NRL legend Cooper Cronk shared his insights on the Parramatta Eels in The NRL Podcast (Episode 2, 19/11) alongside Blocker Roach, involving ample disagreement. The relevent sections are between the 19th to 26th minute.
On Ryles and Lomax
It wasn't so long ago the Eels were accused of nepotism, moving slower than icebergs and lacking balls. Now, some fans might criticise them for being too bold and too ballsy. Lomax’s immediate release was confirmed on Sunday (16 Nov), follows the huge caravan of players that have been shown the door since Ryles arrived at the club.
"You got to tip your cap to Jason Ryles" Cronk said.
"First year coach last year. Arrived at Paramata Eels. And when you're sort of making decisions based on your own career, you're probably going to keep some players and say I need to win some games."
"He got rid of Clint Gutherson, RCG (Sivo et al). Got smashed by Melbourne in the first round. You didn't win a couple for a while. Bought in some other players that it was his choosing. Started getting some consistency. Mitch Moses came back in the side."
"I feel like this [Lomax] is another call from Jason Ryles."
"Well, Zach, if you want to leave, if you're not buying into what we're doing, see you later."
"Because Jason Ryles has made some really strong decisions that you could argue have put Paramata a couple of steps backwards, but are definitely going in the right direction, particularly the way they played at the back end of last year."
"If anyone had have thought their start of the year would have been completely different at the back end of the year, you would have been hard to say that they would have improved after what they do at the start of the year."
The Eels and Ryles copped plenty of heavy criticism for letting go of the likes of Clint Gutherson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard, despite clearing up a large portion of salary cap space. And it wasn't looking like it would pay off when the Eels were 16th (second last) mid-season at round 15 with bottom four defence and attack.
"He chose to set a culture with good characters, good leaders, and I think this is a decision around Zach as well because he's happy to let Zach move on and reshape their roster a little bit."
Why Culture Matters
No-one is sure of Lomax's next move. Perhaps not even Lomax or his agent, who now suggests Lomax needs to use another agent or lawyer if he goes to R360. But there are plenty of other options. French Rugby. Boxing. Wrestling. Probably dozens of other sports he could try.
"He could do [any sport he sets his mind to]." Cronk noted.
"That's the kind of guy Zach is. And maybe that's the type of guy that Jason Ryles doesn't want in his his team because every team rocks up in the first week of November prepare preparing for next year."
"The difference between the Broncos and the team that finishes last is how much you want it, how much performance you can give and what the culture is like. They are three key parts to a premiership winning team."
Ivan Cleary is another poster boy for culture with his "On The Bus" mantra and commitment to the cause: club, team and community. Panthers would not have achieved what they have without it. Systems and a champion team will more often than not trump talent and a team of champions.
And that's where Lomax's mindset doesn't align.
Lomax loved the fight game, boxing and wrestling. He trained with Volk (above).
Lomax's cross-sporting-hopping desires are not new.
“It’s like when people are a professional in one sport, then they go and do another one and love it because they feel themselves getting better," said Lomax back in May foreshadowing what was to come.
"That’s me."
Interestingly, his goal-kicking dropped off from 83% to 63% from mid-season, round 16 when R360 talks began. His goalkicking also dropped to its career lowest in 2023, along with his form then, when he was having off-field issues.
Separating off-field from the on-field is not completely possible. But maybe after being released from his last two contract in less than two years, he may find his true calling.
On Pezet: A point of difference, helping Moses
Cronk was for the Pezet signing seeing it a win-win for everyone, while Blocker was strongly against it.
“It’s a bit of a quick fix for them, coming in for a year... I don’t get it,” Roach said. Oddly enough, Blocker "loved" the Harry Grant one-year deal at his former club, the Tigers, describing Grant as a "unbelievable" addition and their "best player."
“I like it...through the Broncos lens, through Jonah’s lens, through Parramatta’s lens," Cronk said.
“Pezet is your five-eighth and through his development will learn a lot off Mitch."
"Remember, he was only available [at six] for the 12 month period. Maybe Ryles has a trick up his sleeve after Jonah Pezet."
"There’s one thing I think that this combination can bring, and I think Moses and Pezet work well."
“I think Mitch needs a point of difference, because at the moment wherever the ball goes, Mitch goes and he can be shut down. He’ll [Pezet] call the ball on the other side of the ruck."
“I like it, I like this deal.”
Recruitment: They Need Middles
Cronk and Blocker were split on Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Roach thought he was perfect, while Cronk expressed doubts.
“Obviously, Nelson is one of the names he’s going after, Koloamatangi..." Cronk said.
"I think one of the things Parramatta needed to fix, particularly at the back of Arthur [era] is they needed some mobile leg speed middle forwards."
“Junior Paulo had a really good year (2025), to drop some weight, get fit and played really well for Samoa."
