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
We might well take a step back In 2027. I expect in any given year that up to half of all clubs will perform worse than the year before and up to half will perform better. Every club has a long term average for performance that correlates to their fundamental strength as a club. This fundamental strength is determined by things like geography, money and the ability to bypass the salary cap rules.
So when teams overperform this long term average you should expect them to decline the following year. When they underperform their long term average they should improve the next season. It's called reversion to mean.
No team can keep 'building' until they win a premiership. That's a narrative applied by humans to a scenario that is largely driven by randomness. Some team has to win it in a given year and that team will generally be a club that is already strong (i.e. has recruitment/retention advantages) and then has a good year (i.e. overpeforms its average season) and then also has some luck in the finals. Looking at what they did and trying to ascribe it all to good decision making is a form of survivor bias. The Broncos are a massive club with huge advantages in recruitment and retention, and they finally had luck go their way. If they were so good at decision making, why hadn't they won the comp for nearly 20 years?
The School of Pou is expanding. I like it!
HFK, Fair point. Sure, we could. But balancing incoming youth with experience is almost a perennial issue. A constant cycle. It never really goes away. At least not for too long.
Exactly that's why they bring in Hunt and Reynolds.You insert all the athleticism and the mentioned are the steady Eddie's.For me the Broncs struck lightning with these signings.
With regards to us it's all on development they have the meat of the squad already they just need to keep hitting with developing the guys that have been given a shot.
The only question I have vs the rest of the nrl is the guys that are coming in the development cycle are they as good or better than what is coming from other nrl clubs.If not then the wait will be long and the even bigger elephant in the room is how long can Mitch hold his peak form and can he stay on the park.
Right now Parra are a one man team and it's why the off season mantra we must find ways to win without Mitch if not we are screwed it also we must progress inside of JRs system it's tied into growth and development of our younger players.
Its a big ask our margin for error is slim hence why I believe 26 will be a gap year.I've said this before Lomax is looming as a huge loss with no real depth or answer in replacing him.
That will be JR then your going to be critical of I've got a sneaking suspicion any decision made effecting his space he'll be the guy whose responsible for those especially in the recruitment and retention stakes.
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.
I highly doubt the eels will take him back but they won't let him play for another nrl team for the next 3 years, he is going to have to find a home in rugby, he has made his bed so must now sleep in it.
To be honest I hope he fails miserably, it was obvious he kind of gave up on the eels half way through the season. Pretty pathetic for a guy less than 1 year into a 4 year deal who had just got out of a contract with his previous club. We don't want people like him at our club. As far as I'm concerned he can fuck off and fail.
That would seem to be the attitude when we lost Matt Cameron to Penrith in 2012.
You guys are too absolute , there is no black and white just lots of GREY!
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