Eels in the media

[Gronk]

For the people saying Ryles is getting a free pass


Can someone please tell me why the Parramatta Eels are being lauded this season for winning just 33 per cent of their games?

I keep hearing about this remarkable revival but success is based around consistent results, not merely signs of improvement and promise.

There are some green shoots, no doubt, but green has become lean when you look at the competition table.

Last year, Parramatta finished 15th with seven wins. After 24 rounds this season, the Eels sit 14th with seven wins.

That’s hardly what you would call a stunning improvement.

Parramatta is like a selfie with a filter. It looks great but you know it’s make-believe.

Eels fans will hate this column. They won’t want to read about another season of failure when trying to conjure an inner-belief that success looms.

Potential success doesn’t count, neither does the possibility of future success. It’s mumbo-jumbo by coaches and staff trying to give themselves a few years of leniency and grace.

Let’s start seeing some cold, hard results and an Eels team that is competing in finals.

Parramatta has everything; money, a huge fan base, strong junior pathways, a state-of-the-art stadium and a $70 million Centre of Excellence.

There’s just one thing missing – winning footy matches.

The promised bold new world under coach Jason Ryles may arrive in the coming years but right now Parramatta finds itself yet again mingling with fellow NRL strugglers and sits just two wins off a possible wooden spoon.

Granted, Ryles is in his first season at Parramatta and implementing new systems, attitudes and structures can take time.

However, Ryles has had a full off season and 21 games now and not much has changed, results wise, since the club’s slide under Brad Arthur and Trent Barrett last season.

This year, Parramatta is averaging only 18.1 point a match, the third-fewest in the NRL. It’s also the club’s worst tally since its wooden-spoon season in 2018. Last season, Parramatta averaged 23.4 points a game.

Parramatta has won just one game this season against a top-eight rival.

Perhaps there will be a second in the game against the eight-placed Roosters at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night.

The Eels’ defence is better in 2025. Last year, Parramatta conceded 29.8 point a game. This season that figure has been reduced to 25.5. But 25.5 points a game is still ranked 14th in the NRL.

Parramatta last weekend fielded the spine it believes is the future – Joash Papalii, Isaiah Iongi, Mitch Moses and Ryley Smith, with Tallyn Da Silva coming off the bench.

The Eels still couldn’t beat an injury-ravaged Rabbitohs, who were fighting to avoid a last-place finish. It clearly demonstrates the club has a mountain of work to complete.

Look at the Wests Tigers, the Eels’ success-starved Western Sydney neighbours. The Tigers have kicked this year when no one thought they would finish ahead of the Eels.

Benji Marshall’s boys have left Parramatta paddling behind.

Yes, Parramatta star Mitch Moses has only played 10 games this year, but he only played eight last season.

Losing such a pivotal playmaker clearly hurt but the club cannot continue to rely on a single player in its drive for success.

The Dylan Brown saga also impaired Parramatta but the excuses go round and round when you haven’t won a grand final since 1986.

Parramatta has improved slowly as the season has progressed.

The club’s three biggest defeats came in the opening six rounds and the club has recorded narrow losses to heavyweights Melbourne and Penrith in the second half of the season.

However, tight losses are still losses and once you start accepting noble defeats, you know you’re a long way from success.

Parramatta fans are tired and fed-up of unfulfilled assurances.

Link: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/why-parramatta-eels-socalled-revival-under-jason-ryles-is-a-lie-bulldogs-bite/news-story/526800962ba6005c82aab68d4b498223?amp

^^ rage bait

 

[Poupou Escobar]

For the people saying Ryles is getting a free pass


Can someone please tell me why the Parramatta Eels are being lauded this season for winning just 33 per cent of their games?

I keep hearing about this remarkable revival but success is based around consistent results, not merely signs of improvement and promise.

There are some green shoots, no doubt, but green has become lean when you look at the competition table.

Last year, Parramatta finished 15th with seven wins. After 24 rounds this season, the Eels sit 14th with seven wins.

That’s hardly what you would call a stunning improvement.

Parramatta is like a selfie with a filter. It looks great but you know it’s make-believe.

Eels fans will hate this column. They won’t want to read about another season of failure when trying to conjure an inner-belief that success looms.

Potential success doesn’t count, neither does the possibility of future success. It’s mumbo-jumbo by coaches and staff trying to give themselves a few years of leniency and grace.

Let’s start seeing some cold, hard results and an Eels team that is competing in finals.

Parramatta has everything; money, a huge fan base, strong junior pathways, a state-of-the-art stadium and a $70 million Centre of Excellence.