"Dylan Walker was also a point of difference when he came across from the Warriors."
“Nelson is a big body. He's an intimidating person in our game. But I think there needs to be a good balance in their forward pack."
"Yes, you're probably going to find some athetic outside backs that can fill Zac's spot."
"But I think they just need some physicality and leg speed to compliment whatever you’ve got there in the middle of the field.”
On making the top-eight
Cronk was on the fence: "I think they're on the edge. I think they may sit around that eight to ten mark, seven to ten mark."
"The biggest key to whether they finish in the top eight or not is Mitch Moses' health."
The bookies agree with Cooper Cronk. Despite losing Lomax the bookies odds keep shortening slowly.
Sportsbet has them currently at $21 (8th). After Pezet signed they paid $21 (10th). Mid-October, before Pezet signed they were $26 (11th-12th).
Replies
The long term option at 6 is Lorenzo?
I can live with it and I don't think Pezet will be a lemon.The only thing that'll hold him back is injury.I have a sneaking suspicion he'll go well and the only real concern I have is the rinse wash repeat cycle we have going in 27 around the position as like you mentioned we don't have a long term answer there.
Bottom line here and most won't want to hear this is Brown through all his faults is going to be harder to replace than many think.
If you'd have told me we had Moses Brown Smith/TDS and Iongi as the spine for the next 3-4 seasons I'd have told you we were well on our with JR and it would have shown us the stability within the club and team we need and need badly.
Right now and going foward there's still alot of uncertainty around the most important part of the team.
It's not about him being a lemon, if anything It's the opposite.
To win a premiership you have to build for it, that includes building the roster, building experience in big matches like finals, building confidence, building cohesion etc, etc. How do you do that if you arr continually changing a key spine piece?.
Let's say pezet has a good year and helps the eels make the finals, that would be considered part of that building process is mentioned above, but then he is gone and we are starting over with a new 6, who will that be?. People are saying Lorenzo, ok fine but he won't have any first grade experience, how do you build from the previous season when more likely you will be taking a step backwards.
This is what I don't like about the pezet deal, it's a short term fix with no long term benefits for the eels.
The Pezet deal is about short-term and longer-term goals. Hopgood & Iongi became first graders who hit the ground running after 3-4 seasons in reggies. Lorenzo doesn't even have a full season (8 games in reggies). You don’t grow breasts overnight.
Throwing juniors in before they’re ready isn’t brave, it’s how you ruin some. Destroy long-terms. Not every kid becomes NRL-ready the moment they turn 18. Dylan was, but not all are. Most aren't.
If Pezet isn’t a lemon, then he helps us win next year. Tick.
It fixes depth. Tick. Hawkins wanted top-tier footy and took his chance. Depth halves are always temporary. Ask the Panthers and their revolving-door of understudies.
It buys us time to find the long-term six Ryles actually wants, instead of starting the year with a compromised option because we had none. Tick.
And let’s be real: Gus has been at the Dogs since 2021 and he’s still trying to sort his long-term spine. Just ask Burton, Sexton, Reed, Galvin, Hayward et al.
Ryles has had a season and hes's sorted most of the spine. One more piece to go. That's arguably better than Gus.
If Ryles or Gus were writing a Thesis on the Doctrine of Spines, they mightn't get first-class honours for an imperfect long-term spine. But this isn’t academia. Nor is life perfect. It’s about squad management, depth, development, pragmatism balancing the short-vs-long-term and winning week-to-week.
I'm not suggesting throwing Lorenzo or any other young player in there now, they aren't ready, my point is they still won't be ready for a start in 2027 either so are we going to sign another 1 year stop gap 6 for 2027?.
Do you really have to build it HKF? The Broncos just won the comp with a brand new 6. Hunt was at the Dragons last year. James Maloney also won the comp in his first year at the Roosters (2013) and then again in his first year at the Sharks (2016). DCE won his only premiership in his rookie season (2011). All this talk about having to build to a premiership is outdated bullshit. The game just isn't that complicated these days. Combinations are as good as they'll ever be in the space of a preseason.
There is a big difference if you bring in a rookie as compared to experienced players like hunt and maloney.
Using the broncos premiership win as an example actually backs up what I'm saying, they built to a grand final just two seasons ago and then won it this year, that's what building is. The eels haven't made the finals for 3 years so if you think they are going to win the comp this season or even the following season if they have a rookie 6 than it is very likely you are going to be disappointed.
If we make the finals in 26 and bring in an experienced 6 for 27 then we will have a chance.
I always like listening to cooper and his observations
he is a smart dude
Hypothetical question. Say Lomax doesn't go to R360 would we have him back or is he gone forever despite his release saying can't go to league for 4 years
Gone for good Lomax isn't coming back he's made his bed now.
He'll be a union player for at least the next 2-3 seasons.
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