Rd6: 735pm Eels v Raiders GAME DAY THREAD in Darwin 12/4/25

[Legal Eel]

I get the excuse being trotted out about inexperience, new coach, new combinations etc.

But the inexperienced and new players have played rugby league before, right?

Our errors aren't from poor combinations and inexperience - it is an inability to hold/catch the ball, an unawareness of the rules (seemingly) and an inability to make 1-1 tackles - these are things you should know how to at 15.

As correctly noted, the squad is sorely lacking.

Kautoga, Russell and Hawkins have a ceiling of NSW Cup on their good day.

Ofahengaue and Lane are cooked - Lane actually lumbers around so apathetically that only Pou could appreciate what he offers.

Blokes like Penisini, Drown have the moments but just cant get there consistently

Paulo is one game in three - like most old blokes.

The question remains - what did they do all off season? They look genuinely surprised when the opposition moves more than the witches hats did at training - its almost like its unfair to expect them to play against anyone actually trying!

the sad part is that there are no end of parra fans (particularly on this forum) who think our performances are just fine.....a couple of posters think its all parra fans deserve or should ever expect, but i suspect their motives are somehwat different to those who actually support parra....

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What I’m trying to say is that with Stuart we always knew he could coach because he is somewhat proven. You used to use that argument all the time because he had already won a premiership. I have a long memory. With untested rookies it’s an unknown and comparing Ryles to Stuart no matter how much I can’t cop Stuart is a nonsense.

The comparison is to show that whatever metric you are using (in this case massive losses in his first year at a club) is irrelevant for judging any coach because a proven coach has also satisfied your metric.

I'm not saying Ryles is as good as Stuart (I'm sure he isn't). I'm saying that massive floggings don't prove anything. It could be years before we know how good Ryles is. The best short term information we might get is the length of his career. If he can't find a job by 2027 we'll know he's a dud. But if he still coaching by then we will know that he is probably just another average coach, the type of merkin who fills most head coaching jobs in the NRL. The same type of merkin we are likely to replace Ryles with if we get rid of him.

 

[Delboy]

Hindy was on Fox league at h/t in the Tigpies game, and said he thought it looked like some players in the Parra game just gave up and didn’t try. Was not happy

 

[Soto]

Hindy was on Fox league at h/t in the Tigpies game, and said he thought it looked like some players in the Parra game just gave up and didn’t try. Was not happy

Looks like that's happened in 4 of the 6 games...this just confirms no leadership on and off the field

 

[Delboy]

The comparison is to show that whatever metric you are using (in this case massive losses in his first year at a club) is irrelevant for judging any coach because a proven coach has also satisfied your metric.

I'm not saying Ryles is as good as Stuart (I'm sure he isn't). I'm saying that massive floggings don't prove anything. It could be years before we know how good Ryles is. The best short term information we might get is the length of his career. If he can't find a job by 2027 we'll know he's a dud. But if he still coaching by then we will know that he is probably just another average coach, the type of merkin who fills most head coaching jobs in the NRL. The same type of merkin we are likely to replace Ryles with if we get rid of him.

The level of playing staff he has at his disposal makes judgement calls very difficult .The Eels have had the worst recruitment in the whole NRL since 2021 and the roster has been run down since then. No matter how you try and justify it, our signings, extensions etc have been terrible and yet those responsible are still there. Would that happen at another club, not so sure.

 

[Avenger]

The comparison is to show that whatever metric you are using (in this case massive losses in his first year at a club) is irrelevant for judging any coach because a proven coach has also satisfied your metric.

I'm not saying Ryles is as good as Stuart (I'm sure he isn't). I'm saying that massive floggings don't prove anything. It could be years before we know how good Ryles is. The best short term information we might get is the length of his career. If he can't find a job by 2027 we'll know he's a dud. But if he still coaching by then we will know that he is probably just another average coach, the type of merkin who fills most head coaching jobs in the NRL. The same type of merkin we are likely to replace Ryles with if we get rid of him.

If we get back to back spoons in 25/26 which would be good odds he will never get another gig in the NRL.

 

[Timana]

I get the excuse being trotted out about inexperience, new coach, new combinations etc.

But the inexperienced and new players have played rugby league before, right?

Our errors aren't from poor combinations and inexperience - it is an inability to hold/catch the ball, an unawareness of the rules (seemingly) and an inability to make 1-1 tackles - these are things you should know how to at 15.

As correctly noted, the squad is sorely lacking.

Kautoga, Russell and Hawkins have a ceiling of NSW Cup on their good day.

Ofahengaue and Lane are cooked - Lane actually lumbers around so apathetically that only Pou could appreciate what he offers.

