The Parramatta Eels looked awesome last season as they were full of power, speed and nifty players who could create with ease. Last season though they stuttered once the pressure to perform became hotter than the missus Jarryd Hayne might find in the USA, and they lost games they needed to win to make the top eight. That's not such a bad thing, however, as while many teams crumbled under the weight of external pressure, the Eels just didn't quite have their systems sorted to deal with those important late season games.

Their win on Friday night was celebrated, mainly for the fact that it was against Manly who had served Anthony Watmough to them on a platter and could do the same with Kieran Foran. While this season might follow the same path as last season, the Eels will at least once again put themselves in a position to compete for a top eight spot.

Hayne's replacement is Will Hopoate who is far more limited than Hayne in all aspects of rugby league. But he is a Footy Player, in that he knows how to find space, he can pass and he's a pretty hefty unit. From what we saw against Manly, the Eels won't be looking at Hopoate and expect him to offer what Hayne offered. Instead, they have slightly changed their schemes and plays to suit the skill set of Hopoate.

This play shows Hopoate taking up a normal position for a fullback out the back of a sweeping back line move. But Hopoate effectively ends up playing centre as Beau Champion the right centre runs a double decoy with Tepai Moeroa, usually both these players are forwards but with Champion running the decoy, Hopoate's options aren't so plentiful.

That's far from a bad thing as the set up of the play, even though Chris Sandow freestyled a bit on this specific play, means that at the very least it's going to be 2 v 2 out on the edge. Later on in the season we might see Hopoate more comfortable in this role, but with only the winger outside of him he only has two options - pass or run. The very best fullbacks will have a centre and winger to choose from as well as the run option, but Hopoate is equally effective with a simpler choice. 

The first thing that strikes you about Parramatta are their edge back rowers who are beastly human beings. Manu Ma'u and Tepai Moeroa are going to be a nightmare to match up against this season, but the emergence of a fresh looking Darcy Lussick and captain Tim Mannah hold the key. As I've said over and over again, Mannah has a habit of falling on his stomach in the majority of his hit ups which results in a quick play the ball.

Mannah obviously doesn't have the power of Ma'u or Moeroa, but he earns quick plays by falling on his belly compared to breaking tackles. With Isaac De Gois, Nathan Peats and Chris Sandow all quick little fellas eager to run the ball, quick plays will be golden for the Eels.

Lussick is the perfect foil for Mannah as he's just an angry dude. He'll burst out of the line to put a shot on, as he did against Manly and he's going to charge at whoever is in front of him. Mannah is more subtle, but just as important.

The balance of the Eels is beautiful. Sandow is the cheeky bugger but does his half duties clinically as well, he runs the right edge while Norman sits on the left. Sandow has a variety of kicks that his right boot can execute while Norman is the same, except left footed. On each side of the field they have big lads who can step and serve a pass in the bread basket, but they also have John Folau waiting in the wings for a shot at first grade. It's hard to see Beau Champion keeping Folau out of the side for the whole season, but coach Brad Arthur will be bringing Folau in to the mix slowly.

Anthony Watmough helps the Eels defence immensely. Playing in the middle, Watmough offers much more energy and starch than Joseph Paulo who has his own niche, but Watmough is the guy who makes the repeat efforts in the most difficult area of the line. The Eels however face a double edge sword as both their halves aren't the best tacklers and having Moeroa and Sandow on the right edge will be interesting. 

This play here shows Kieran Foran running at Sandow, but he's also got Brett Stewart on the inside. While this play is targeting Sandow, it's also targeting Moeroa who is caught up on the inside and is too slow to get in to position to stop Stewart. 

Manly repeated the dose soon after with Foran again running at Sandow, but this time he went to the outside and Cheyse Blair scored in the corner. Brad Arthur strikes you as a coach who is going to sort these defensive worries out, but it will be interesting to see if guys like Sandow, Norman, Moeroa and their other young forwards can handle the complicated plays that the best teams will throw at them.

I love the Eels because they are a nice mix of structure, freestyle footy and excitement on both attack and defence. Against Manly, they dominated because they desperately wanted to dominate which means they put shots on, they ran uber hard and they had the confidence to try things. They'll be exciting to watch but it will be interesting to see if they can score points as easily as they did against Manly when their forwards aren't going forward with purpose.