Parramatta Eels season review: Cap woes overshadow 2015

I was being sarcastic when I said "thinly veiled" ie if your going to rip into a club (especially when you haven't done your homework in presenting an online article) don't be surprised by passionate responses. My point was why suggest the club blames RS for all roster issues when they don't? "Underperforming players were retained in the starting line-up and deserving outsiders prevented from playing because supposedly coach Brad Arthur had no choice" sounds to me like a swipe at BA but perhaps I read it wrong. In reality part of the salary cap fines from last season were because BA used like for like players outside 25 to replace injured players against the NRL's "instruction" eg "don't use Bueretta on the wing, use Gower he's in the top 25". Thus a breach. Or last year in NQ when Lussick had recurence of concussion in warm up so they played Lasalo for 10 mins against the NRL's wishes. $60k breach. Perhaps the NRL expected them to only play with 16? What choice did BA have this year without further sanction? BA is planning for the changes to the interchange and part of that is getting the mix right. With Watmough & Scott plus Manu it allows big minute players Tepai, Gower etc to be used in the middle and no longer need the likes of Lussick who plays so few minutes in between penalties. It's about balancing the squad. So yes I do believe those 2 will help next year but happy to disagree.

I think BA has done a good job under the circumstances especially trying to keep the players out of the leagues club circus. The issue re the departure of Ricky Stuart has affected the club owing to the players he brought in, but also the list of players he cut, who ended up being part of the salary cap while playing elsewhere. The way the club was going under Seward was also a big issue as is now showing up in the salary cap nightmare through the whole club. I see on the Eels home page & looking at the main team playing roster/profile, there are 36players listed, many of whom would have been on 2nd tier contracts, out of that list there are at least another 4 - 5 names missing, Faoaoso who played few games, Vai Toutai who played a few & was injured & missed a fair few games, certainly more than he played, likewise John Folou, as well as another 4 who never got into the NRL team & not mentioned many times in the feeder comp either. The Holden cup team was like a revolving door of players as well. The primary area that I saw where injuries hurt was after the 4th game when they started to go down like nine pins also judiciary problems did not help either. The primary problem with the team to me outside of the loss of so many to injury, was the inability to go the 80minutes, especially when ill discipline & poor handling let them down at critical points, & that was not just in the younger brigade of forwards either, yet Pauli Pauli & Terepoa were guilty of many a blunder, they are still learning, Ma;au as good as he is also dropped off too easy, those two need to lift big time with the reduced interchange. I do not see having both Watmough & Scott as being primary first call forwards, rather as interchange of each other unless injuries again become a problem. As I mentioned the shining light of the unknowns to me was Alvaro & he deserves a bench spot. While I hope I am wrong I am not sure they will get into the 8, but the inclusion of Foran, whom I think will wear the 7 & Norman 6 will create some huge opportunities for the backs. Gordon will be relied on for goals which were a rattle snake affair this year.

Surely we can say that Ray Spagnolo is Clay Davis

Brad Arthur – “the game’s out there, and it’s play or get played.”

Doesn’t look like he took any thinly veiled-swipes at anyone – seems more like he just straight out ripped Eels management (and fair enough too). Not sure where he had a go at Arthur though. Also if you think that Watmough and Scott will help us in an eight interchange league I feel bad for you.

Of course there's some passionate replies after your thinly veiled swipes at the club & Brad Arthur & supposedly blaming everything on the previously highly paid coach who walked out for dubious reasons after 1 year of delivering a wooden spoon. It would have helped your article if you'd done your research on the season ending injuries to top 17 players such as Edwards (missed the whole season) Champion played 1 game. Virtually every article on injury stats clearly show Parra & Penrith were hardest hit this year particularly on spine players. Indeed the Eels were hit hard right through 3 grades and started with only 22 of their top 25 actually playing for the club anyway. You've also forgotten that next year sees the interchange drop from 10 to 8 and players like Watmough & Scott will greatly help & with the likes of Tepai moving to front row so offloading low minute players (Lussick) will also help. Apart from experience Watmough has also significantly helped the defence this year with communication & line speed. Scott will do this on the other side of the field. Apart from significantly improving goal kicking (which cost 2-3 games alone in 2015) Gordon will greatly help the defence both with proper positional play but also communication which is vital from your fullback (one of Slater's strengths) which neither fillins possess (Hoppa/Robinson).

