The youth takeover in the NSW Cup is very much on the cards in Round 9 as Ryda Talagi and Chris Petrus win positions in reserve grade. They join the likes of Lorenzo Talataina, Zack Visconti, Trace Beattie and fellow Round 9 promotee Jack Hudson in an aggressive revamp of the team following a victory over the Sea Eagles on Sunday.
Sixties and Forty20 break down all the team news out of Team List Tuesday with the Eels getting a pair of players back this week in Jordan Samrani and Jonah Pezet. Araz Nanva has earned an extension, albeit to the end of 2027, for his strong early form this year while the Tarsha Gale are through to the big dance as they look to defend their title. Four Eels will turn out for NSW and QLD on Thursday night in the Women’s State of Origin match – who earned the call ups from the Blue & Gold?
The Chiefs have struck some decisive recruitment blows with the signature of Alex Johnston and the rumoured acquisition of Jerome Luai. It is a massive start to the recruitment drive but are things doing as well in Perth? Their Head of Football has departed and rumours of an unsettled football department are gaining momentum.
Luai to PNG should be ringing alarm bells.
Anyone who still had blissful optimism that MON could fix the roster issues he contributed largely to now has to factor in what others have been saying for a while. He can’t win a signature when another team is in the market for said player and now there is going to be two new teams in the market and one has a salary cap almost double the rest of the league.
A good quality Head of Football who can recruit and who can identify and lock up talent early, has never been more important than now. If a clubs Head of Football ranks in the bottom of the league, there is next to no chance you win. Not even MON’s and Jim’s biggest fans can argue they are among the best in the league at recruitment and retention.
That’s not trolling. R&R is going to be on the spotlight now as a topic in the NRL and no one can objectively say the Eels are good at it, we just aren’t.
Thanks Sixties, what is concerning is the overall tax free $$ for PNG; this alone for me spells issues and not to mention when you have federal govt being involved.
I personally have a lot of reservations about the way the game has gone in the past few yrs and now into the next few yrs.
We have already seen a change in the game this season and also a spread of results; injuries due to various reasons but fatigue has to be play some part and also player talent.
Recruiting and keeping talent will be pivotal in light of the next few years and as we see some teams are struggling.
Where are we here? I amwaiting on an update about Matto.
We have some exciting kids in the squad but as we have seen injuries drain the experience and throw in errors and its a tough ride.
I have said for a while there is not enough quality talent for the teams but I guess time will tell. Young guys will not wait for their NRL debut it seems and this will only make the comp more widespread. It may look good on TV to have more teams but is this quality?