Parramatta pin-up Daniel Mortimer has spoken of the timely meeting with coach Stephen Kearney that restored his confidence and allowed him to rediscover his best form. Mortimer and Jeff Robson hardly put a foot wrong in the halves in guiding the Eels to a 30-0 thumping of Penrith on Saturday night. And Mortimer said his promising trial form at five-eighth had a lot to do with his chat with Kearney in November. Kearney, who said Mortimer reminded him of a young Cooper Cronk when he first arrived at Melbourne Storm, guaranteed the 21-year-old and Robson first crack in the halves – despite the club’s ongoing talks with Matt Orford at the time. Mortimer struggled with expectation in 2010, but now looms as a strike weapon for the Eels. Continue reading
Tag Archive: Daniel Mortimer
The match review committee examined three other incidents from the weekend’s trials.
Sydney Roosters forward Nate Myles was cleared of a lifting tackle on Wests Tigers back Wade McKinnon, while Cronulla recruit Jeremy Smith was deemed not to have tripped Newcastle’s Mark Taufua.
Penrith half Luke Walsh’s sickening hit on Parramatta’s Daniel Mortimer, which also sparked a melee, was deemed legitimate.
Gold Coast youngster Ryan James will need to wait another day to know whether he faces a second pre-season suspension after he was placed on report in the trial against North Queensland.
Footage of the Titans-Cowboys match will not be available until Tuesday.
Maligned Parramatta halfback Jeff Robson starred on Saturday night as the Eels thrashed Penrith 30-0 in their NRL trial at Centrebet Stadium. Last season the Eels chased a string of high-profile halfbacks to mentor young five-eighth Daniel Mortimer, but perhaps the answer was under their nose the whole time. Robson, the halfback who took them to the 2009 grand final, was involved in everything, setting up tries with precision passing and kicking while also pulling off try-saving tackles. The Eels cruised home with a comfortable victory in a spiteful and physical, but mostly dour, affair. Continue reading
The signing of Casey McGuire by Parramatta in the off-season caused few ripples around the NRL, but on Saturday’s evidence that could soon change.
The 31-year-old former Brisbane utility has returned to Australia from a four-year stint with French side Les Catalans, and looked a class act against West Tigers at Campbelltown as the Eels eased to a 30-10 trial win.
Playing out of dummy-half, McGuire was sharp around the fringes of the ruck and gave Parramatta the energy in attack they so badly lacked last season.
Only Cronulla scoring fewer tries in 2010 as the Eels, pre-season premiership favourites, failed to make the finals. Continue reading
The spectacular fall of young Parramatta halfback Daniel Mortimer has reduced him to playing for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup on Sunday. Rather than lead the resurgent Eels in the NRL at a packed Parramatta Stadium against Wests Tigers, Mortimer will be a few kilometres away at Ringrose Park guiding the Wenty Magpies against Central Coast. Mortimer was not named in the Eels squad yesterday and club officials failed to offer any explanation as to why the little No. 7 – battling second-year syndrome – was left out for a second week. Many believed Mortimer would return to the bench after being “rested” from Friday’s Brisbane encounter. But newcomers Anthony Mitchell and Taniela Lasalo were instead retained by coach Daniel Anderson. Mortimer will play for Parramatta’s feeder club in the second-tier competition – and there is every chance he could be joined by Shane Shackleton. Shackleton was the big off-season recruit who lasted just a few minutes in Parramatta’s opening game before he tore his hamstring from the bone. “Morts will play for Wenty this weekend, but he won’t be named because the club isn’t keen on any publicity. They’ve had plenty in recent weeks,” one source said. “There’s also the chance of Shackleton playing, but he might not be back for another week.”
The Parramatta Eels is another side that will have their last bye in round 14 and they too have a few players worth considering to shore up some key positions for the remainder of the season, some bargains and some that maybe look better than they really are. Here are four players that could fit into those categories.
