The 2001 side

With many great kids coming thorugh and some old heads signed up for the 2001 season. It is time to have a look and see what Parra have for the 2001 season in each position and what the strongest line up will be.

Fullback

Brett Hodgson - He was the buy of the year in 2000 and was looking forward to a strong finals campain until Mitch Healey broke his jaw in round 25 at Toyota Park. Hodgson sat out the rest of the year while Healey got a one game suspension and a contract in England. Brett is the first choice at fullback for the Eels with Schifcofske gone to Canberra Brett should just about own the Eels #1 jersey. He is also a top class goalkicker.

Wade McKinnon - Another good young kid. He played well last year spliting his time between 1st division and Jersey Flegg. He should be the Eels backup fullback in 2001.

Wingers

Pat Richards - He was a star in the latter part of 2000 getting wraps from all corners. Richards has very good size and could be NSW's version of Wendel Sailor or Lote Tuqiri. Playing his 1st game from the bench against Melbourne at a rain soaked Parra Stadium. Richards kept on improving culminating in a Man of the Match display against the Sydney Roosters during the 1st week of the finals. Pat should see many sky blue and Australian jerseys in his closet in the next few years.

Jason Moodie - Started the year as the Eels #3 winger finished as the #2 winger coming in for the injured Eric Grothe for the Eels round 13 clash against his former Knights team mates. "Moods" never really looked back and ended the year as the Eels top tryscorer crossing the line 10 times. 3 of those coming against the Dragons in the clash at Parramatta.

Eric Grothe - He was the #2 winger at the start of 2000 but after droping out of Origin 1 with a knee injury he never recoved his top grade spot other then for the round 22 clash with the Knights at Parramatta Stadium.

Luke Burt - Can play fullback and center aswell but due to size (or lack of it) he is really best sutied for the wing. After a fantastic debut year in 99 Burt had a weaker 2000 even though he scored the same amount of points in fewer games he never really played as good as he did in 99. Burt will be looking for a strong 2001 but he may have fallen to far behind Richards and others.

Scott Donald - An off season purchase from the Cowboys. Donald will be used as a backup winger if the above players are unavaible or out of form. Donald is a very quick player but has only played 4 first grade games despite making his debut in 1998.

Centers

Jamie Lyon - "Lyon could become Australia's next great center" no I didn't say this nor did Brian Smith or even Lyon himself it was the Great Bozo (Bob Fulton). They may not have been his excate words however that is basically what he said of Jamie Lyon after the Eels 48-10 thrashing of Canberra during the Eels last home game. Lyon should cement one of the Eels center positions and could become the attack flair the Eels have missed in the centers since Steve Ella.

David Vaealiki - After onnly moderate success as a fullback. Lex was shifted into the centers by Smith and all of the sudden he became a try scoring machine getting 7 tries in double quick time including a 2 try game against Canberra, a 3 try game against the Dragons and a try against the Roosters the Luke Phillips will still be kicking himself about.

Dayne Neirinckx - Although it is unlikley Dayne will make an appereance in first grade in 2001. He is definatly a player to watch for the future. He has great size and excellent skills. Could form an all Parra center pairing for Austrlaia and NSW with Jamie Lyon.

Five Eighth

Michael Buettner - Mickey B returns home but can he return to form Buettner hasn't been bagged as much as Taylor but still faces similer problems getting back to top form. One of the Eels more experience players. Buettner will be looked on the perform a lot of leadership during the year.

Greg Boulous - Greg can also play lock and could make the grade this year. Named in the Eels part timer squad Boulous will be looking to at very least cement a starting spot in the Eels strong 1st division side. After speaking to his father during an early season 1st divsion game against Norths. I really want to see him have a succesfull Rugby League career.

Halfback

Jason Taylor - Well what can you say about JT after a very bad 2000 which saw him dropped to 1st divsion for the first time since 1993. Taylor was thrown a life line by the Eels after David Penna was forced into retirement after breaking his neck for a 2nd time in the space a a few months. On a side note JT needs 193 pts to become the highest point scorer of all time and about 150 to become only the 2nd player to reach 2,000 career points.

