This is an article similar to what i posted a few months ago. Ryles is doing what many, if no rookie coaches do. He could have had the likes of Lane, Matto, Ofahengaue, Cartwright etc. still playing, let them see out their deals and ease the young kids in and have 2027 as the year where things start to build slowly again. He would have been given 2025 and 2026 as grace period as he builds the juniors into full-time FG.
What did he do? He decided to come in and say "Stuff this" as he decided to get a head start and get us going quicker despite Parramatta being patient as a club. I said the moves he is doing leads to expectation quicker as he is trying to get us competitive perhaps a year or two earlier than anticipated. With that comes the risk that by 2027 if he has not gotten into the 8 the pressure is going to be hotter than what it would be if he kept the experience for the next year or so.
The article is right, if this fails with Parramatta he is at risk at being a one and done NRL head coach. But i think he is what this club has needed for some time. Something different. Let's be fair have we seen a rookie coach do the things Ryles has done to a roster in such a short time? I wonder if Souths would love this right now with them signing older players who are past their prime. Or St. George Illawarra who had Ryles ready to sign on a 5 year deal until he pulled out last minute due to lack of control being offered. Dragons right now could have used Ryles starting last year. Now they have Daniel Anderson coming in doing what Ryles more likely would have done in getting rid of the deadwood.
But to say Ryles would be a legend if he wins a comp, drought or not any coach would be a club legend if they win a comp. Jack Gibson and John Monie are the only two coaches in club history to win one, they are legends and even immortals of the club. BA would have been in 2022 if they finished the job. So yes of course Ryles would be a club legend with a premiership but like Gibson before him would be remembered more than say John Monie due to the drought involved before the premiership.
All i can say is Ryles is going all in, leaving no stone unturned and if it doesn't work out i reckon he leaves with no regrets on what he has done. But so far there are signs, quicker than what i thought there would be.
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Can I ask who it was that disagreed with you because at the end of last year we were a complete shambles? Our cap was completely out of kilter, ludicrous contracts, an aging roster and zero junior development. A rebuild was inevitable. What Ryles has accomplished in such a short time frame is remarkable and he is the one variable that has changed. I think people need to stop and remember that for a moment and focus on where we are heading not the mistakes of the past. Also I think Ryles is here for the long haul, I can't see him walking away from us.
As you say, it would have been easy to keep players on the books and inject some youth for a slower turnover. We knew that Parra had the squad to get near the top 8, but needed an injection of a spark or two. Ryles obviously didn't like what he saw in the top grade, but was attracted to the junior system we already had at the club. He is using our strengths to our advantage for the long term. Even if we fail to win a Premiership over the next 5 years, it's hard to believe that we wouldn't be in a much better position to have that continuous success that we are all craving for, and that would inevitably bring Premierships in time.
Papali could be the next barba
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