It’s been a while hasn’t it! Over six weeks have passed since the last Bumpers Up column, and though there’s been no shortage of news in rugby league land, time has been a precious commodity. Now that I have your…
Eels Pre-Season Training Report – February 11, 2022: Ogden Demands Selection
A question for BA. Can you find a place for Ofahiki Ogden in the top 17? Maybe I should word that another way. How can you not select Ogden in the top grade? After recent sessions it’s surely impossible to…
Eels Pre-Season Training – February 7 & 9, 2022: Preparing For The First Trial?
At what point will Eels training narrow its focus to preparing for the upcoming trials? Monday’s session left me believing that such preparations had begun. After watching Wednesday training, I had more questions than answers. Let me explain why.…
The Spotlight – An Early Call: Round 1 Eels Team List
Wouldn’t it be fun to have a Parramatta version of Punxsutawney Phil, the famous American groundhog that predicts the start of spring. Picture an Eel in an aquarium, (cue alliterative name ideas) tempted by three types of bait. Which will…
Eels Pre-Season Training – January 31, 2022: A Selection Dilemma
A selection headache is looming for Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur. Emerging half Jake Arthur, the son of the coach, is currently one of the stars of this preseason. Make no mistake, in terms of his consistency and his recent…
Eels NRLW Training Report – January 29, 2022: Ready To Make Their Mark
“We are living the dream playing for the Parramatta Eels” With those words spoken by Simaima Taufa, the Parramatta Eels NRLW team placed a huge an exclamation mark on the end of a most impressive training session, staged for the…
Eels Junior Reps Report – Tarsha Gale and Harold Matts
There’s only three weeks until the commencement of the Junior Representative season, but unfortunately COVID is playing havoc with the scheduled trials. This weekend saw all trials cancelled, including the Eels vs Bulldogs trials set down for Belmore Oval. Consequently,…
Eels Pre-Season Training – January 12, 2022: Pushing The Barriers Of Fatigue
Every year, there’s a point reached in the preseason when the training hits a demanding new level. If today wasn’t that moment, it was definitely the prelude. In a session lasting over two hours, Trent Elkin administered his own version…
Bumpers Up – January 1, 2022: Welcome To The New Year
Happy New Year! If there was the perfect time to turn that greeting into reality, then surely 2022 qualifies for that honour. We don’t have to think too hard to come up with reasons to be negative about what the…
The Spotlight – Omicron And Rugby League
There’s an elephant in the rugby league room and it goes by the name of Omicron. The latest variant in the COVID pandemic is wreaking havoc across Australia with NSW “leading the way” after hitting 5 digit numbers of infections…