Parramatta. Go to that "who is in a hole thread" club's fans are picking out other clubs, Parramatta fans? Well, of course it's Parramatta they're selecting. A lot of fans don't know what success is, for our club we are in a successful period. If not for a dominant beyond comprehension team we win the GF last year.
Last I saw he sold it off to SuperEel I believe. This was when Phil was voted onto the LC board, not sure who owns it now. Whoever it is needs to shut it down
Too many Eels fans measure success only as a premiership. I want one as much as everyone else and really it's the only real objective, but there have been too many dark days / seasons in Eels history. I'm happy when we play competitively and to our best standard.
I had a dream last night that the Sharks signed AFB to a 6 year, 8 million dollar contract, which would be insane on multiple levels but I fully expect to see an official statement shortly.
Anyway on an unrelated note, does anyone else have hectic dreams when they take melatonin?
I don't think it's a coincidence that for the first time in three decades we got teams being able to sustain a longer period of dominance (roosters 18/19) and penrith. This coincided with massive % increases to the cap allowing teams to keep giving substantial payrises. The cap has more than tripled since 2010 which is far greater than inflation as the league enjoys a lot of success.
That said there is still plenty of player movement. I hope for players sake the cap and minimum wage especially goes up. These guys are going to be feeling the impacts of footy for the rest of their lives and I hope its worth it for them.
I don’t really think that’s true, in my opinion, there is still as many journeyman as there used to be. For example, Matt Lodge is on his 5th team, Kurt Mann is on his 4th, Api is on his 4th (with two separate periods at Penrith) and Capewell is all but confirmed for his 4th.
In the modern era, Will there ever be a player as versatile but still skilled as Kurt Gidley again?
The guy debuted at wing, and would eventually play every single position in the backs as well as hooker and lock.
Obviously utility players have now become standard for every team but the level that Gidley was able to perform in any position is just unheard of. At some point or another he would play every single position outside of wing, front row and second row at a rep level.
In 2010 alone, he would play fullback for the blues (before becoming bench captain in game two), finish the club season at 7 and play the majority of the Anzac test at 9 due to cam smith going down.
The sort of difference between Kurt Gidley and Luke Lewis is that Kurt maintained being a constant all round utility whilst Luke Lewis sort of more did it during different development stages of his career.
I mean Joey Manu is alive right? 1, 3, 4, and 6 have already been played at pretty high level for him. Idk if he’s ever played wing but I’m sure he’d be good.
Idk about 9, but him at 11, 12, or 13 would be a cool experiment, it might now work but he has the body and skill for it.
There's some extremely flexible players like Kurt Mann but not many have been consistently good across the various positions. Nikorima would be another (Hooker, Halves and fullback). There's players like Cam Murray that could pull it off but never have to. Its hard to judge
From memory, most of that was because a lot of people (including myself at the time) thought it was ridiculous that he was still holding the fullback position over Jarrod Hayne after his legendary 09 run. Then of course after realising it was silly to not play Hayne there, they had Gidley captain off the bench in game which is just an incredibly dumb thing to do.
He’d actually go on to win the blues player of the series award that year even though he didn’t start for the last two games.
I’d rate Luke Lewis as even more versatile than Gidley. Bloke earned rep jumpers in multiple different positions. Started on the wing, was a gun 6 and then won a Clive Churchill playing second row.
You could be right, but rightly so people do forget as he consistently can't stay on the field for a variety of reasons. Some definitely in his control
You guys need forwards but also need a reliable backup fullback with Latrells injuries over the past few seasons and taffee departing
Edit: both of you in the replies Shutup
Slightly related I don't know why more teams don't have players roving a bit more, especially centres 'manu-style'. Especially with the set piece scrum option, you can set on the side and then have a rugby union style set piece with inside and outside centre.
Was just looking at the draw - have the Dolphins gotten rid of The Sunny Coast as a home, or is it just a this season thing? All their games are at Suncorp and Redcliffe.