P.J Marsh - He has more talent the JT but less experience and it is that lack of experience that could see Marsh in 1st divsion for much of 2001. PJ is next in line for the QLD #7 jersey which hasn't really been filled since Langer retired.

Steve Witt - Has a lot of work to do to get past Taylor and Marsh but he does have the skills to do it. He may been seen in the top grade by 2003 as Marsh's backup.

Props

Nathan Cayless - The Eels captain and one of the more experience players despite playing just 52 first grade games. He has also played 14 tests for the Kiwis. Cayless should be able to cement one of the front row spots unless injuries stirke.

Michael Vella - He should get the other prop spot. After a slighty disapointing start to 2000. Vella really came on in the latter part of the season getting a spot on the Kangaroo's WC squad. Will have to perfrom to keep Westley on the bench.

David Westley - The Eels 3rd representive prop. Westley has played a few tests for PNG and if it wasn't for injury would have played in the WC aswell. He will need to work hard to get a starting spot but he showed last year he has the skill to do it.

Jason Cayless - The young brother of the Captain. Jason should get quite a few games from the bench in 2001. He has a lot of talent and could for a formitablr NZ test front row with his brother in a couple of years

Chad Robinson - Another Eels youngest looking to crack the big time. Playing 3 games off the bench in 2000. Robinson will be looking to play more games in 2001 however he'll need injuries to the top 3 props to get any decent 1st grade time.

Adam Wheeler - In the same boat as Robinson. Wheeler will be looking to get more top grade time after playing his 1st game in round 26 against St George-Illawarra. He often is the captain of the 1st division side.

Hookers

Brad Drew - An off season purchase from the Panthers. Drew should get first crack at the hooking role however He'll need to perform with Irvine pushing him all year.

Daniel Irvine - Great young kid will become the top #9 for the Eels in a couple of year for now will have to settle with watching and learning from Brad Drew

Second Row

Nathan Hindmarsh - The front runner to take over. Gorden Tallis as the best 2nd rower. Hindmarsh will be looking to get a sky blue jersey in 2001. The only player to play all games in 2000 for Parra. Hindmarsh should become even more deverstating with the new rules as he can play as well in the 80th min as he can in the 1st min.

Ian Hindmarsh - The older Hindmarsh but the less experience. Ian really came into his own during the finals series and will be looking to hold of new buy David Solomona and superstar in the making Danny Sullivan.

David Solomona - A new buy from the Roosters. Which some at Sydney are still lamenting over the loss of. Solo will be used as an impact player off the bench for the Eels and should really devestate the opposing side coming on fresh when the other sides pack is tired. A good offloaded in tackles. Solomona should be responsible for sending Lyon, Richards and co onto the tryline for many, many tries.

Danny Sullivan - As stated before this kid is a superstar in the making and should prove to be in the to 3 2nd rowers in Australia if not the world in the next 3-4 years. Sullivan will find himself partnering in the 2nd row with Nathan Hindmarsh could be the player to force Luke O'Donnell onto the bench in rep games.

Lock

Daniel Wagon - A tackling machine and he rarly misses many more then 1 or 2 tackles in a game. Wagon can also play center, wing and five eighth. So he could become more usfull coming off the bench. Very durabile and doesn't make to many bad tackles.

Andrew Ryan - If Wagon plays off the bench it will be Ryan who will get 1st crack at the #13. The trained landscaper from Dubbo has had a rocky ride to the top which included time in the Metro cup in 1998. "Bobcat" or "Moviestar" should prove to be yet another talented Eels jnr however Ryan may not see the represtive sucess that Hindmarsh, Richards, Lyon, Marsh and Sullivan will enjoy.

My 2001 side

1. Brett Hodgson
2. Pat Richards
3. Jamie Lyon
4. David Vaealiki
5. Jason Moodie
6. Michael Buettner
7. Jason Taylor
8. Nathan Cayless (C)
9. Brad Drew
10. Michael Vella
11. Nathan Hindmarsh
12. Ian Hindmarsh
13. Andrew Ryan

14. Daniel Wagon
15. David Solomona
16. David Westley
17. Eric Grothe (or Jason Cayless)