Fellow collectors and cardboard enthusiasts, here is my review for 2016 Elite. I haven't really gotten into this release as much as I would have liked, partly due to poor luck, partly due to time but here goes anyway.
Firstly this is a really good release, significantly better than last year, which it needed to be for ESP / TLA to win back some credibility. ESP have certainly listened for Elite 16 as there have been a number of very good and necessary changes.
My biggest issue is the collation. As a case buyer you are fine but as a single box and packet buyer (like me) you can really get screwed over. There are generally 14-16 hits per box and with 10 boxes in a case there should be one hit per box. When you are paying $175 per box or $8 per packet you should be getting at least $100 value per box. Dud boxes SHOULD NOT exist.
The other issue with the collation is that all the sapphire mojo's and many of the jersey signature redemptions seem to be in the cases allocated to dealers. I don't have an issue with this per say as this will give the dealers extra business which they need and deserve BUT this should be advertised and perhaps moving forward there could be a hobby and retail release with the retail release being cheaper perhaps.
The one good thing about the collation is that the hits seemed to be well scattered in a box and the boxes that contain the big hits within a case seem to be well varied also.
FOLDERS
The same folder design has been used in each Elite release now. The sheets are very poor quality and while the folder card is an added bonus I think that for $25 the folder of the premium release needs to be varied and a bit better quality.
FOLDER CARD
Nice and simple in design, like the fact that they have continued this theme. Hopefully we see Josh Hodgson as the folder card in Elite 17....
BOX CARDS
Another nice little bonus but there needed to be 6-8 players like the old Select box cards. This would just make the value and overall demand for the card a bit higher. The cards themselves look fine and I like the theme.
BASE SET
I really like the look of the base. The black background is something I have not seen before on an NRL card. The only issue I have is that the Elite logo is very big and somewhat dominates the card. I am not sure if these go well for the IP collectors but I would imagine a silver sharpie wouldn't look too bad. I still think that the set should either be 9 or 18 cards as it looks so much better. 18 would be great as you could have the coach, and your top 17 or a subset within the common set.
GOLD PARALLELS
These are great! The use of different images is a real winner and I think that the cards look nice and clean. A difficult set to put together and one that will hold value. I saw some of these IP signed and they look excellent.
ENGINE ROOM
Unfortunately these really look like a traders level insert. The best 1:6 inserts in an Elite release to date have been the Triple Threats. The concept for these is fine although the term 'Engine Room' is usually associated with forwards and this release has both forwards and backs. I think ESP were trying to capture the hard working, no frills players. Credit where credit is due though, ESP always produce different themes / ideas and low end cards of less popular players which is great. I am stoked to have a Kurt Baptiste insert in my PC!
RUN & GUN
A nice looking card which seems to be a bit of a flow on from last years Quads. I like the look of cards in landscape and again the player selection is good but has a few too many duplicates from Elite 15 Quads.
2016 CAPTAINS
One word, SENSATIONAL! Easily the best box level insert ESP have produced. I generally do not like cards that are 1:24 to be numbered but for this I would make an exception. I like the fact that each card has that it is limited to 350 on the back.
RUN & GUN PARALLEL
Great to have a reasonable insert seeded at 1:48. The changes to the parallel are nice and subtle and and the numbering gives them a nice lift.
YG SIGNATURES
What a tremendous selection of players! The card design is nice and simple which really makes the signature stand out and thank god they went back to black markers.
LS SIGNATURES
A fairly good selection of players with many selected not having had signature cards with wither ESP or Select previously. I am stoked with Hodgson! The card design is a bit like the 13 Elite LS which I thought were the best produced. Again a nice simple design really allows the signature to stand out which is what the card is all about.
GAMES USED JERSEY & JERSEY SIGNATURE
Firstly the redemption card for these looks much classier than last years. The player selection is quite good, a step up from Elite 15. The big winner for these is the cards being in landscape style which really allows the players signature to flow. I felt last years jersey patch cards were much too 'busy' but this years are just the opposite and look really good. Hopefully there is a Canberra one for Elite 17!
MOJO RUBY
Wow! These look sensational in hand and are so much better than last years. I can't really think of anything that would make these better aside from being via redemption to ensure that the cards can't be damaged in packets and all the serial numbers are correct. The different image used to the base and common is also another massive boost.
MOJO SAPPHIRE
Also a 'WOW' card. Look great in hand, different images again are a winner and the card looks tremendous in hand. As mentioned earlier these seem to be in every case busted by dealers or cases bought off dealers. This is fine, great to see them get the business but the release needs to be split into hobby and retail if this is the case.
1/1
A great concept and these cards have created chat and excitement not before seen in an NRL release. I know these cards spell the end for master set collectors and also hurt team collectors but less face it, the hobby is changing and sometimes you just have to go with it.
CASE CARDS
Great to see these numbered...finally! I like the concept and a consistent theme is needed like Selects 200 game club. The cards are a little bland but are much better than last years Road to Immortality in design, those were just plain ugly!
8/10.