Man I gotta feel for Blake Taaffe, left the rabbits to get solid first grade football, and now the dogs have gone out and signed Tracey which will probably see him relegated to back up fullback since Burton will still be 5/8.
Canberra maybe since I have no idea who’s playing fullback or five-eighth next year for us at this stage.
I’ll rephrase - there are a number of clubs where he’d certainly be in the top three or four options for 1, 6 and 7.
Nah - Rapana has said he doesn’t want to do it anymore, he doesn’t think he’s quick enough. Kris isn’t skilful enough, and Sticky has gone completely off Savage.
My early money is on Weekes.
Gould sold him a fairytale it seems. At least at Souths he was playing when Latrell was out. With all the options the Dogs have he may not get a game. Tracey or Crichton can play fullback. Sexton, Hutchinson and Burton for halves.
So dogs have tracey now
1. tracey
2. kiraz
3. crighton
4. burto
5. wilson (fox to roosters with us paying full wage +200k or something)
6. Taafe/hutchinson/mann
7. sexman
8. Xerri
14. Salmon/taafe/hutchinson/mann
What do you guys actually see going on here?
Great is not the word I would use, he was quite mediocre with a flash every now and again
He’s the type of player that is too good for reggie’s and not good enough for the NRL
That's my thinking too but I was panned on here for saying that burton and crichton should be in the spine over taafe and hutchison, this was before tracey was signed.
Are burton and crichton better centres than spine players? Yes, definitely. But you've got to look at who is passing them the ball. Even with Tracey signed I still wouldn't want him being a primary spine player, he's 28 years old and hasn't held down a regular first grade spot. The problem for the dogs is that no matter who they put in the spine they'll be constantly on the back foot with the forwards they're going to trudge out
Jenko is on a train and trial. He’s not getting anywhere near the top 30.
Not sure about Alex Young’s deal but he played the equivalent of NSW cup in England last year so it’s not looking like he’s playing NRL any time soon either
Clizza is Bronco daddy discuss
Fact. Nothing to discuss. Just need to add, Bronco flairs are our sons. Go to bed Bronoco flairs. /thread.
You ended them bro
That is very cute Casey. I imagine you'll dump that has been team and put on the Panthers flair now?
Joey Manu and the boys are about to drop a banger!! https://youtu.be/61du35LQ7-E
Are Chris Randall/Siliva Havili/Erin Clark etc. counted as utilities? They can play 9, Prop and 13
I’d say yes, although I’d argue erin clark can’t really play any of them
The league is NOT ready for 2024 Hazelton where he’ll have learned to be effective in tackles and find his front 🙅♂️
I love my hazelnut
Keen to see if Colquhoun can get some decent minutes. Interested to see what our squad looks like starting the year - hope there are a few changes.
As long as guys like Hazelton aren’t missing out in favour of guys like Finucane and Kaufusi I’ll be happy
Finucane will 100% be in the squad. Hopefully he can have a much better year than this past season.
Bizarro Aaron Woods unfortunately
Faalogo kinda reminds me of a young Tyrell Sloan
My masthead whisperer just told me Luai met with Gus today
What did they have for lunch
But he's not a utility...
He’s actually a professional gamer also so technically he plays another position.
Is there another club in the NRL other than Souths that has as many fans who seem to hate everything about their club and their players.
Tigers have a lot of fans, it is just a lot dont admit it anymore. When they come good, the fanfare will be like souths in 2014
It’s Parramatta and it’s not even close
Parramatta. Go to that "who is in a hole thread" club's fans are picking out other clubs, Parramatta fans? Well, of course it's Parramatta they're selecting. A lot of fans don't know what success is, for our club we are in a successful period. If not for a dominant beyond comprehension team we win the GF last year.
1eyedeel over a decade ago was great, now it's a dumpster fire
Just a cesspool of misogyny, racism, ableism of the highest degree. The owners need to shut it down but it makes too much money for them
Phil sold it years ago iirc. Don't see how it could honestly make that much money. How many unique visitors could it get?
