Player of Interest – Daniel Alvaro
With not much going right at the Eels last year, Daniel Alvaro was one of the few shining lights. So we thought it would be only fair to return the favour and shine a light on him as our next Player of Interest. Alvaro has been a consistent PPM machine for the past four years and saw a fairly big increase in minutes last year.
Recent Statistics
2018: Games played: 19, Average: 55, PPG, MMP: 46, PPM: 1.2
2017: Games played: 23, Average: 46 PPG, MPG: 37, PPM: 1.23
2019 Players of Interest: Read all of these here
2019 SuperCoach Club Previews: Read all of these here
Based on the projected round 1 team, the Eels pack lacks some real depth. The starting front-row will include the likes of Alvaro and new recruit, Joseph Paulo, whilst in the back-row should see Manu Ma'u and Shaun Lane be joined by Nathan Brown at lock. With the bench to include Will Smith, Marata Niukore, Tepai Moeroa and and on his last legs, Tim Mannah.
For mine, Ma'u will continue to play the full 80 minutes, with Niukore likely to spell Lane and Moeroa will to come on for Brown (10 minutes) and Alvaro (30 minutes) and cover the middle. Mannah should come on for Paulo and play 35-40 MPG.
All this could point to Alvaro playing a consistent 50 MPG at a minimum this year as the forward leader along with Brown. If he can have that as a baseline for his minutes and keep his PPM at the same rate that he's produced over the past two years then has the potential to be a definite 60 PPG player and keeper.
At worse, he could produce solid enough scores to start the season through until at least the first bye round where he will provide cover and you can bank the cash from here on.
I'm more than keen......what's everyone else thinking?
Check out the rest of our Players of Interest articles below:
Full disclosure: this was written when it was more than likely that Parra would have a utility on the bench
If it looks like they go with a 4 forward bench his value diminishes sadly
Good write up, issue is I am looking at either set and forgets – tapow/fifi or underpriced/borderline players I feel could see an increase this year – lane/tpj
Yea he’s in that awkward price range but if he got another spike in mins this year he can give that solid score of 60 and above most weeks and then make an easy jump to a gun after the bye
Lane at 7k cheaper and dual may wind up being the better option if given the mins
Depends how they use lane , an 80 min lane would mean Alvaro and brown RIP to there mins . Seems like prop and lock will AVG same mins and likely preparing for the new interchange rule which could come in next year .
Is it the end of 80 min locks ?
Jurbo the only exception ….
could mean also that if Mahoney is the main hok and no utilty that Brown goes into hok again like before 2017 I think for a while. Could kill his output as well, just passing the ball.
Thanks for the writeup mate. He’s been in and out of my team for a bit now – currently in. He’s at a good age of 25 and should be ready to hit his peak based on the gradual increase in minutes over the last few years.
I like that he plays the R12 bye round and he’s a huge POD. But as per other’s comments he’s at a tricky price and I am worried that he is coming back from injury. Has he been training well do you know?
Also this guy is super consistent. He only had 2 games below 40 last season. That’s the sort of consistency you want at the start of the season – but you have to pay for it!
I like Lane more as an option around the same price if he gets 80 minutes or close to. He has a higher ceiling and is already a pod. Both have their minutes in the air, lane can cover the centre of the park as well, he is so much more versatile and could get more minutes through covering the middle as well.
yeah big difference between Lane and Alvaro is that Lane can score tries, Alvaro scores zilch.
Plus Lane also is that taller body that has a great offload, can score and also create tries. I feel he gets 60min minimum on an edge. But like you said Mannah or someone goes down in the middle he can play big min and can play in the middle if need be. He scored a few tries in the middle last year as well I remember.
Yeah I reckon Lane starts right edge and rotates through the middle to spell brown a little and Moeroa comes on after a bit. Wacko said he’s been training left edge but for Ma’u lately who’s in rehab with brown. Season still ages away but Lane was surely bought for starting gig, not the bench. We’ve lacked a hard running penetration on the right for years. Moeroa is a tackle bot now with buggered shoulder. Was a very promising rookie too which is a shame. Here’s my notes from Lane profile on podcast: Lane * 2018: 54 AVG from 54… Read more »
Great notes, I feel he would have signed with Eels purely to get a start in the run on side, Moreoa was on the bench last year? The young 2rf/ctw could cause issues who filled in for Mau, but I see Lane getting 60min at least. I remember seeing an article or interview with Barett when Lane signed with Eels, something about the coach finally showed faith that I could do the job and so have been putting in on the edge. At Manly he was behind Sironen and then seamed like Gewoski as well, Or could have been because… Read more »
Niukore it was. Wouldn’t worry about him. Plodder with zero clutch or tackle busts. Can’t see him being dangerous enough to leap anyone to start or provide enough bench impact. Had a deeper look into the 2018 game minutes for all starting 12s at parra. Avg 66.8 mins for the season which is promising. 1 games Kenny 7 for Taka 60 or 80, Rex was putrid with 58,48,80,40 mins. He’s fat and lazy so if you take his out of that team avg it’s 69. Moeroa was 71 mpg but didn’t play round 2. Low mins game one so must’ve… Read more »
Hopefully, Moses pulls his finger out now that he is the main man. Surely the eels are a better team this season, I think Fergo’s runs out from the back early in the set will give them momentum for some more tries. Fergo should also be on the right edge as well so the ball should come to the right more than not, meaning more opportunity for lane to get attacking stats and runs.
I feel Brown when fit may still play big min but spell Mahoney if no Utility on bench. Agree Lane getting 60min on an edge can still score a 60-65 pt av with the added up side, In frf lock that in, If he stays fit can hold up to rd12 and decide what to do then.
Love how the threads turned into a Shaun Lane discussion, haha. Alvaro is On the down low down low! Lane definately got potential but as said above i can only see him grabbing 60 mins. Maintaining at or above 1ppm consistentlly would be a big ask… wait and see for me Im definatley keen on Alvaro, i dont see any way he can dip really. At worst im backing him to be an 18th man if not better. Front row is really slim this year, ive only got Fifita and Taupau certains for a 60 average. I see JPapa, James… Read more »