Rumours and Stuff

[JokerEel]

Im more optimistic than most for 2026.
The way we finished gave me lots of hope.
There was buy in, there was connection, there was a tonne of improvement almost by everyone.
Players who hadn't even played 1 game of NRL.
We had shitloads of injuries, played alot of the season without Moses.
We had to develop and implement new styles, systems, techniques, combos and with alot of new players whilst washing out the bad from the previous regime...
I firmly believe Ryles knows what he's doing.
Im tipping us to be back in the semis.
If the above doesn't give you that hope then just wait and see us go in 26.
Happy new year all fellow eels die-hards.
Til next yr

I am very optimistic for next season if our forwards can get the defence set we should have a good season.

We have some attacking players in Moses Smith JAC Iongi Walker.

 

[hindy111]

Phil Gould famously once said that rebuilding a club takes at least 4 years.

We spent almost a decade cleaning up the mess after Hagan destroyed our juniors.

We have to give Ryles time.

I think he showed in 2025 that he can coach - we looked really sharp, and we weren't lacking in effort.

Plenty of good juniors slipped thru the net while BA was here also.

 

[Noise]

But what if we make the Finals with the reserve graders?

Won't that show that maybe it's not all bad at Parramatta?

I don't disagree that we need more better quality players.

What is more likely in a team that finished 11th, that lost its best outside back and best 6; making the 8 or missing out? I reckon we r f**k all chance of making the finals

 

[Eelementary]

What is more likely in a team that finished 11th, that lost its best outside back and best 6; making the 8 or missing out? I reckon we r f**k all chance of making the finals

We spent most of the season without our star 7.

Everyone on here whinged about how poorly Brown contributed to the team in 2025, and has done for some time - but now he's gone, he's suddenly a loss...

It's possibly more likely that we miss out, but I believe we can make it.

 

[hindy111]

If we are pinning our outside back hopes on Renisini and Nanva then we are in even more dire straits then I thought. It’s embarrassing

I've barely seen R.Pensini. Nanva is a big boy. And I liked what I saw. The only issue was in games I seen Samrani and Simmonson both were noticeably better. They stand out in cup while Nanva looked good without standing out. But sometimes thats not the best judge.

I reckon their is about 10 guys who won't make their sides best 17 that would walk into our backline. Unless Penisini comes good we have the worse backline in comp atleast on paper

 

[hindy111]

What is more likely in a team that finished 11th, that lost its best outside back and best 6; making the 8 or missing out? I reckon we r f**k all chance of making the finals

I'm optimisitc cause Pezet should be an upgrade on Dylan who barely played with any interest. And Moses missed 65% of the year. Plus lot of young players. But I am also not convinced we'll get better. Moses body is probably a bigger concern then anything. If he misses a chunk of this year then we've got a nightmare on our hands. . I think if stays fit we will maybe be able to sneak into 8 if sign a back.

Currently our backline just has no balls. Will get ragdolled unless sign

 

[Jake the snake]

The problem isnt Samrani. It is we have no real options and we need someone to give us strong carries. He might be the only one in the top 30 currently who is capable of it.
Id take Montoya right now we are that desperate for a power winger

this is what I mean. This is what the likes of MON and Jim the mower man have led us to. The standards have dropped so much that we talk about shit like Simrani, Tago, Montoya as options. Absolute shit. These dopes have reduced our club to a reserve grade standard and it will be a matter of time before we will lose a talent like Ryles.

phones running off the hook Jim

 

[Jake the snake]

I've barely seen R.Pensini. Nanva is a big boy. And I liked what I saw. The only issue was in games I seen Samrani and Simmonson both were noticeably better. They stand out in cup while Nanva looked good without standing out. But sometimes thats not the best judge.

I reckon their is about 10 guys who won't make their sides best 17 that would walk into our backline. Unless Penisini comes good we have the worse backline in comp atleast on paper

Young Pensini has nothing to his game. Slow and no evasive footwork. He was highly rated by the TCT which means he’s shit.

 

[Gary Gutful]

We spent most of the season without our star 7.

This is the biggest factor. If Moses stays fit we will improve significantly on 2025.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Plenty of good juniors slipped thru the net while BA was here also.

Plenty of good juniors slipped through the net at Penrith and every other development club as well.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What is more likely in a team that finished 11th, that lost its best outside back and best 6; making the 8 or missing out? I reckon we r f**k all chance of making the finals

Was our end of season form an indicator of how we'd go in 2026, or just a flash in the pan based on a small sample of games? Lomax was a big contributor to that form but Drown wasn't. Pezet is likely to be an improvement on 2025 Drown. Keen to see how we replace Lomax.

 

[Timana]

Has apa played centre? Not sure of his defense.

If we lose a back thats not jacs, i would have nanva at left centre with fox and get fox to teach him like he did Russell

Btw, why is he called fox?

 

[emjaycee]

But what if we make the Finals with the reserve graders?

Won't that show that maybe it's not all bad at Parramatta?

I don't disagree that we need more better quality players.

1. They would be first graders.
2. The pessimists on here would still whinge.

 

[emjaycee]

I am very optimistic for next season if our forwards can get the defence set we should have a good season.

We have some attacking players in Moses Smith JAC Iongi Walker.

And Pezet

 

[hindy111]

Plenty of good juniors slipped through the net at Penrith and every other development club as well.

Look. If we win 4 straight ill let it slide ok.

 

[hindy111]

This is the biggest factor. If Moses stays fit we will improve significantly on 2025.

And Jnr. If he plays like he did for Samoa! But that is a big if. Same goes for Mitchel I think

 

[Noise]

Was our end of season form an indicator of how we'd go in 2026, or just a flash in the pan based on a small sample of games? Lomax was a big contributor to that form but Drown wasn't. Pezet is likely to be an improvement on 2025 Drown. Keen to see how we replace Lomax.

I don’t think you can use the backend of a season with nothing to play for as any indicator for the next year.

 

[85 Baby]

Not sure. But we are definitely so far away from a premiership

I don’t get it

 

[Soto]

Positive thoughts fellas.
Each of the younger brigade improved significantly through the season.
Another preseason together and the understanding of weekly first grade footy will put us in good stead.
Of course the club wants to sign quality players but whatever reason it hasn't eventuated.
I had been given mail we were signing 2 outside backs before Xmas.
Don't know what happened but hopefully something happens in the next few weeks.
Hopefully we unearth some young guns in juniors who want to take the next step up in 1st grade.
Sometimes the answers are in your own backyard.
Eg Riley Smith, Tuivaiti, Guymer.
I will also say Moretti, Doorey and Papalii showed good promise when afforded the opportunities.
All these guys willl be even better..
Don't underestimate the influence JAC has on the team and on the field.

 

[Lemon Squash]

To get a Lomax-level outside back for 2026 would have required us to be in the market very early this year. As an example, we announced Lomax in April 2024. So, being in the market for a Lomax replacement would have required us to know he was leaving shortly after he started playing for us. It's an unrealistic expectation, and demanding a scapegoat is lazy and childish. The only one to blame here is Lomax, who made his position at the club untenable, long after we would have been able to sign a replacement.

I’m not saying we were going to get a like for like replacement for Lomax… there’s only a handful in the NRL at his level.

But Pou even you would have to admit this has left us in a huge hole. We knew he was keen to leave months ago, Ryles even admitted in interviews. Lomax piking it has f**ked us, no doubt and that’s not anyone from Managements fault. But from the moment we knew we should have had a firm plan in place before we let it happen.

We should have had player X across the line along with player Z or a firm idea of a junior who they were confident was ready to step up.

It seems we are just playing it like ‘she’ll be right mate’.