New Eastern Suburbs coach Pauli Taumoepeau believes a smarter and more experienced Beasties outfit will be more than competitive in 2018 following a number of lean seasons at Woollahra. Easts finished ninth last year and struggled on and off the field, after their newly built artificial pitch was deemed unusable just days before the start of the 2017 season. Taumoepeau’s side will return to Woollahra Oval in 2018 and the former Australian Schoolboy seems confident Easts can challenge for a spot in the playoffs if they can improve their game management. “Looking at the last few seasons, it’s probably fair to say that Easts have been a sixty or so minute side and struggled in that final crucial part of the match. I don’t think it’s got anything to do with fitness or ability, it comes down to decision making in that final 20 minutes,” Taumoepeau said. “Morrow and DC (former coaches Craig Morrison and Darren Coleman) were able to build a really strong culture at t