Parramatta’s last premiership captain Ray Price believes Jason Ryles is the man to lead the Eels back to the promised land, and that Mitch Moses will be integral to the club’s success.
Having played alongside the great Peter Sterling in Parramatta’s famous early 1980s three-peat, Price knew a good half when he sees one, and his eyes lit up when Moses was mentioned.
“I’ve been trying to make sure that he had a position there, I like him,” Price said.
There had been speculation Moses would leave the Eels, but to Price’s relief he is set to continue in the blue and gold for the foreseeable future.
“He woke himself up and he’s back at Parramatta, he is a great player, I don’t care what anyone else says,” Price said. “I’ll fight them,” he jokingly added to any Moses detractors.
It was Moses’ running game that caught Price’s eye.
“His running, he can run the ball, he can get places, other people run the ball and get tackled, he doesn’t, he can do the game,” Price said.
“Everyone’s got their favourites, but it looks as though it’s a very good team.”
Price was speaking from RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, where he will continue his fight against melanoma
by raising funds for the Melanoma Institute Australia with the third instalment of the Ray Price Invitational Golf Day. Price and wife Sandy have both beaten melanoma.
The Eels are looking to bounce back from a lowly 15th place finish in 2024 – far cry from the grand final they reached just two years earlier – under the mentorship of former New South Wales and Australian representative Jason Ryles.
Ryles invited Price to speak to Parramatta’s playing group last week, after the club had been training at Lennox Head in northern New South Wales.
“I was very impressed with the players, how they handle themselves, and I was very impressed with Jason,” Price said.
“You take a new job on, it’s fairly hard, but I think he will handle it.
“All his meetings are positive. All of the young blokes that played were positive.”
It is almost 40 years since the Eels last premiership in 1986, which Price captained, and he is hopeful it's a mantle that can soon be passed on
“I want them to pull their heads out of their arse,” Price laughed, adding that building camaraderie and cohesion was key to a premiership challenge.
“They’re a good side, they’re a good club.
“I can see the drought breaking.”
