The Eels.

[Blowfly]

I would think most supporters from other clubs feel the same about us at the moment

In Manly's defence here...and I might be wrong...but wasn't the club operating well under the salary cap amount for a few years?

Maybe now they're a bit more financial they might have the capacity to spend closer to the cap.

I've no hard facts to base this on apart from relying on my fast failing memory. hahaha

 

[Matabele]

How can the Eels be anywhere near the cap with such a rubbish roster? Do they pick up Fui's Maccas bill or something?

 

[DSM5]

Talking to a guy close to the club, there's real mutterings there about the paucity of their pack. There's just an aging Fui Fui surrounded by plodders.

 

[mozgrame]

Darcy and Harrison may help that a little.

 

[swoop]

Falou is certainly not worth all those players. He is a good centre yes, no one can deny that, but is he a good centre without the likes of Cronk and Smith helping him out with great kicks etc

How funny would it be if St George or another club end up signing him.

 

[manlyfan76]

Falou is certainly not worth all those players. He is a good centre yes, no one can deny that, but is he a good centre without the likes of Cronk and Smith helping him out with great kicks etc

How funny would it be if St George or another club end up signing him.

If it was French Rugby I'd sure laugh.

 

[Hamster Huey]

Falou is certainly not worth all those players. He is a good centre yes, no one can deny that, but is he a good centre without the likes of Cronk and Smith helping him out with great kicks etc

Good centre? No. Great athlete that can only benefit from good kicks and create on the back of winning a one-on-one with strength.

Can't create, pass or setup a winger. Has no read on the game and can't adapt against a committed outside defence.

No worth losing a raft of first-graders for. Just ask the Brisbane fans.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Great on the wing though, very strong and you'd back him to score a try if he gets the ball within a few metres of the line.

BUT

One Million a year....."tell him he's dreamin"

 

[MK Eagle]

Agree that Falou is more a great athelete than player.
He has a poor defensive read & also very indecisive when tackling - over & under commiting all day with a technique strong but cumbersome.
No doubt great in the air but again, needs halves with precision to cash in on this.
Can trample over even good defenders but lacks the vision to hit holes with timing or set up outside support.
A potential matchwinner for both sides & NOT an elite player.

 

[Hamster Huey]

I would think most supporters from other clubs feel the same about us at the moment

In Manly's defence here...and I might be wrong...but wasn't the club operating well under the salary cap amount for a few years?

Maybe now they're a bit more financial they might have the capacity to spend closer to the cap.

I've no hard facts to base this on apart from relying on my fast failing memory. hahaha

Fair point from lsz but I think it's easily addressed. It is regularly noted that our depth isn't that great and would suggest a mis-balance of low-paid players and high-paid ones.

Add to this the recognised benefit of a successful squad choosing to stay for less (to a point) but that we have also we have had a regular turn-over first-grade premiership winners since 2008.

I think a large part of last years falling out was on the issues of exceeding the Cap with the club putting their foot down, when Des' win-at-all-costs attitude perhaps started to lead the club into some serious trouble in either rorting it, or decimating the squad in coming years.

 

[JoshTheNewcastleFan]

It's a myth that he is only good under the highball, with enough space he is as dangerous as anyone.

I was watching this video the other day & at 7:00 & 50:50 in the video, Folau makes a break or half break with just the tiniest bit of space.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Il-dekx0Aw

It'll take him a few weeks into the competition definitely to get up to speed with the game but i can't wait to see him in the NRL again.

 

[mozgrame]

Why were you watching that video?

 

[JoshTheNewcastleFan]

Why were you watching that video?

I dunno, just came up in my suggestions one time. Why haha?

 

[swoop]

After the eels shed so many players wouldn't it be funny if Falou ended up going to another NRL team. Souths and a few other clubs are after him apparently.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I would imagine that most clubs would just about have their 2013 line ups done and dusted, so the only way any side could fit him in would be with a massive back ending contract...maybe $300K this year, $1.0 Million next year and $1.7 Million the year after (hoping like hell that the NRL do a massive upgrade to the cap).

That is assuming that a club is prepared to pay him (in essence) a Million a year.

I however doubt he's worth anything like that, unless he goes to Japanese Rugby (which as he's only interested in Money is where he'll probably go)