Blokes like Penisini, Drown have the moments but just cant get there consistently

Paulo is one game in three - like most old blokes.

The question remains - what did they do all off season? They look genuinely surprised when the opposition moves more than the witches hats did at training - its almost like its unfair to expect them to play against anyone actually trying!

the sad part is that there are no end of parra fans (particularly on this forum) who think our performances are just fine.....a couple of posters think its all parra fans deserve or should ever expect, but i suspect their motives are somehwat different to those who actually support parra....

Finally someone else sees what lane is doing.

I watch him and think that he is so smart that he finds the best way to do as little as possible and not urgent as possible

 

[Parra Pride]

Hindy was on Fox league at h/t in the Tigpies game, and said he thought it looked like some players in the Parra game just gave up and didn’t try. Was not happy

It’s our culture at this point, barely care to play until there’s nothing to play for. 2001, 2009 and 2022 Grans Finals are all prime examples and show that this is a constant issue with this club. Our only true success coming forty years ago when we got lucky to have a crop of some greats of the game all come through at the same time.

 

[JokerEel]

The level of playing staff he has at his disposal makes judgement calls very difficult .The Eels have had the worst recruitment in the whole NRL since 2021 and the roster has been run down since then. No matter how you try and justify it, our signings, extensions etc have been terrible and yet those responsible are still there. Would that happen at another club, not so sure.

Honestly I am hoping and praying that come November 1 we sign some superstars.

The club somehow signed Walker without anyone knowing so I am still holding out hope

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The level of playing staff he has at his disposal makes judgement calls very difficult .The Eels have had the worst recruitment in the whole NRL since 2021 and the roster has been run down since then. No matter how you try and justify it, our signings, extensions etc have been terrible and yet those responsible are still there. Would that happen at another club, not so sure.

I think our roster is average, which means having $2M worth of players unavailable is going to impact performances. We also have a few senior players out of form, which is what seems to happen at any club when a cleanout is occurring. Everyone is distracted, the group lacks unity, etc, etc. There’s no point blaming anyone. 8/17 teams make the finals each year, meaning the average team makes the finals eight times in seventeen years. In the last sixteen years we’ve made the finals six times, which is below average, but not by much. And five of those six were in the past eight years. Hardly cause for blaming the current management.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It’s our culture at this point, barely care to play until there’s nothing to play for. 2001, 2009 and 2022 Grans Finals are all prime examples and show that this is a constant issue with this club. Our only true success coming forty years ago when we got lucky to have a crop of some greats of the game all come through at the same time.

It wasn’t just luck. We were able to keep them because we had a massive advantage with poker machine money.

 

[JokerEel]

You are the Storm today players always in motion not standing around with hands on hips..

Second rowers supporting and also filling defensive holes..

We have Lane and Kautogo who walk back and don't do much else...

At least we aren't the Knights...

 

[Pazza]

lane isnt an 80 minute player at this point of his career and we keep asking him to do it

gotta blame MON for this one

 

[JokerEel]

lane isnt an 80 minute player at this point of his career and we keep asking him to do it

gotta blame MON for this one

I agree MON should be asked to clean his desk out on the anniversary of BA getting flicked...


Hudson Young Vs Lane...

How embarrassing is it to have him...

 

[Legal Eel]

lane isnt an 80 minute player at this point of his career and we keep asking him to do it

gotta blame MON for this one

Lane is no longer an 18 minute player!

 

[eels_fan]

I have a feeling Moses plays on Monday. I don’t think we should risk it with a bye coming up, but I reckon he plays.

Iongi
JAC
Penisini
Russell
Simo
Brown
Moses (likely named on the extended bench)
Joffa
Smith
Paulo
Moretti
Kautoga
Hopgood

Walker
Matto
Doorey
Tuivaiti

 

[JokerEel]

I have a feeling Moses plays on Monday. I don’t think we should risk it with a bye coming up, but I reckon he plays.

Iongi
JAC
Penisini
Russell
Simo
Brown
Moses (likely named on the extended bench)
Joffa
Smith
Paulo
Moretti
Kautoga
Hopgood

Walker
Matto
Doorey
Tuivaiti

You think Moretti is capable of playing in the second row?

 

[Pazza]

You think Moretti is capable of playing in the second row?

No

 

[DaveMc]

You think Moretti is capable of playing in the second row?

Moretti is such a funny case. In a team with a decent pack, you wouldn’t think twice about him. For us last night, he was in the top handful of forwards, despite his errors.

None of this is a positive. It’s an indictment on our recruitment and retention team. Ideally, Moretti is about 20th in your top 30. This year, he’s a genuine bench option, because the rest of our squad is so painfully bad.

 

[Pazza]

How can a pack perform when you're not completing???