Can Chris Sandow step into Peter Sterling's shoes?

In obtaining a player like Chris Sandow, the coach would obviously look at what he has achieved and his potential, also what he can offer as a team player. The comments made in this forum that he may be better suited in the structure at the Eels as to what they have to offer, is spot on! They would also be looking at taking the pressure off Jarrod Hayne. With these two players if they can play to a structure as well as play to their individual brilliance, it is a great move!

gleeso I dont mean to keep being negative about the kid who seems a good bloke, but he does not have a good kicking game. He is capable of putting in a great kick from time to time, especially a 40/20, but at the end of 5 tackles he does not think strategic, in fact he often kicks on tackle 3 when nothing is on.

Scott Are you just so annoyed that he left souths you cant see past it? Sandow is what the NRL needs he is unpredictable and the crowd lifts every time he touches the ball, he may not be the next peter sterling but i am glad parra have got him ,i think he will fit in well , as for a bad defender i am sure the coaching staff at parra can cure his one problem. As for not being a playmaker he was the only thing that kept souths in many of there games last year, and you recken parra paid to much for Sandow what about the under performing ingliss souths got him for nothing ay.Get yourself a set of plus 35 reading glasses and pay a bit more attention to whats really happening and stop writing crap . G0 Sandow , cheers Steve B

I think purely on the basis of Sandows kicking game Parra are an improved outfit. He has a strong running game. He may not direct the team around the park that well but not many do these days. The big thing will be how he combines with Hayne. I am hoping his presence will allow Hayne to play like a fullback not as a half. Go Eels.

BA For the record I do not have a high opinion of those guys I mentioned including Freeman, but I would prefer them to Sandow. BA, you cannot have a first reciever in your team who has no idea what to do, cant tactically kick, talk, pass or tackle. put simply, that is NOT a first grade number 7. I wish you luck with the Eels but sadly they have a very poor list and the intire backline are poorly defensively. Sandow is not noted for his disipline and I am not talking about tackling. Dont forget he went missing off nobbys late last season when Souths were in a sudden death position.

Curtis There is nothing wrong with Souths, I give them a great hope. Aside from Sandow, who could not organise sex at Stiletto, they also have a new coach who understands defence.

The thing with Sandow is he played his best football for souths after he signed with Parra. Being a Souths fan does your head in. I wonder how much they're paying Sutton because after he re signed his attitude was terrible.

Also Chris Thorman, recently Casey McGuire and Luke Burt, and to a stretch even Corey Pearson have had attempts at it... Then there's Trent Hodkinson, James Maloney, Steve Witt, and Tom Humble among many many others who were waiting in the wings but never got a game at 7 at Parra. This was all meant to be solved in 2001 with PJ Marsh, but then he went to the Warriors and unraveled the next half decade of planning.

Bell did end up at the Warriors I think. He spent a fair bit of time at the Bunnies post eels, came back for a second try at the Eels, but that worked out even worse than the first try. He was really a 5/8 trying to play half - when he played half. John Simon actually represented Australia while an Eel. His most memorable effort as an Eel was knocking over 3 field goals one Friday night at Brookvale. Great family the Simon's - his old man was still playing football when i would guess he was well into his 50 down on the South Coast. Keith Blackett was a wisp of a thing, at a guess i would say he played 6 (I think he went to the Gold Coast as well). Originally from Bathurst or Orange, I think he was a Bathurst Panther. He and Tollett could have got a start in the Melbourne Cup!

I think Sandow will go well. He is in a structured team and a bit older with more confidence. Time will tell but souths have been a rabble long before sandow arrived. As for missed tackles that has to be compared with tackle attempts. He would be run at more than any other souths player.

Jason Bell now there is a name form blast fo the past. He had massive hype too, as did tim smith and john simon, simon actually played state of origin and was quality half back. Jason bell from memory ended up at the warriors and started playing hooker, as did John Simon. Tulsne toilette he was another hope too. Wasn't kieth blackett a half back too maybe. Wow parra have been through a lot of half backs since sterlo and all been cursed. Maybe Jason SMith was tried at half back too and jim dymock, form memory jason smith played half back at raiders and cowboys.

"the Eels signed Sandow purely on his back end of 2011" Didn't they sign him at in April 2011?

I'll add four more to your list of halfbacks since Sterlo Jason Bell - he was supposed to be the next coming Chris Lawler - see Jason Bell Tulsen Tollet - now seen on ABC TV! John Simon - His stint was probably too short, but apart from Tim Smith's 41 try assist year, he has probably been Parramatta's best half back since Sterlo

I am guessing you will find that if Sandow topped the missed tackle counts for the last three years, the guy who topped it the ten years before that was probably a premiership winning half back who has represented his state and country in Brett Kimmorley. Of the players you mentiond there Scott i would say Freeman was hugely over rated, Drew had two good seasons (and they were at 9), JT was solid - and an awful defender (site 2001 grand final), Dykes was a one sided player and not an organiser,Green was solid but couldn't tackle and Finchy was solid but carried too much baggage - much of it unfairly. I would say Sandow has the potential to be a much better player than any of those listed. He isn't yet, no doubt, but has he improved by 100% on each of his previous seasons? - He sure has. Did Parra pay overs for him? Absolutely! Does he play off the cuff a bit - for sure and that will take time for the Parra players to get used to. But were they winning a premiership any time soon with guys who were just organisers and kickers (Robson/Mortimer etc) - they weren't going to get close. There was no point spending money on Tonga if you weren't going to bring in a half that would give him opportunities, and the Eels have done that. Sandow's biggest issue was that he played at a club with zero discipline and structure (oh and that he had guys like Talanoa, Sutton, Champion and Wesser around him in the back line over the last few years). He will have structure at Parramatta under Kearney (i think) and an older player group who while they haven't been winners in recent years, compete week in week out which would suggest they have more discipline at training and in their preperation for games. It will be interesting, and worth the gamble to see how much his game will improve with structure around him. Parramatta need a Chris Sandow, for the team and for the fan base.

I think with Jarrod Hayne to back him he might just be worth the money. Provided the Eels forwards are up to the task which is where i have my biggest question about the Eels.

Im not a eels fans but i will never forget the hype David Penna created and he didn't live up to sterlo's expectations.