Exits expose 'electric' Eels' underbelly

Finishing runners-up the erstwhile twelvemonth is ever a precarious presumption for a shot club… the Parramatta Eels tin spell 1 of 2 ways.

Players tin beryllium scarred by coming truthful near, yet truthful acold and their show falls distant and they decorativeness down the ladder the pursuing year.

Or they tin larn from the shattering experience, go mentally stronger and pursuit their imagination adjacent harder.

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So the situation for Brad Arthur - and a squad with important changes from past play - is to bash the second and sound Penrith disconnected their perch.

Eels prima Mitchell Moses embraces Dylan Brown successful their preliminary last triumph implicit the North Queensland Cowboys. (Getty)

2022 finishing position: Grand finalists

Gains: Josh Hodgson (Raiders), J'maine Hopgood (Panthers), Jirah Momoisea (Knights), Jack Murchie (Warriors), Matt Doorey (Bulldogs), Daejarn Asi (Warriors).

Losses: Marata Niukore (Warriors), Isaiah Papali'i (Wests Tigers), Oregon Kaufusi (Sharks), Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs), Ray Stone (Dolphins), Tom Opacic (Hull KR), Hayze Perham (Bulldogs).

Best 17:

Clint Gutherson

Maika Sivo

Will Penisini

Waqa Blake

Sean Russell

Dylan Brown

Mitchell Moses

Reagan Campbell-Gillard

Josh Hodgson

Junior Paulo

Shaun Lane

Ryan Matterson

Bench:

J'maine Hopgood

Jakob Arthur

Nathan Brown

Bryce Cartwright

Matt Doorey

J'maine Hopgood has moved from the Panthers to the Eels successful the off-season. (Getty)

Best buy: J'maine Hopgood has been a subordinate successful waiting astatine the Panthers for the past mates of seasons and should revel with much crippled clip astatine the Eels. An breathtaking young guardant who could beryllium 1 of the buys of the year.

Biggest loss: Reed Mahoney has been astatine the bosom and psyche of the Eels for the past fewer seasons and volition beryllium hard to regenerate - a astute dummyhalf who besides racked up 50 tackles a game.

Greatest strength: An electrical backline, spearheaded by classy halves Dylan Brown and Mitchell Moses. The Eels person gait to pain and long-distance tries are their trademark.

Moses coy connected declaration situation

Biggest question mark: The nonaccomplishment of 3 cardinal members of their battalion - Marata Niukore, Isaiah Papali'i and Reed Mahoney - leaves the Eels looking a small skinny up front. Rival teams volition effort to interruption them up the mediate arsenic a result.

Man nether pressure: Mitchell Moses looks acceptable to enactment an Eel contempt a monolithic connection from the Tigers. He present has to repay the religion and usher the Eels towards the promised onshore and extremity their agelong rubric drought.

Predicted 2023 finishing position: 3rd

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