Finally! This is the best part of any preseason – the start of 13 on 13 opposed
We were told at the beginning of the week that with everyone back on deck that the squad might just dip their toe in the full side opposed water come Thursday, and that’s exactly what happened.
It wasn’t conducted under “match conditions”. The starting points on the field were determined by Ryles and his staff. They didn’t play out sets of six with a kick, and the contact was more of a “strong grab” than a hit. In fact, it mostly involved between one to four plays before turning the ball over.
However, it did provide a glimpse of combinations and the execution of certain plays/shapes. It also made observations about individual players much easier.
Organised primarily as NRL vs Cup, there was some rotation between the teams for the dummy halves and the forwards. The backline remained the same throughout the opposed. With Bailey Simonsson in rehab, Sean Russell filled in on right wing and Jordan Samrani played left centre.
Two teams, two huddles
There were some scrappy moments where the pass would go down, but I reckon it fell within that range of errors that coaches look for during training sessions.
As for the structure of the session, it began with running mechanics for both the forwards and the backs, with the forwards transitioning to running through contact at pace.
The opposed work started soon after, and I’ll provide the notes on that after detailing the rest of the session.
Left side vs right side
A period of left side vs right side then followed, and it focussed more on single plays and defence.
The session continued to move from the macro to the micro with 8 on 7, and 3 on 2 drills, forward specific drills including contact technique, and backs drills including defence footwork.
At the conclusion of the session, former Wallaby Matt Burke spent time with all of the goal kickers. It began with just Moses and Pezet working on their strike, before lining up kicks from specific positions.
Burke was then joined by every other player who might be required to take shots at goal across the two senior grades. From memory that included Sean Russell, Ryley Smith, Isaiah Iongi, Lincoln Fletcher, Apa Twidle and Ronald Volkman.
Burke will likely be involved for the remainder of the Eels preseason as a specialist goal kicking coach.
Burke moves onto the field
And so back to my notes on individual moments from the full field opposed, and the left side vs right side work:
* Matt Doorey was outstanding throughout, for both teams
* Early on Doorey ran a line for Cup that should have put him into open spaces but he didn’t receive the ball. Not long after, he ran a differently line off Volkman and sliced through.
* Slick hands by the NRL on a right side shift to put Russell down the wing. Really exquisite stuff!
* Doorey to the NRL team and continuing to ask questions with every line run
* Bodies in motion on a play that put JDB on a charge through the middle
* A tap on from Gideon to Foxxy to put him outside his opposite
* Samrani also releasing the Foxx with a great pass
* Lincoln Fletcher talking and directing play and looking composed for the Cup team. Confidently digging into the line with the ball.
* Will Latu executing what almost looked like a Cumberland Throw. It wasn’t, but his tackle brought down the runner very quickly.
* Good involvement from Apa Twidle at fullback for Cup
There’ll be no outdoor field session on Friday.
One more week till the Christmas break. How pre-season time flies!
Eels forever!
Sixties
I’m assuming players were constantly moved in and out but would you be allowed to share what the starting spine was for each in the opposed?
The NRL spine was the one everyone expected. From memory the Cup spine was Fletcher, Volkman, Apa, TDS. I can’t recall seeing Joash or Lorenzo in the spine but I could be wrong on that front as the NRL had most of my attention (Smith and Coinakis also spent time in the spine. Remember there were players missing and this was the first hit out as 13 a side. Don’t read too much into it.
Happy with Matt Burke’s credentials, I’ve always thought there’s a lot more to be exploited in re-starts…Cleary and Reynolds pull out some random stuff at times, not the sort of thing that needs too much exposure, surprise is a big ingredient. Burke was a rep level soccer player as a kid, so he’s probably got some deft touches in those feet.
That strike technique seemed to be the order of business today
The bench spots are going to be hotly contested. Doorey, Tuivaiti, Moretti, Tuilagi, Kautoga, there’s even a chance Samrani could make that final 17 given his ability to play both second-row and centre.
Any one of those players would not look out of place in that #17 jersey, some could even be pushing for a starting spot
Another positional battle is Papalii vs Pezet. I know it’s assumed that Pezet will be handed that #6 jersey but with Joash’s hunger I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get the nod at some point in the year
There will be injuries at some point Ham. I reckon it’s a given Joash will get a shot, then he might not give up his place
You have not commended much about Pezet at all and a notable lack of highlight moments from him in your reports. How has he been transitioning within the team and on the training track?
I really hope Joash manages to crack that six jersey, scared we’ll lose him if he doesn’t get a regular spot, got me baffled that they haven’t given him more time on the wing
Was Matto there? What’s going on with him?