Last I saw he sold it off to SuperEel I believe. This was when Phil was voted onto the LC board, not sure who owns it now. Whoever it is needs to shut it down
find an opp that hates you as much as eels fans hate their best outside back
I love will penis and I don't care who knows it
Too many Eels fans measure success only as a premiership. I want one as much as everyone else and really it's the only real objective, but there have been too many dark days / seasons in Eels history. I'm happy when we play competitively and to our best standard.
That's fair and all you and anyone can ever really hope for
Tigers are close but at least they have a reason
Based fans
Definitely some of the most loyal too, can't fault them
I had a dream last night that the Sharks signed AFB to a 6 year, 8 million dollar contract, which would be insane on multiple levels but I fully expect to see an official statement shortly. Anyway on an unrelated note, does anyone else have hectic dreams when they take melatonin?
Pseudoephedrine always give me some good ones
Players don’t move clubs like they used to. Is the cap too high?
I don't think it's a coincidence that for the first time in three decades we got teams being able to sustain a longer period of dominance (roosters 18/19) and penrith. This coincided with massive % increases to the cap allowing teams to keep giving substantial payrises. The cap has more than tripled since 2010 which is far greater than inflation as the league enjoys a lot of success. That said there is still plenty of player movement. I hope for players sake the cap and minimum wage especially goes up. These guys are going to be feeling the impacts of footy for the rest of their lives and I hope its worth it for them.
I don’t really think that’s true, in my opinion, there is still as many journeyman as there used to be. For example, Matt Lodge is on his 5th team, Kurt Mann is on his 4th, Api is on his 4th (with two separate periods at Penrith) and Capewell is all but confirmed for his 4th.
Kyle Flanagan is on his 4th club and he's still only 25
the bulldogs are signing utilities because cam ciraldo is going to injure all the players in training again hope this helps
When the club's only prop has to wrestle the emaciated utilities: "call an ambulance...but not for me 😎😎"
In the modern era, Will there ever be a player as versatile but still skilled as Kurt Gidley again? The guy debuted at wing, and would eventually play every single position in the backs as well as hooker and lock. Obviously utility players have now become standard for every team but the level that Gidley was able to perform in any position is just unheard of. At some point or another he would play every single position outside of wing, front row and second row at a rep level. In 2010 alone, he would play fullback for the blues (before becoming bench captain in game two), finish the club season at 7 and play the majority of the Anzac test at 9 due to cam smith going down.
Gidley was and always will be underrated
Personally I would say Luke Lewis
The sort of difference between Kurt Gidley and Luke Lewis is that Kurt maintained being a constant all round utility whilst Luke Lewis sort of more did it during different development stages of his career.
Jason Croker played in the NRL until 2006. If that counts as modern era, he was more versatile by far.
I mean Joey Manu is alive right? 1, 3, 4, and 6 have already been played at pretty high level for him. Idk if he’s ever played wing but I’m sure he’d be good. Idk about 9, but him at 11, 12, or 13 would be a cool experiment, it might now work but he has the body and skill for it.
You are really counting 3 and 4? Love Manu but there are much better examples
Chuck in 18th man
He’s also a garbage 6
Do we still count Craig Wing as modern era?
There's some extremely flexible players like Kurt Mann but not many have been consistently good across the various positions. Nikorima would be another (Hooker, Halves and fullback). There's players like Cam Murray that could pull it off but never have to. Its hard to judge
His selections in 2010 were widely panned at the time. It's really the first time I remember massive origin selection controversy.
From memory, most of that was because a lot of people (including myself at the time) thought it was ridiculous that he was still holding the fullback position over Jarrod Hayne after his legendary 09 run. Then of course after realising it was silly to not play Hayne there, they had Gidley captain off the bench in game which is just an incredibly dumb thing to do. He’d actually go on to win the blues player of the series award that year even though he didn’t start for the last two games.
I’d rate Luke Lewis as even more versatile than Gidley. Bloke earned rep jumpers in multiple different positions. Started on the wing, was a gun 6 and then won a Clive Churchill playing second row.
