I spent a bit of time trying to decide how to write this session up.
One of the first decisions is always how to report on what the team is doing that isn’t giving anything away in terms of intellectual property of the Eels coaching team, and to ensure I’m not divulging a point of difference of season preparation that informs other teams.
The reality is that these reports are read by people outside the fan base. At different times over more than a decade, information from my reports has been quoted or referred to by journos in mainstream media, mostly uncredited, and also used in content creation by some social accounts – with a mix of crediting.
I aim for a balance of being informative with a fan base, with the reality that most teams including the Eels train at community accessible locations, so any eyes could watch field sessions and there are usually a couple of open training sessions during the preseason. In other words, it’s impossible for teams to be highly secretive in their field preparations.
My writing goal is to think of a way to present each report that differs in some way to the day before, or to previous reports. After all there are similar drills that happen every day, so I need to look for any variations, be it a drill taken to another level, or individual efforts.
Let’s begin with Fridays.
As stated in the title, for me as an observer, Friday is defence day. Don’t get me wrong. Defence is a huge part of every session. It just seems to ramp up a bit at the end of the week. Arguably, it’s the biggest session of the week anyway as it’s followed by two days of rest.
It’s always concluded by the squad changing into match jerseys for contact work. Makes sense to drill technique wearing game gear.
So I’m going to jump straight to this session’s conclusion. The group was split into two for this part, with half doing conditioning and the other half working with the coaches on defence technique. A swap was then done so that the coaches could give more feedback to a small group each time.
Like last year, the early part of the preseason focussed on improving the tackling technique of individuals. Today’s work was scaffolded from shoulder contact through to grip and drive, to full collision and finally winning dominance in a one on one stationary position.
The bump pads were in use and big gym mats were in place to cushion the impact of the full collision one on one tackles. But there was no denying that some players have a technique that would bruise that little bit more.
I have to mention some hits by Luca and Hoppy at this point. I do so because I wasn’t the only person watching and there were references to the likely discomfort of being on the receiving end of their tackles.
Hoppy looks primed
Earlier in the session the focus had been on the non-contact technical aspects – footwork, lateral mobility, spacing, defence line movement as a team, and of course communication. So across the morning, there was a full picture of what the coaches work on with the Eels defence.
As everyone can witness in every round in a season, the teams that defend well have good systems, good movement and positioning of individuals and the team, good decision making and ultimately good tackle execution.
To that end, even the conditioning drills incorporated the defence movement of the group.
On that conditioning theme, there seems to be a bit more straight line running this preseason, even to the point of different demands on different players. It could be position related, the result of Broncos testing, when players returned, or maybe just my imagination?
As far as that is concerned, I’m going to repeat a player’s name. J’maine Hopgood absolutely smashed the straight line conditioning in this session. Given what I noted during the specific defence contact work, it felt like this was a session where he was going to make a statement.
Defence and conditioning weren’t the only focus areas in a huge morning session. The players were in groups over the two fields during different periods, with even some in rehab running (very common during any preseason), and there were multiple drills occurring simultaneously making it near impossible to take note of everything.
The halves were honing their kicking skills using two sets of goal posts on adjoining fields in an innovative way. They also provided some of the kicks for the catching practise for the outside backs.
Nathan Brown continued his coaching of the dummy halves and the forwards for that fast type of forward play that is becoming prevalent in the NRL.
Various types of passing drills and opposed work/touch footy in small spaces filled the morning. The games, like last preseason, are either played under fatigue or used to create fatigue.
In the NRL, being able to make good decisions under fatigue is a skill in itself.
There we have it. Two weeks of pre-season training already behind us.
Bring on next week.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Have you got any updates on AMS, Tago and players like De Stradis, Neemia, Spencer who are too old for JF?
Always forget to mention on my comments, but I appreciate the insight you give the fan ban.
I saw Dom De Stradis is headed to Redcliffe. World Gym Rouse Hill posted it last night farewelling him.
I’m disappointed that the Eels couldn’t find a place for Dom.
Dom had potential to be like Briton Nikora which I recon would suit Moses more than any other backrower in the comp. A quick and hope running backrower.
