Inside Parramatta Eels coach Jason Ryles’ meeting with Warren Ryan, Andrew Johns and Paul Langmack
The man credited with changing the way rugby league is played in the 20th century has revealed his secret recipe to Parramatta Eels coach Jason Ryles. See what’s in Warren Ryan’s 11 herbs and spices.
Legendary rugby league coach Warren Ryan has told incoming Eels coach Jason Ryles that Parramatta need five old-school, hard-nosed players prepared to front-up every week when the “s..t hits the fan.”
As he continues preparing for his first season as an NRL head coach, Ryles brainstormed with Ryan and Immortal Andrew Johns over a Chinese lunch in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, ahead of taking his seat in the Eels’ hot seat.
Ryles absorbed tips, knowledge and education from Ryan, a two-time premiership-winning coach, as well as Johns and ex-Bulldogs grand final champion Paul Langmack during a two-hour get-together.
With his notebook in hand, Ryles met the group at Hotel Maroubra – where he didn’t have a beer – before walking to the nearby Cheung Sing BBQ House on Anzac Parade.
“Warren changed the game a fair bit during the 1980s, along with Jack Gibson, so it was good to be in his presence,” Ryles said of the man nicknamed Wok, with whom he also shares a strong connection to the NSW south coast.
I took a lot of things on board. The one thing that stood out was that he’s right across today’s game and how it’s played. He is a really closer observer. It was impressive.”
Ryles has served his coaching apprenticeship under some of the sharpest minds in coaching. He has been an assistant to Craig Bellamy at Melbourne, Trent Robinson at the Sydney Roosters and Eddie Jones in English rugby.
He was keen to add Ryan to the list of luminaries he’s learned from as he attempts to rebuild Parramatta from this year’s 15th-place finish.
“I am looking to see what I can get out of guys that have done it before and learn from them and thought it was a good opportunity to see Warren,” Ryles, 45, said.
“Joey organised it and we basically chewed the fat about life and footy, it was a really good arvo.”
Ryan, now 82, is credited with being a revolutionary coach – one of the most influential of the 20th century – who won premierships with Canterbury in 1984 and 1985 before taking Balmain to grand finals in 1988 and 1989.
Ryles isn’t the first coach to seek advice from Ryan, who coached 415 first-grade games with a success rate of 56 per cent.
New Broncos coach Michael Maguire met with Ryan before this year’s State of Origin series, while Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has previously caught up with the former Newtown, Canterbury, Balmain, Wests and Newcastle coach.
“Wok has a wealth of knowledge and is very analytical,” Langmack said. “He changed the way rugby league was played.
“Everyone goes to Wok because they know how good he was. If they thought he was sh.t, they wouldn’t worry about him. They don’t come for me or Joey (Johns), they come for Wok.
Jason was listening, asking questions and offering his knowledge, too, on how the game has changed.”
Along with Blues and Eels halfback Mitch Moses, Maguire returned to shout Ryan, Johns and Langmack lunch after NSW’s State of Origin success this year.
Ryan has often told coaches that he would always be prepared to help their careers if required, and had advice for Ryles before Parramatta return for pre-season training on November 4.
“Wok told Jason he needed five blokes who were winners with a tough attitude, players who do the hard yards, the work no-one really notices, players who roll-up their sleeves up and get dirty every game, players you can’t win without them,” Langmack said.
“When the s..t hits the fan, they are the blokes who lead the charge, players that lay the platform, hard-nose workers, taking the ball up, chasing kicks.
If you don’t work hard then you don’t win. In all forms of life, talent gets you identified but workers are winners.
“Jason, Madge and Cameron are coaches who want to learn more. The minute you stop learning you should retire. If you think you know everything, you’re an idiot. Jason had to leave after lunch but myself, Wok and Joey agreed he was super impressive. He’s on the same page. He is a good fella and I hope he does well.”
Langmack, who was part of Ryan’s triumphant Canterbury side that was nicknamed the Dogs of War. Johns, often catches up with his old mentor for lunch in a group that often includes Johns, and former stars David ‘Cement’ Gillespie and John ‘Joe Cool’ Dorahy.