Where do you have The Faiders finishing next year Lachlan ?

I'm a Parra fan who agrees with those of you suggesting that this is a way too negative view of our hopes for next season. Unless we lose Norman, Peats, Foran, or Radrada between now and Rd 1 2016 to a bizarre decision to join the NBA, EPL or MLB (akin to the extraordinary situation that befell us in October 2014, immediately derailing our chances of a productive 2015), its dificult to see us not improving to being at least a firm Top 8 contender. I won't discuss the sizeable injuries we've experienced, albeit mainly to our depth, than front liners (which still hurts your chances of success) but let's look at the character shown under adversity. We've had an extraordinary season of off field issues, been fairly luckless on the field with some heartbreaking results, yet barely been flogged. We even put in some surprise wins away from home and mostly were extremely strong every week for at least 65-70 minutes. Yes, I know how that reads, but surely all the team needs is some composure and maturity to turn those 65 min efforts into 80 min games. By my count we lost at least 5 games where we had a lead inside the final 10 minutes only to completely capitulate under pressure (last week v Sharks, 2 weeks prior v Roosters, the extraordinary game v Cowboys, and narrow losses to Souths and the Warriors). We win 2 of those 5 games and we're a top 8 certainty. We win 4 or 5 and we're challenging for the top 4 with a very winable game to come against Canberra at home this weekend! I understand that Beau Scott feels a curious decision, and I honestly don't think you can bump any of Gower, Manu Mau or Tepai Moeroa for him as a backrow starter, but hopefully he'll add some of that edge defence we've been lacking as well as a calm experienced head when we just need to ice a game.

I can see Sandow doing a McNulty in the dressing room "I wonder what it feels like to play for a real football team"

I think you are right, but it was late in the game, the way I read it was that he was more likely totally frustrated by the inept player inside of him who had passes hit him in the chest & walked towards the opposition to ensure he was not involved. & thats not counting his head neck waltz with the ball either. Kelly has developed this year & that's built on confidence, not brilliant but he does try.

There is always an IF in the equation of guestimations. IF they win this week against Canberra which will be the first chance that Parra fans get to express their appreciation of his wonderful year at the club & how he treated all with his departure, although I think it would be great to give him a rousing cheer for doing so. I am saying that they should be better placed next year, even if they win on Sunday, I am actually wondering which players on the current roster will still be there next year, so far I count around 8, including Holden cup players, but how many of them will still be there is another question also given how well they along with Wentworthvile have gone., those teams do provide the main back up for the top team. Being in the same points league as this year, may well be different next as the comp for the middle points has been the most interesting feature of the competition for me, & not based a lot on form either. If they get in tot he top 8 next year it will be good effort but I see them doing more in the following year with the likes of Terapo, Pauli Pauli growing in confidence & ability, likewise with Alvaro showing good form, the future is good for the forwards, if form will count for anything in selecions, then its likely that Watmough & Scott being primary bench warmers at best, or back in 2nd division. I still believe as I said above & before, the Anderson factor will have an influence on their position.

If Parra win on the weekend then I think they'll finish 1-2 wins outside the 8. So by your logic, next year they'll improve on this year yet still not finish in the 8 even if a small improvement puts them on the same points as 8th place.

Sandow and Kelly. Pretty sure Kelly threw about three passes over the touchline in that game.

Bottom Four, you're having a laugh right? We're not bottom 4 this season if we win this weekend and we'll have a better roster next season.

Takairangi missed a fair bit and was playing injured for the rest, Junior paulo missed 9 weeks, we were down to our 4th string hooker at one stage, Champion, edwards, faaoso all gone for the season early, Peats, wicks, Watmough gone now as well, Tepai playing busted, Terepo was gone for 8 weeks odd, Lussick suspended for four weeks, second tier cap forcing us to play joseph paulo, chris sandow and ryan morgan. Also we've been down to a two man bench far too many times this year. Not as bad as the Panthers, worse off than most however. Throw that in with Jarryd hayne and chris sandow leaving + paying out players at other clubs and we were fielding a team worth maybe half of the salary cap for most of the season.

It was 6-4 at half time, well until sandow decided to have a go at helping the puppies race away with the win. That game shouldn't count as much of a win when their best player was sandow.