’s Kelma looking sixties? Are we looking at another potentially great forward pick that ba grabbed? He looks to me like he has a lot of potential if we can tighten up his defence. Interesting to see if he improves again after the off season. We have a great track record under ba anyway of turning these project forwards into good nrl level forwards. His attack & line running last year was showing really good signs imo.
Muz, I see plenty to like about Kelma’s work in attack. Not only does he run great lines, he has a clever offload.
That’s great. I believe he might even have a break out year if he can stay healthy next season. We saw that this year when he got in some solid game time. I think I read in your reports his off loads at training led to a try. Is the fox training on the wing on his side of the field? That would make a deadly attacking side. Dylan brown, Kelma, whoever’s centre on that side, then the fox possibly on that wing? 🔥
Thanks for the update Sixties. You briefly mentioned A M-S in your report. I still can’t forget his debut in ‘23 against the Dragons when BA thankfully hooked him at half time (from memory). The fullback race seems to be between 2 names, so how is A M-S progressing? Is he a third contender or has he maxed his ability and will be classified as a worthy back up from the cup squad?
He was switched to the left wing at halftime to get him away from Ravalawa. I don’t think his debut was all bad.
He scored a try from memory
John, there were definitely elements to like, but as I replied to Marty Fagan, he had almost no NRL training sessions behind him, something like two weeks from memory.
That’s right John. He had damn Ravalawa to mark up on his Debut. Anyone’s going to struggle to stop that guy. Ams did good on his debut. Especially considering sixties said he had almost no nrl training behind him. I think sixities said previously ams was the fastest bloke at our club from memory.
Agreed John, I was at that game and he was raw; he will do well for another pre season and injury free yr. I dare say if he has a good run next yr he will be vying for a spot in 12 months. I like the kid
He’s a long way from reaching his potential. Don’t forget that when he debuted he’d barely had any NRL training sessions behind him. And then he missed all of last year. He’s learning so much in this preseason and has added to his frame. We’ll see how he progresses this season.
I believe we have not filled the whole RCG left us. The player we need the most improvement from imho is Wiremu, its 3 or more years since he debuted for the indigenous team, its shape up or ship out time. It does appear hes leaner this year but
i feel he lacks the leg speed to make a big impact, very happy if he turns it round.
Matt we have far superior backs next year and a few young forwards coking through. This will help us not rely as heavily solely on our props for go forward. I think we will be ok. Bulldogs had a small forward pack and were far superior to us in 2024 due to having a better balanced roster + better fitness & defensive systems it seems like.
Thanks Muz , you might be right with that. We certainly have good depth in the forwards and yes overall our backs are improved, exciting times.
It was announced on 2GB by Spiro that Lomax was playing in an Austag competition. Not a good look.
The team he played for was disqualified. Interested what JR has to say if true.
Hmmm.. I am honestly wondering ,like most of us , why Lomax hasn’t started the pre season with us.
He should be well and truly out of any mandatory leave stage.
It just seems very strange.
I believe he was due back on December 13 – this Friday.
Thanks mate
i dont begrudge him having time out. he had a very gruelling year, mentally
and physically, these performance and fitness coaches no how to get the balance right in regard to progress and regress.
By all reports Joash looks amazing on the training field with his attack and footwork but let’s not forget to be the fullback or even off the bench, defence is very important.
With 50 nsw cup games and an nrl game which he was great in, I think Iongi definitely is the heavy favourite to get the fullback spot.
Organising the defence line and positionial play and last line defence will be pivotal in deciding who gets the number 1.
I think Longi starts the season as fullback and Joash will battle with Ryley Smith for the bench spot.
Good points Tony. Iongi will be there as he is more overall developed. Papali’i will take more time to get all the smaller details refined. Our defence is typically poor and we will need a fullback who can voice where needed to organise the defence. I would love to see papali’i get thrown into the middle of the field late in a game when players get tired. This kid is a freak in terms of running the ball. No doubt he will grow other parts of his game with hard work and experience. Iongi comes from the best defensive system. He will have good inbuilt fundamentals.