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Jason Ryles - Head coach of Parramatta from 2025

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11,670
I have been a fan since 1975. I agree with Gronk, for the most part the BA years were good for Parra when you look at the long dark years of 1987 to 1997 and 2010 to 2015.

However, we may have snagged a comp if we were better coached.
1978 really for me. I think the BA years get a pass mark, overall.

But it was obvious by mid-2023 - despite the high mark of making a grand final in 2022 - to pretty much everyone that things had/were spiralling down fast. That lone very small premiership window that eventually became available under BA had already closed.

So the only sour taste around the BA years is just that the club left it a bit too long to pull the plug, and now we have to go through this rebuild.
 

Stevie

Bench
Messages
3,149
I may or may not have popped into the pub at midday today and didn’t leave. But chatting with someone at work who knows that centre from Dogs Samrani really well (they both came through juniors together) and he reckons he is a seriously good buy.
Centre / backrower but def not a winger.

He also said whilst that JPap IS a gun, he said he is quite small and he thinks that’s why he hasn’t kicked on just yet.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
62,867
I enjoyed the BA era for the most part. We had some very good years, won a lot of games. Yes, there were quite a few terrible losses, but mostly we were good enough to be a chance of winning every game we played. I was optimistic and hopeful. Even these last two years where we weren’t very good I was able to begin the year with a feeling that we might do well.

The 3-4 years before then I could not say the same. Also the early to mid 90s.

2022 and 2017 where enjoyable.
Every other year we got bundled out before the preliminary in the finals so hardly went great.
Then 6yrs of no finals
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
62,867
I am interested to hear from others who are old enough to have enjoyed the 4 GF wins in the 80's and the the drought that followed.

Just a simple observation from my POV, and certainly no fault on you, but the Brad Arthur era was a tropical island holiday compared to previous years.

No I am not being a hugger. Well, others will determine if I am or not.

The BA era is 6/11 years of no finals so less the 50%. With 16 sides for most part that's below average.
His finals record was he only managed once to get to the last the last 4. I reckon lucky also as Storm,SouthsRoosters where all depleted. We still where beaten 13+ twice in the final series.
People seem to forget we had a spine of Gutherson,Brown,Moses,Mahoney and NSW props Jnr and RCG. It was a dam good side. Nothing special about getting to the last 6 sides with those players. We where in a 4yr premiership window yet only once into a preliminary.

Brian Smith era was far far superior. He managed to get sides of no names to perform. That 2000 side where basically kids. They pushed the Broncos in the finals. 2001 they had 3 x NSW cup players in JT, Beautner and B.Drew in the spine yet he managed to turn it into a gun side.

BA was BOG AVERAGE.
 

lingard

Coach
Messages
11,414
In 2023 we were f**ked by injuries/suspensions. This year we were just f**ked. It wasn’t helped by a couple of key injuries, but most of our senior players had career worst seasons. Were they underprepared or are they just too old? We might find out in 2025. It’s very exciting.
Or the coaching and tactics were getting very stale. We have to consider that even if we don't agree with it.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
77,398
The BA era is 6/11 years of no finals so less the 50%. With 16 sides for most part that's below average.
His finals record was he only managed once to get to the last the last 4. I reckon lucky also as Storm,SouthsRoosters where all depleted. We still where beaten 13+ twice in the final series.
People seem to forget we had a spine of Gutherson,Brown,Moses,Mahoney and NSW props Jnr and RCG. It was a dam good side. Nothing special about getting to the last 6 sides with those players. We where in a 4yr premiership window yet only once into a preliminary.

Brian Smith era was far far superior. He managed to get sides of no names to perform. That 2000 side where basically kids. They pushed the Broncos in the finals. 2001 they had 3 x NSW cup players in JT, Beautner and B.Drew in the spine yet he managed to turn it into a gun side.

BA was BOG AVERAGE.
None of what you just said had anything to do with what I posted.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
91,044
Or the coaching and tactics were getting very stale. We have to consider that even if we don't agree with it.
Coaching means preparation, which I already mentioned. As for stale tactics, they changed significantly in 2019 and again in 2023. They shouldn’t change too often unless you’re turning over your roster.
 

Stevie

Bench
Messages
3,149
You can still be small and yet be useful in today's game. Just have to be strong and/or fast.
To'o and Papenhuyzen are small but are great players.
To be clear I'm not knocking the kid before he’s played a game. Thurston was probably too small too…

Just feedback from someone that knows him. I think the talk is that the BOOM junior he was is a new challenge considering he’s not big. Not at all that he can’t make it.

I also asked could he be viewed as a hooker and it was a strong “no way”.
 

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