Jason Oliver puts his preseason list together before every NRL season. This year starts a little bit early with all 24 things to drop throughout the offseason and delivered straight to the inbox of our Premium Members. Join today using NRL2024 at checkout to trial our content for free until Round 1.
There is only so much you can learn from an NRL trial game. Still, we’re digging into Titans v Eels to see what we can find.
Eels Attack
The Parramatta Eels have struggled for consistency in recent years, but one thing that has remained relatively consistent is offloads produce their best football.
As they have done in four of the last five seasons, Parramatta led the NRL in offloads with 13.7 per game in 2023.
It took only two minutes to see offload on full display in this one.
Offloads are split into effective and ineffective. Parramatta’s offloads don’t need to be effective in the traditional sense to translate into points. Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s try came from what ‘looks’ to be an ineffective offload to the ground. However, the second phase scrambles the line and with two big props flooding the middle after the play-the-ball – one of which is Junior Paulo, whose footwork and ball skills don’t make sense for somebody his size – Campbell-Gillard crashed over under the posts.
If the Eels aren’t scrambling the defence with offloads, they’re using a change of angles to hold up defenders in the line. J’maine Hopgood’s try is a classic example of Parramatta using decoy’s while dropping players under to throw doubt into the defensive line.
I’ve mentioned the good Eels and bad Eels a lot in recent years. The bad Eels get too sideways too early and look for the easy way up the field without doing the work through the middle first. We saw enough of the good Eels on Sunday night to be confident in them improving on their struggles in 2023.
Penisini Primed
There has been a lot of turnover in the centres for the Eels in recent years. They’ve struggled to find consistency on both ends but start from a good place in 2024.
For those waiting for Will Penisini to take the next step in his career, strap yourselves in. Now 21 years old and with 57 games of NRL footy to his name, all signs point to that next step coming soon.
His physical talents have always been there despite his young age. He’s a powerful ball carrier, and his acceleration is particularly dangerous in good ball where he’s able to skip past a defender to create a two-v-one situation on the edge.
With the experience comes footy IQ, and it’s with a better understanding of the game that Penisini can make the most of his speed and power.
At one point, he bounced out around his opposite with the ball in his right hand, using his left to hold off the defender. The low-percentage play was to flick an offload to his winger down the sideline and hope for the best. Instead, he kept possession, found an offload back inside, and the Eels used the momentum to surge towards the Titans line.
It’s easy to spot cues in hindsight. The best players in the game see them in real time and react to put a play on. I think we might see Penisini take more of the chances in front of him this year.
Parramatta needs some consistency in their outside backs this season. Penisini looks primed to provide it on the right edge as he learns to make best use of his tools.
Brimson in the centres
He was held up in the end, but, wow…
His movement without the ball is the key. Some of it is the pass which ends up out in front of him, but he’s drifting outside his opposite as the ball flies towards him. His accaleration is going to cause havoc on the edges the more he develops those centre-like movements.
Another little thing if we rewind it back to one play earlier: Brimson pushing up. His instincts as a fullback are going to see him score a lot of tries in the backfield.
Coach Des Hasler was somewhat forced into moving Brimson to the centres. Jayden Campbell has played too well in limited opportunities to keep him coming off the bench. The ceiling of this side is highest with Campbell and Brimson on the field and this is the best way to do it.
While not his first-choice position, Brimson has the potential to be one of the best attacking centres in the NRL if he continues to move like as he has done.
Something else to keep an eye on: Most teams run this lead inside the two-man, but the Titans put him inside three with Brimson drifting outside two a couple of times throughout the game.
You have to defend Alofiana Khan-Peiera differently
Defending wingers can’t hold inside their man and back their speed to close the gap on Alofiana Khan-Pereira down the sideline. They’re not quick enough.
He’s not even gathered possession of the ball before putting on the afterburners to score this one.
His speed is blinding and he’s going to score tries others simply couldn’t this season.
He’s not the biggest winger out there, but he still found 113 running metres per game last season. If he can up that closer to 130 metres and be a touch more effective in yardage, he can become a premier winger in the NRL.