Nathan Hindmarsh (2RF) @ $368,800.00, averaging 52.20. Hindmarsh is the Eels, what will they or we coaches do with out him. He was someone I considered at the start of the season but his price and the talk about his hand injury made me shy away from him. The starting price of $367,700.00 meant he had to start scoring around 58 points to keep his value. By round 6 he had dropped in value by $37,000.00 averaging only 46.33 per game. Since round 6 he has played four games averaging 61.00, increasing his round 6 value by $38,100.00 and regaining all of his starting price with a little extra. His tackle count of 439 is the second highest in the NRL with a low of 33 in round 2 and a high in round 7 where he pulled of 57 for a score of 71, his highest score of the season while his lowest score was a 41 in round 2. He is currently the second best Dream Team performer, behind David Stagg. The things you should know; His current season average of 52.20 makes his market value around $335,000.00. His average for the last three games is 57.66, which makes his current market value about right. With the score of 48 in round 11 he will need to score a 64 or better in round 12 to hold his current price. Continue reading
Eels coach Daniel Anderson admits he is alarmed at just how badly young playmaker Daniel Mortimer has been struck down by illness. Mortimer was a shock withdrawal from the Eels’ NRL loss to Wests Tigers last Friday after suffering from severe gastritis. Anderson said he returned to training on Wednesday after being bed-ridden for four days. “He’s lost a significant amount of weight and he really can’t afford to lose that much,” Anderson said. However despite his weight loss, Anderson says he is confident the 20-year-old will be able to pull through and overcome his bad health by Saturday’s game against the Sharks. “The eyes were brighter and there was a bit of zest and cheek,” he said. “By Saturday he’ll be fine.”
The Eels five-eighth Daniel Mortimer has been ruled out of tonights clash verse the Tigers because of a virus. Mortimer was spotted at the club’s Parramatta headquarters earlier today and will be replaced in the starting side by interchange utility Kris Keating. Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson will name another bench replacement one hour before kickoff. Tigers coach Tim Sheens is expected to trim Daniel Fitzhenry and Junior Moors from his six-man interchange bench.
PS For the Cowboys supporters out there, this will be an ideal opportunity to check out the rumoured Cowboys Plan B move to secure Keating, following the possible impending departure of Johnathon Thurston
Daniel Anderson certainly thinks so and will endeavour to do just that in an effort to keep his troops fresh and to go that step further in this years premiership. After last years mid season form reversal any changes to the line up would almost be deemed unnecessary, but when you throw the names Timana Tahu ($120,300 CTW), Justin Poore ($250,800 FRF) and Shane Shackleton ($192,500 FRF/2RF) into the mix it would be a brave man that says the Eels won’t be sniffing around come finals time. As with most coaches (DT included) not all positions are spoken for within the squad, Tahu will almost certainly dislodge Krisnan Inu ($143,500 CTW/FB) or Joel Reddy ($132,400 CTW) whilst Poore could unsettle stalwart Nathan Cayless ($257,400 FRF) or crowd favourite Fuifui Moimoi ($194,600 FRF). As mentioned at the NEX Kris Keating ($190,300 HLV) is fighting hard to regain his spot in the halves keeping both Daniel Mortimer ($268,000 HLV) and Jeff Robson ($227,300 HLV) honest, although having the confidence from the back end of last season with the inclusion of play-offs, it will be difficult to break. “We have to get the best out of them while playing with the players that we already have here so that’s what I mean we’ve got a different dynamic.” Anderson said “It would be naive to think that we’d be able to start the same and finish the same but obviously we’d like to be more consistent in our application as a team.”