As always I invite your comments and responses below as I believe that these threads are a massive contributor to ESP having made certain changes to both Traders & Elite
Firstly this is a really good release, significantly better than last year, which it needed to be for ESP / TLA to win back some credibility. ESP have certainly listened for Elite 16 as there have been a number of very good and necessary changes.
My biggest issue is the collation. As a case buyer you are fine but as a single box and packet buyer (like me) you can really get screwed over. There are generally 14-16 hits per box and with 10 boxes in a case there should be one hit per box. When you are paying $175 per box or $8 per packet you should be getting at least $100 value per box. Dud boxes SHOULD NOT exist.
The other issue with the collation is that all the sapphire mojo's and many of the jersey signature redemptions seem to be in the cases allocated to dealers. I don't have an issue with this per say as this will give the dealers extra business which they need and deserve BUT this should be advertised and perhaps moving forward there could be a hobby and retail release with the retail release being cheaper perhaps.
The one good thing about the collation is that the hits seemed to be well scattered in a box and the boxes that contain the big hits within a case seem to be well varied also.
FOLDERS
The same folder design has been used in each Elite release now. The sheets are very poor quality and while the folder card is an added bonus I think that for $25 the folder of the premium release needs to be varied and a bit better quality.
FOLDER CARD
Nice and simple in design, like the fact that they have continued this theme. Hopefully we see Josh Hodgson as the folder card in Elite 17....
BOX CARDS
Another nice little bonus but there needed to be 6-8 players like the old Select box cards. This would just make the value and overall demand for the card a bit higher. The cards themselves look fine and I like the theme.
BASE SET
I really like the look of the base. The black background is something I have not seen before on an NRL card. The only issue I have is that the Elite logo is very big and somewhat dominates the card. I am not sure if these go well for the IP collectors but I would imagine a silver sharpie wouldn't look too bad. I still think that the set should either be 9 or 18 cards as it looks so much better. 18 would be great as you could have the coach, and your top 17 or a subset within the common set.
GOLD PARALLELS
These are great! The use of different images is a real winner and I think that the cards look nice and clean. A difficult set to put together and one that will hold value. I saw some of these IP signed and they look excellent.
ENGINE ROOM
Unfortunately these really look like a traders level insert. The best 1:6 inserts in an Elite release to date have been the Triple Threats. The concept for these is fine although the term 'Engine Room' is usually associated with forwards and this release has both forwards and backs. I think ESP were trying to capture the hard working, no frills players. Credit where credit is due though, ESP always produce different themes / ideas and low end cards of less popular players which is great. I am stoked to have a Kurt Baptiste insert in my PC!
RUN & GUN
A nice looking card which seems to be a bit of a flow on from last years Quads. I like the look of cards in landscape and again the player selection is good but has a few too many duplicates from Elite 15 Quads.
2016 CAPTAINS
One word, SENSATIONAL! Easily the best box level insert ESP have produced. I generally do not like cards that are 1:24 to be numbered but for this I would make an exception. I like the fact that each card has that it is limited to 350 on the back.
RUN & GUN PARALLEL
Great to have a reasonable insert seeded at 1:48. The changes to the parallel are nice and subtle and and the numbering gives them a nice lift.
YG SIGNATURES
What a tremendous selection of players! The card design is nice and simple which really makes the signature stand out and thank god they went back to black markers.
LS SIGNATURES
A fairly good selection of players with many selected not having had signature cards with wither ESP or Select previously. I am stoked with Hodgson! The card design is a bit like the 13 Elite LS which I thought were the best produced. Again a nice simple design really allows the signature to stand out which is what the card is all about.
GAMES USED JERSEY & JERSEY SIGNATURE
Firstly the redemption card for these looks much classier than last years. The player selection is quite good, a step up from Elite 15. The big winner for these is the cards being in landscape style which really allows the players signature to flow. I felt last years jersey patch cards were much too 'busy' but this years are just the opposite and look really good. Hopefully there is a Canberra one for Elite 17!
MOJO RUBY
Wow! These look sensational in hand and are so much better than last years. I can't really think of anything that would make these better aside from being via redemption to ensure that the cards can't be damaged in packets and all the serial numbers are correct. The different image used to the base and common is also another massive boost.
MOJO SAPPHIRE
Also a 'WOW' card. Look great in hand, different images again are a winner and the card looks tremendous in hand. As mentioned earlier these seem to be in every case busted by dealers or cases bought off dealers. This is fine, great to see them get the business but the release needs to be split into hobby and retail if this is the case.
1/1
A great concept and these cards have created chat and excitement not before seen in an NRL release. I know these cards spell the end for master set collectors and also hurt team collectors but less face it, the hobby is changing and sometimes you just have to go with it.
CASE CARDS
Great to see these numbered...finally! I like the concept and a consistent theme is needed like Selects 200 game club. The cards are a little bland but are much better than last years Road to Immortality in design, those were just plain ugly!
8/10.
As always I invite your comments and responses below as I believe that these threads are a massive contributor to ESP having made certain changes to both Traders & Elite