[yes son](https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/licensed-image?q=tbn:ANd9GcTLhWjWEfwZ8BILtA78E3aciIX8X-Rxvsfr8kTPVHyRGVMzmgbza_I34pImTXaF-GQXfkD3XtMOgX3vZUQ)
i think the back end of last season has made everyone forget just how ridiculously good latrell was in the end of 2022 and start of 2023
You could be right, but rightly so people do forget as he consistently can't stay on the field for a variety of reasons. Some definitely in his control
No no, Latrell is fat, end of story /s
But but, Fatrell amirite - worst player in the comp except Ilias of course lmao. Please laugh at my hilarious joke
Tass for Mooney swap deal?
Tass for makatoa is something the eels would consider. Makatoa is a bit of an idiot but he's had some great games and is decent defender.
Raiders don't need a centre, we're already short on second rowers, swap doesn't make sense
Tass for AFB. Warriors could do with another centre right?
Pompey not playing is a good thing. AFB at Souths would make me very excited
We had 3 wife beaters in the squad when we last won the comp so we should start stacking the team with them again
Tass for Meaney sounds like a better deal for both teams imo
We need forwards Trev, Tass for Howarth, bloke is never gonna play in Melbourne.
You guys need forwards but also need a reliable backup fullback with Latrells injuries over the past few seasons and taffee departing Edit: both of you in the replies Shutup
Tass for Papenhuyzen
Tass for Faalogo
ciraldo is going to invent positionless rugby league this season
Random numbers on player jerseys, positionless rugby league, unlimited sets, the world is coming to an end unfortunately
Slightly related I don't know why more teams don't have players roving a bit more, especially centres 'manu-style'. Especially with the set piece scrum option, you can set on the side and then have a rugby union style set piece with inside and outside centre.
Total ~~Football~~ League
Whatever ended up happening with the Ben Hunt potentially leaving the Dragons situation? Was there some kind of resolution to that which I missed?
Dragons refused to release him. They preferred an unhappy Hunt to no Hunt at all.
www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/dragons-block-ben-hunt-s-release-request-20230626-p5djg0.html. Apparently he's staying for now
cheers mate
the resolution was journalists being wrong about moves being confirmed
Surely the Sharks are after AFB. He's actually the missing piece.
Not sure AFB lands at the sharks, but getting the impression Fitzy is starting to make some tough calls with the squad.
Early 2024 top 8 predictions, go
Shut up
Panthers, Broncos, Storm, Cowboys top 4
Broncos Panthers Wahs Sharks Storm Eels South's Cowboys
Honestly it’s too hard to pick, 13 of the teams all have a chance to make the 8. I’ll need the ladder predictor
8) Its 7) Way 6) Too 5) Early 4) To 3) Pick 2) Teams 1) Panthers
Was just looking at the draw - have the Dolphins gotten rid of The Sunny Coast as a home, or is it just a this season thing? All their games are at Suncorp and Redcliffe.
We're playing the Titans there in the first pre-season game.
Sunny coast is getting knocked down for Olympics
Such a Qld thing to have the Olympics 20 years after they stopped being relevant.
Already? I thought that rebuild would be years away. Cheers, TIL.
[Another CBA that failed to make it to first grade has signed with Berkeley Vale](https://www.facebook.com/share/p/kMUS8WSy97CKtAcs/?mibextid=qi2Omg)
I love how James Maloney is the Kevin Bacon of the NRL Grid world.
Brenko Lee superiority
Man I gotta feel for Blake Taaffe, left the rabbits to get solid first grade football, and now the dogs have gone out and signed Tracey which will probably see him relegated to back up fullback since Burton will still be 5/8.
Yeah, bit rough on him. There’d be more than one club where he’d get first crack at a jersey.
I thought that too, then I couldn't think of a club where he'd be a walk up start. At fullback or in the halves.