I believe AMS and Tago are off contract and I haven’t heard of any renewals
I hope we kept Damascus. We let a lot of middle depth go in Greig, Parker, Keir,Joe O, Carty, Lane who all spent time in the middle.
He was a different sought of body shape and ran hard.
I rate T Brown, Ryda, Popo more than him. Can’t see a spot for him in cup so he would need to leave for better opportunity
Including bench you are going to use 5 or 6 middles so there might be a place for him yet. He looked good in patches last year.
Let’s just create a team list to assess depth.
Nrl:
1. Iongi
2. lomax
3. Penisini
4. Russel
5. JAC
6. Pezet
7. Moses
8. Paulo
9. Smith
10. Hopgood
11. Kautoga
12. Williams
13. JDB
14. TDS
15. Moretti
16. Tuivita
17. Walker
NSW cup:
1. Papalii
2. Simmo
3. Richie
4. Twiddle
5. Nanva
6. Lorenzo
7. Volkman
8. Doorey
9.
10. Mataele
11. Samrani
12. Tuilagi
13. Guymer
14. Coinakis
15. Pryke
16. T Brown
17. Latu
We still have 3 spots in the top 30 to fill plus a couple development spots. Rumours linking us to NAS so I would imagine we will get another forward to somehow fit into this team.
Then in JF we will have forwards like Talagi, Popo, Jez, Lokeni, Petrus and more who will want to be and arguable deserve to be in cup. So this is what I was trying to say. There is probably no room for those graduate JF forwards.
Not to mention Koina and even Polley as other forward who are highly rated
I’ve written about the roster in an upcoming Bumpers Up. I’d be starting Lachie Coinakis in Flegg in the early part of the season as he’s just graduated from Ball. He is promising but only had a handful of Flegg games at the end of last season.
Yes that is what I would want to do. Just go no idea who is left at the club or being recruited to play that 9/14 role. I wonder if Lorenzo could start at 14. Twiddle FB. Papalii 6. Then Nanva back to centre. Then Tago or AMS on the wing
I hope Hopgood hits his stride again this year. Might be a bit like Paulo – getting rest and recovering from niggles after the origin issue a few years ago, might see him back to genuine full strength and confidence.
He looks good Mick.
Extreme fitness. Both physical and mental (which goes hand in hand) is what delivered the title to Brisbane. Period.
It’s the only mantra that Madge Maguire teaches and one he talked about at a do that my company got a table at in Brisbane recently.
His philosophy is .. ok you have the best trainer at the club, the one player that is ALWAYS at the front, the best in fitness drills and that’s great. Good on him ( our case – was Gutho and now Ryley).
BUT the question has to be asked to the rest .. why ? Why can’t you beat that player ? Why isn’t there a different player winning fitness drills and not the same one ??
He finished – you get a different player winning fitness drills instead of the same person then you have a fit team, until then, there are always those in your team just going through the paces and they are a cancer to your team.
GREAT INSIGHT.
The team that always impressed me with their fitness was the Panthers. They could play as intense at the start of the season as at the end. As for the Broncos, they won the title and that’s all that matters. Madge’s fitness philosophies have always attracted criticism. As for what you’re reporting that Madge said Spark, I find his comments to be incredibly simplified and generalised. It’s an unrealistic expectations to expect more than three or four pushing each other if you have a fitness freak in the group. Could others match the likes of Gutho? Well Ryley would have and it wasn’t for lack of trying that others couldn’t. Dylan famously ended up in hospital from pushing himself. But beyond that not likely. Using that mentality that if everyone dug deep in every sport, that the high performances would be shared around belies that some individuals have the physiology to be better athletes. Some are faster. Some are stronger etc. There are age differences. Should expectations and standards be raised? Yes, and when you have a rookie set standards in his first year it firstly speaks volumes about him and also doesn’t speak as high of some others. However, you can’t set a blanket standard of different players winning fitness drills. You want players to be the fittest that they can be. I’d be aiming for individual players pushing their limits, setting personal PBS and doing that year upon year. The team needs to have the fitness to achieve the coach’s goals. For us, the fitness around line speed in defence showed up as the season progressed. That was an early goal and the likes of Lane, Carty and Matto struggled with it. Hence they moved on.