There’s just one thing missing – winning footy matches.

The promised bold new world under coach Jason Ryles may arrive in the coming years but right now Parramatta finds itself yet again mingling with fellow NRL strugglers and sits just two wins off a possible wooden spoon.

Granted, Ryles is in his first season at Parramatta and implementing new systems, attitudes and structures can take time.

However, Ryles has had a full off season and 21 games now and not much has changed, results wise, since the club’s slide under Brad Arthur and Trent Barrett last season.

This year, Parramatta is averaging only 18.1 point a match, the third-fewest in the NRL. It’s also the club’s worst tally since its wooden-spoon season in 2018. Last season, Parramatta averaged 23.4 points a game.

Parramatta has won just one game this season against a top-eight rival.

Perhaps there will be a second in the game against the eight-placed Roosters at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night.

The Eels’ defence is better in 2025. Last year, Parramatta conceded 29.8 point a game. This season that figure has been reduced to 25.5. But 25.5 points a game is still ranked 14th in the NRL.

Parramatta last weekend fielded the spine it believes is the future – Joash Papalii, Isaiah Iongi, Mitch Moses and Ryley Smith, with Tallyn Da Silva coming off the bench.

The Eels still couldn’t beat an injury-ravaged Rabbitohs, who were fighting to avoid a last-place finish. It clearly demonstrates the club has a mountain of work to complete.

Look at the Wests Tigers, the Eels’ success-starved Western Sydney neighbours. The Tigers have kicked this year when no one thought they would finish ahead of the Eels.

Benji Marshall’s boys have left Parramatta paddling behind.

Yes, Parramatta star Mitch Moses has only played 10 games this year, but he only played eight last season.

Losing such a pivotal playmaker clearly hurt but the club cannot continue to rely on a single player in its drive for success.

The Dylan Brown saga also impaired Parramatta but the excuses go round and round when you haven’t won a grand final since 1986.

Parramatta has improved slowly as the season has progressed.

The club’s three biggest defeats came in the opening six rounds and the club has recorded narrow losses to heavyweights Melbourne and Penrith in the second half of the season.

However, tight losses are still losses and once you start accepting noble defeats, you know you’re a long way from success.

Parramatta fans are tired and fed-up of unfulfilled assurances.

Link: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...ws-story/526800962ba6005c82aab68d4b498223?amp

This could’ve been written by any of twenty posters on here. The Tele certainly knows its audience.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

^^ rage bait

ffs

 

[Angry_eel]

It's a hit job. Appreciating the tactics and fixing the roster doesn't mean everything is hunky dory and we're making the 8.

 

[Delboy]

The pack is not up too it compared to almost r dry other side, no strike in the centres and a gap at 5/8.

Urgently need to fill those areas ahead of our good maturing juniors can take up the slack, until the front office can be as solid as our peers , then it’s a real slog. No more signings of Momoseia, Murchie, Harper snd reserve graders- we have enough of them, somehow find the way to act like Roosters, Dogs etc and get some elite players or we endure more of what the last few years have been

 

[Avenger]

Honeymoon year this one . I expected it to go this way . Not sure why many on here said we would make finals..

Turned the place upside down , new roster, new structures , lack of leaders

Any club doing the same thing your not going to get success, otherwise every bottom 4 does it

Really no excuses not to be a lot better next year..Think DeBelin will help our middle a bit. Need a strike forward and address the no6…

I’m looking forward to us being a lot better next year, but also dread it being the same ole’.

Hopefully our club will announce some strong signing before Xmas because another year with this lot will give similar results - ie missing the 8.

Sign for 2027 and agitate for an early release. And I’m talking top shelf not mid tier or bargain two for one deals.

 

[Delboy]

Hopefully our club will announce some strong signing before Xmas because another year with this lot will give similar results - ie missing the 8.

Sign for 2027 and agitate for an early release. And I’m talking top shelf not mid tier or bargain two for one deals.

Looking at our front office and seeing what they have achieved it’s a big ask. Hopefully they have been put on notice that improve or move on.

Found it interesting that Sarantinos recently stated that the coach identifies needs and it’s the HOF and Recruitment Manager to find and sign said players, nice sidestep to avoid any CEO responsibility in that area.

 

[Avenger]

Looking at our front office and seeing what they have achieved it’s a big ask. Hopefully they have been put on notice that improve or move on.

Found it interesting that Sarantinos recently stated that the coach identifies needs and it’s the HOF and Recruitment Manager to find and sign said players, nice sidestep to avoid any CEO responsibility in that area.