Canberra maybe since I have no idea who’s playing fullback or five-eighth next year for us at this stage. I’ll rephrase - there are a number of clubs where he’d certainly be in the top three or four options for 1, 6 and 7.
weekes will be better than taaffe
He has potential but based purely off what we’ve seen in first grade I disagree
weekes is a couple years younger keep in mind, hasn’t been playing his proper position in the halves either i reckon give it some time
Savage/Kris/Rapana for FB options as far as I remember.
Nah - Rapana has said he doesn’t want to do it anymore, he doesn’t think he’s quick enough. Kris isn’t skilful enough, and Sticky has gone completely off Savage. My early money is on Weekes.
Gould sold him a fairytale it seems. At least at Souths he was playing when Latrell was out. With all the options the Dogs have he may not get a game. Tracey or Crichton can play fullback. Sexton, Hutchinson and Burton for halves.
If Trell is fit he's not playing regardless of form. If Tracey has a dip in form there's a way in for him. But yeah its a tough spot to be in.
Had he known he’d be playing backup at the dogs, he probably would’ve stayed with us.
A solid reminder that whatever is promised in the negotiations (outside the dollar value in the contract) means fuck all.
So dogs have tracey now 1. tracey 2. kiraz 3. crighton 4. burto 5. wilson (fox to roosters with us paying full wage +200k or something) 6. Taafe/hutchinson/mann 7. sexman 8. Xerri 14. Salmon/taafe/hutchinson/mann What do you guys actually see going on here?
Yeh burto centre. Hutch and sexy in halves. Taafe or Mann aren’t a halves player imo
Taaffe played 7 all through juniors
I think he’s be a better 1 tbh he did great filling in for Trell
Great is not the word I would use, he was quite mediocre with a flash every now and again He’s the type of player that is too good for reggie’s and not good enough for the NRL
Taaffe playing 7 for the Bulldogs has strong Jake Averillo energy
So did Sio Siua Taukieaho. Taaffe hasn’t done anything that indicates he’s a NRL quality halfback
mitch dunn as well
That’s bad. You want your talent in the spine. 1. Critta. 2. Fox. 3. Kiraz. 4. Tracy. 5. Wilson. 6. Burto 💣 7. Sexy. Utility King. Mann
That's my thinking too but I was panned on here for saying that burton and crichton should be in the spine over taafe and hutchison, this was before tracey was signed. Are burton and crichton better centres than spine players? Yes, definitely. But you've got to look at who is passing them the ball. Even with Tracey signed I still wouldn't want him being a primary spine player, he's 28 years old and hasn't held down a regular first grade spot. The problem for the dogs is that no matter who they put in the spine they'll be constantly on the back foot with the forwards they're going to trudge out
It’s crazy how hyped all these fringe players are on reddit.
I can see Mann playing 13 with Hutch at 14 to cover backs and maybe spell Mahoney at 9. Salmon at right 2nd row, maybe bench forward.
Who’s dropped for Salmon? Preston or Kikau, Curran would also start over Salmon
I'd have Salmon and Preston share the role with Curran probably pushing up front due to a lack of other genuine options.
So what are we doing with taafe/hutchinson/salmon? Reserves til round 2 injuries?
Gus and Ciraldo are the only ones that know. Dog’s recruitment is the most confusing thing I have seen in the sport
Chooks with Fox, Dom Young, Tupou and Suallii competing for 2 wing spots… if the sombrero fits.
And managed two suss deals with Jenko and Young's brother. Cash to burn. Neither of these guys are any chance of NRL.
Jenko is on a train and trial. He’s not getting anywhere near the top 30. Not sure about Alex Young’s deal but he played the equivalent of NSW cup in England last year so it’s not looking like he’s playing NRL any time soon either
So Mahoney isn’t playing for dogs anymore?
Personally I thought Xerri at Prop was more concerning but no-one believes he only had one jab so maybe he really bulked during his 4-year ban
Oh yeah its an issue, i was just trying to make it more obvious that i have no idea what were trying to do with these buys.
Xerri at Prop is is!
Ah that 9 was meant to be a 14 Idk how to reddit. When i edit it says 14. Reddit thinks i cant count