As a NQ Cowboys follower, I expect no less from a player that has left our ranks under hazy circumstances other than to go onto success for another club. Travis Burns ($155,100 HLV) it seems will prove to be another statistic in this ever growing list, it has been reported he had a blinder and made an unforgettable statement in his pursuit to be the other half running along side Luke Walsh ($210,700 HLV) for the Panthers this season. Wade Graham ($167,200 HLV) is also looking to secure this position but after the weekend he may have the odds against him, also having had his differences in the past with Coach Elliott may work against his desire for a starting role. With Luke Lewis ($220,200 CTW/HLV), Petero Civinoceva ($271,300 FRF) and Trent Waterhouse ($307,800 2RF) to return the Panthers are certainly poised for an early attack in this years competition. The Eels on the other hand could possibly see reason for a little concern seeming they almost had their A side on the paddock, but with Daniel Mortimer ($268,000 HLV) and Ben Smith ($189,600 CTW/2RF) exiting because of injury early and Nathan Hindmarsh ($367,700 2RF) a no show, the Eels won’t be too worried.
PENRITH PANTHERS 32 (Travis Burns 2, Shane Elford, Luke Walsh, Michael Gordon, Ryan Walker tries; Michael Gordon 3, Travis Burns goals) def PARRAMATTA EELS 12 (Luke Burt, Ben Smith tries; Luke Burt 2 goals) at CUA Stadium. Crowd: 11,113.
The first half of the Dogs V Dragons line ups looked almost like a standard Telstra Cup fixture, with Jamal Idris ($153,300 CTW) for the Dogs showing what he is potentially capable of week in week out with his unique attacking style culminating in 2 tries for the giant youngster. Ben Barba ($91,100 HLV) also showed he is more than ready if veteran Brett Kimmorley ($237,300 HLV) should happen upon injury with some good touches when on the field. For the Saints, Nathan Fien ($211,500 HLV/HOK) continues to impress Coach Bennett, constantly threatening from Dummy Half and will no doubt slot into the run on side somewhere in this seasons Dragons campaign. In true trials fashion both sides made plenty of errors and it was difficult to split the two, defence being the only winner in this tight fought contest.
DRAGONS 16 (Lett, Green, Vickery Tries; Goodwin 2 Goals)BULLDOGS 14 (Idris 2, Nanai Tries; Turner 1 Goal)
Big things are expected from the Rabbitohs and the Titans this season, if we were to go by their rosters it should be a safe bet on a finals berth for both. The bunnies didn’t throw their big money forwards onto the field preferring to show off their depth against the Titans, and they held their own. For the Titans, the Prince ($287,300 HLV) Bird ($250,000 HLV/2RF) combination had another game to find the common ground between the flair and creativity of Prince mixing with the glass smashing brutality of Bird. The Bunnies youngsters, trying to capture the eye of Coach Lang had some flair of their own whilst the Titans proved to be more tradesman like in their performance. The Titans also played their bargain Ex Kiwi International Clinton Toopi (Not Listed) who brought plenty to the table.
Gold Coast Titans 28 (M Rogers, C Toopi, R Brown, S Prince, W Zillman tries; S Prince 4 goals) defeated South Sydney Rabbitohs 22 (L Capewell 2, I Luke, J Vaivai tries; C Sandow 2, A Reynolds 1 goal). Crowd 5500.
Ben Te’o ($203,100 2RF) performed, scoring twice in what could may possibly be the year for the talented back rower, after showing plenty of potential the former Tiger may have finally settled within the Brisbane outfit. As reported, Israel Folau ($139,800 CTW) also shared the Fullback position with Corey Norman (Not Listed) who is only 18 but showing plenty of confidence and try scoring ability. Albeit an experimental outing for the Broncos it was considered successful. For the Green Machine it was Terry Campese ($331,900 HLV) and Joel Monaghan ($154,500 CTW) who stood ahead of the rest, behind a pack that never let them down. Dane Tilse ($195,600 FRF) ate up the metres while stalwart Alan Tongue ($238,800 2RF) proved that his workload is as high as ever and the Scott Logan ($162,100 FRF), Dane Tilse, David Shillington ($175,500 FRF) and Bronson Harrison ($292,200 2RF) combination could prove to be a dark horse in this seasons high profile packs.
Brisbane 32 d Canberra 24 *Will Post stats asap.