Mate I don’t think there is one CEO besides Gould who identifies what a squad needs. It’s the coach’s job to identify talent and what we can sign in the player market and always should be.

 

[emjaycee]

Mate I don’t think there is one CEO besides Gould who identifies what a squad needs. It’s the coach’s job to identify talent and what we can sign in the player market and always should be.

And Gould isn't the Dogs CEO, he is their GM of Football

 

[Avenger]

And Gould isn't the Dogs CEO, he is their GM of Football

I’m pretty sure he has more sway in that club than any other person. You reckon their CEO is on more $$ than him?

 

[RealdEel]

Looking at our front office and seeing what they have achieved it’s a big ask. Hopefully they have been put on notice that improve or move on.

Found it interesting that Sarantinos recently stated that the coach identifies needs and it’s the HOF and Recruitment Manager to find and sign said players, nice sidestep to avoid any CEO responsibility in that area.

We only need one or two representative signings.

The CEO also should always stay out of football needs apart from signing the staff.

Riff head coach tell HOF what he needs and they go out and either develop or purchase.

 

[Delboy]

Mate I don’t think there is one CEO besides Gould who identifies what a squad needs. It’s the coach’s job to identify talent and what we can sign in the player market and always should be.

Was more about ensuring the signing and recruitment negotiations were explained as not his job, any failings would not be on his head. Good management philosophy from the person at the pointy end, not my fault.

 

[the phantom menace]

And Gould isn't the Dogs CEO, he is their GM of Football

So the equivalent to our O'Neill... the comparsion is stark.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Looking at our front office and seeing what they have achieved it’s a big ask. Hopefully they have been put on notice that improve or move on.

Found it interesting that Sarantinos recently stated that the coach identifies needs and it’s the HOF and Recruitment Manager to find and sign said players, nice sidestep to avoid any CEO responsibility in that area.

If the CEO is going to do everything, why have subordinate managers?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Mate I don’t think there is one CEO besides Gould who identifies what a squad needs. It’s the coach’s job to identify talent and what we can sign in the player market and always should be.

Just about anyone can identify talent. hindyeleven is batting 85% ffs. Look at the best under 21s in reserve grade, the best under 19s in Flegg (or higher). Find out who's off contract. Then it's a matter of making an offer without overpaying (at least under the cap). If a more desperate club is offering him overs, find an illegal TPA and hope there's no whistle blowers stabbing the club in the back. Easy.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I’m pretty sure he has more sway in that club than any other person. You reckon their CEO is on more $$ than him?

Would anyone at our club be on more than Mitch Moses? I reckon he could get anyone rissoled, including the CEO. Only the board are safe, and even they can get turfed at election time if Moses and his cousin get the media on board.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Was more about ensuring the signing and recruitment negotiations were explained as not his job, any failings would not be on his head. Good management philosophy from the person at the pointy end, not my fault.

It is his fault, but over a long enough period of time where he's had a chance to replace underperformers. He's sacked a head coach so that card has been played. Some other merkin will be in his sights now. But if the club wins games, grows its membership and remains financial then he's essentially done his job. Winning premierships is only a KPI if you're a blazer-wearing, 45-year-old chain smoking bogan CEO in the 80s.

 

[Pazza]

Just about anyone can identify talent.

Wrong

Ive seen too many nfl drafts to agree with that assertion

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Wrong

Ive seen too many nfl drafts to agree with that assertion

The Roosters paid huge money to poach Hastings from St George. Does that mean they can't identify talent? The Storm gave Brodie Croft nearly 40 NRL games, including a grand final start. Can they identify talent?

There's an element of risk to every unproven signing (e.g NRL pathways and the NFL draft), so the NFL draft says nothing about whether a franchise can identify talent. NFL teams don't live and die on the draft; their success is determined by how they fare in the market for proven players.

 

[Pazza]

The Roosters paid huge money to poach Hastings from St George. Does that mean they can't identify talent? The Storm gave Brodie Croft nearly 40 NRL games, including a grand final start. Can they identify talent?

talent identification is one of the hardest things in sports, only a select few organisations in any sports league get it right. how many truly elite talents have parra developed in the last 25 years? Lyon, Hayne, Radradra??? there have been seasons where melbourne field a team with more elite players that they have developed than we had developed in a quarter century. so no, not anyone can identify talent.

so the NFL draft says nothing about whether a franchise can identify talent.

its the ultimate test of player evaluation

NFL teams don't live and die on the draft; their success is determined by how they fare in the market for proven players.

14/21 starters for the superbowl winning philadelphia eagles were drafted by the team.