# Key Points
1. New Eels coach Jason Ryles is implementing a "small ball" strategy, prioritizing speed and agility over size and brute force.
2. Ryles' approach is inspired by the Golden State Warriors' "Death Lineup" in the NBA.
3. The Eels are moving away from their traditional reliance on large, powerful forwards.
4. Players like Junior Paulo have undergone significant physical transformations to fit the new system.
5. Ryles has been ruthless in his roster management, releasing several high-profile players.
# Quotes
- "It's hard to narrow it down without sitting here all day and talking finer details of attack and defence." - J'maine Hopgood
- "We've sort of moved in a bit of a different direction with our pack and I guess it's a bit smaller and mobile." - J'maine Hopgood
# Takeaways
1. Jason Ryles is bringing a fresh approach to the Parramatta Eels.
2. The team is prioritizing speed, agility, and mobility over size and power.
3. Players are adapting to the new system, with some undergoing significant physical transformations.
4. Ryles' roster management has been ruthless, with several high-profile players released.
Replies
Interesting, the last blog I put up on here early last year was about trends in the game and how the traditional front rowers time was coming to an end.
Smaller front rowers with betters skills and lateral movement,
Maybe Ryles read it.
Or maybe you are Jason Ryles...
Hmmmm...
With 6 again the game has never been more like Touch Football. Speed and ball movement are where it's at.
Win or lose you have to tip your hat to Ryles here. He could have come in, taken a wait and see approach before making any major changes. But obviously he had a plan and had seen enough to know that major change was necessary. I like it.
I think he has had a major advantage in looking and adjudging players without responsibility for the best part of half a season.
Not many new coache's have that luxury. I believe that injuries aside that we have much more than half a chance to win anything.
Remember how we actually really benefited when the 6 again came in? I think a bigger change has been the consistent move by the NRL to have the ball in play more. I think the enforcement of the downtown rule had even more effect. Rather than getting a 20 metre head start, our pack had to bust a gut on kick chase and they were just simply too big to do that.
I dont really care...if they can defend reasonably then we half a chance of getting to 8
Your not really an optimist are you P_G.??
Well, in gregs defence, he is not wrong
Channel the 2001 Smithy's Baby Eels... the 6 again rule has seen the game come full circle. Who were our bookends then... Cayless and Vella. I always remember a call of Rabs at the time "ohhh... 103kg of Maltese muscle"... front rower... and a good one at the time, just clocking 100kg. There's wingers bigger and heavier these days.
I think it's a great change... footy back them was fantastic... especially that point scoring record machine of an Eels side. While the whole game is not quite the same, 6 again has afforded good and smart sides to play in a similar way and reap the rewards.
Brad preferred chasing collisions or plodding into walls or whatever stupid crap... Jase seems to get it and has shifted the makeup of the side a long way to it in one quick off season. Combine that with flank speed via Zac and Fox and then from the back now after replacing Fluff and his zimmer frame with Iongi... it's potentially a smart and very potent mix. If our more mobile forward can shift the opposition forwards around, slight direction changes, short balls, support... and that leads to real quick play the balls then hey presto, it will either be the 6 again buzzer because opponents can't clear the ruck... or a much quicker backline is allowed to fly off the back of a forward roll on. It seriously cannot be worse than let's hit it up the middle for 5, take 2 mins each play the ball then kick to someone on the full.
It might be a complete failure... who knows. But I know I'm far more excited leading into this year than prior years because for the first time in so long, we have a different approach... one that has read and understood the game, not ignored it.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next