As for this season, we’ve already had a couple of PBS in the Broncos run and I reckon more will follow. The attitude looks very good.
The Madge mantra of being the fittest team has held high in most NRL teams . The issue is having the team so fit that when fatigue hits , the fight or flight response kicks in and the fitter teams respond to the fight quicker , longer and with more of them doing it .
The nrl team changed in many ways over 2025. The noticeable thing was the ability to transition from attack to defence and back again consistently high standard and efficiency . The body shapes of our key players also changed to meet the demands of this fast transition game . Biggest was Junior going from barely able to squeeze 20 minutes out to play full matches . The likes of Hopgood , Williams and now Debelin will compliment this perfectly .
The importance of speed coming from the back 5 is vital. I still Grimacing watching Gutho – Penesini – sivo make a collective 20 metres in carries which meant Mitch had to bag us 70 metre kicks to stay in games with the really good teams . Now we transition so much better using speed and evasion and ability to use the width in tackles 1-3 .
We are going to be a dangerous footy team in 2026. If we can nab a Nelson or Keon we will be looking very good for 2026.
Your observations about the transitions is so well made PT!
Can you explain what Broncos runs are please. Thanks
That is a 1.2km timed run, up and back 20, then 40 then 60, repeat to 1200 metres.
So theres a new head trainer from Newcastle replacing the NZ rugby guy.
Is there any charge in the way things are under the new head trainer??
Yes, more straight line running thus far.
Eels bought 2 players, Jordan Miller and Jordan Hill, and haven’t heard of them since. Are they currently training with this group as haven’t heard of them?
Glenn, there are also other players added to the club, but if they’re not in the full time squad, (top 30, Dev, Train and trial or pathways limited preseason) then you won’t see them mentioned in training reports.
The eels are in a good position with average age of the roster now improving and some real quality prospects early in their NRL journeys now, not to mention the ones who will debut over next 1-3 seasons from our lower grade teams.
I’m concerned about our don’t half depth if Ryley smith goes down. But Joash and Da Silva might be the back ups we can use obviously.
Joash has shown himself to be a very good defender for his limited NRL experience and is apparently a very tough kid, Da Silva being an obvious Dummy half specialist is going to be vital but for me he looks like he is less developed as a NRL player currently, and hopefully a pre season @ Eels helps him bridge the gap between his potential and where he can position himself quality wise in 2026 at hooker.
Great updates and I know as eels fans we live on hope and often delusional faith that keeps us loving our eels now matter the circumstances…
But I truly believe we are seeing nice mix now of the crème of the crop Brad Arthur players (Moses, Paulo, Sean Russel, etc)…
Are Truly benefiting from the youth and speed which the new roster seems to have in droves, both Moses & Paulo look like significantly better players now not just from coaching but it’s largely due to the speed out wide and speed around the ruck available which is giving them both Space to create opportunities, and also gives them both more time when the ball is in hand to make decisions.
I really like the fact that Sean Russel is doing good and really hope he has a strong pre season and continues to impress. We all wished we had solid centres defensively for a long time. Sean now fits into that category, and he is inexpensive!
I would really love our club to sign NAS & Keaon K from Souths..
But regardless I think our clubs now looking very solid depth wise in most positions. Another experienced prop to support Jnr paulo is all we need to have a better top 30 in 2026.
Wishing our boys a healthy pre season and to continue their rise back towards finals and premiership contention, because you can feel it. We all know it’s coming.
Everything Sean Russell has achieved this year is due to JAC and to his willingness to learn.
JAC coaches him relentlessly during games.
You hear him on the field .. wait .. hold .. deeper …
Without JAC, Russell would have probably faded into an also-ran.
If we think JAC deserves credit then multiply it.
He has been the best signing we have made for years.
Muz, I get some confidence from DeBelin’s signing. Tuivati gets great mentors, and I’m thinking Ryles will be targeting certain improvements in young Sam and sixties has already mentioned 3 (from memory) young blokes with size and athleticism.i’m hoping Hopgood picks up from late 2025 and shows through, every pack needs a Hopgood (healthy and confident). And yes, would be great to add at least one proven middle.