One game only, same old story. 40 years of this rubbish. Every pre-season, big talk, everyone says this is our year. Sometimes we start okay, sometimes we get smashed like last night, 52-4 by Storm. Then the losses start, we lose all momentum, and by August we’re just trying not to get embarrassed in finals – if we even make it. Why does this always happen to us?
But this issue goes beyond what happens on the field. The club seems to have settled for mediocrity.
- We seem to be stuck in a cycle. No premiership since 1986. Longest drought in the NRL. We get close – 2001, 2009, 2022 grand finals – but nothing. Arthur got us to finals sometimes, but when it matters, we fall apart. Even the NRLW team does the same. Some fans say we’re competitive. I think we’re just used to losing now. Look at Penrith, they changed everything. Storm rebuild and still win. Us? Every year is just effort, struggle, and nothing to show for it. What are we missing? keep memberships strong, and share opinions on socials – but maintaining pressure for change is challenging. Petitions, strong reactions, and the 2024 rebel ticket at the Leagues Club (supported by legends like Brett Kenny, Ray Price, Eric Grothe Snr/Jnr) did not lead to changes. Other clubs’ supporters sometimes succeed in board shake-ups or resignations. We voice concerns, express frustration, and may quiet down over time. It can be difficult for fans to sustain momentum, and the board often waits for the next cycle.
- The way we treat our legends is a joke. Price, Kenny, Sterling, Grothe, Hindmarsh, Cayless – they made this club in the 80s. They tried to help, spoke up, but the club ignored them. No real roles, no say in culture, nothing. Penrith uses its legends everywhere. Us? Just old photos and nostalgia. No wonder Parra has no heart anymore.
- The board is a joke and has been for years. Sacked by the authorities, salary cap mess, Hayne and Watmough payout, directors quitting, legal dramas, and fan revolts that go nowhere. They just react, protect their mates, chase quick fixes. No vision. Culture is rotten, good players leave, no real push for a premiership. They don’t care about the drought. They just want to keep their jobs.
We have the players. Moses, Paulo, Addo-Carr, some good young ones. The biggest league club in the game. Now Ryles comes in, won at Storm and Roosters. But if the board and culture stay the same, it won’t matter. We’ll just go through more coaches who win everywhere else but fail here. Hagan, Anderson, Stuart – all winners before Parra, nothing with us.
Enough is enough. Parra fans, if you want real change – board held to account, legends respected, real investment in culture like the top clubs – do something. Contact the board, go to meetings, make noise. If not, get ready for another 40 years of pain.
What does a good year even look like for us? Not talking about some fantasy, just being real here.
- Top 8 has to be the bare minimum. All the so-called experts had us around 6th to 10th before the season started. If we just scrape into 7th or 8th, that’s nothing to celebrate, just more of the same. 5th or 6th would actually mean something for once. Miss the 8? That’s just another failure.
- We need to win at least 13 or 14 games, not just go on some late run and hope for miracles. Last year, we went 5 -2 in the last 7, but where was that all season? Just be consistent for once, not this up and down rubbish.
- Stop getting smashed in big games. No more 50-point embarrassments, especially at home. Show some fight from Round 1, not just when the season is already gone. Fix the basics – discipline, defence, completions – how hard is it? Build some momentum for once instead of waiting until it’s too late.
- A real finals run? That would be a miracle. Just getting past the first week would be huge for Ryles in his second year. We’ve been stuck in this top 8 and our rubbish for 40 years.
Replies
I agree our NRL board is less than knowledgeable from a football experience point of view.
Bunch of business peeps, insurance yaks and council workers.
What about us as supporters, where do we sit in this critique.....not as if we do anything to actually help.
Some of these reactions say to me we have a responsibity in this process and some of the crap that Badger has suggested does nothing positive in the overall process. We have just gone through a process where how the board has performed magnificintly and now we want to blame them as well.....no easy answers but stop and think what you would do differently if you were in their shoes?
There is a way out, the fact is we are still looking for it.....grow up and get over it....we are all hurting, no point in finding blame unless it is positive and constructive.
Ummm ...what did I suggest you phuktard?
"Bunch of business peeps, insurance yaks and council workers."
Did I miss much?..... what is a "phuktard" by the way?
Our NRL board is entirely made up of business people, insurance yaks and council workers with little or no football experience. That is a fact!
To answer your other question, it's 2 words merged.
Would you agree you stated that in a derogatory manner, implying they are fundamentally useless?
Saratinos has been a CEO of a football club now for over 8 years, he most certainly worked with Donnelly in masterminding the clubs renaissance.
What is an "insurance yak" are all council workers "road diggers".
Finally I would agree that someone with actual football experience could be advantagous, Peter Sterling was approached, most would agree that Eric Grothe Senior, Brett Kenny, Ray Price are arguably not suited to that role.....I can but agree that a group of that echelon as a advisory group would be handy.
Following on along the lines that "Bluie" suggested in his post those guys maybe very handy in one on one meetings......and convincing some players to consider coming to Paradise....... Paradise sounds nice, like any Paradise though it needs to be marketed correctly.....my guess is they are having a go at that, but commentary like yours gets you nowhere!
I suppose I am saying Badge that you look at the negative, offer no constructive commentary and naturally assume that anyone that does is a "phuktard" did I get the meaning right?
I think the board hasn't been great but the way they handled the Lomax legal saga is to be applauded. If the players showed half the amount of grit, stubbornness and determination we would have been competitive. Players and coach need to take responsibility. It was beyond embarrassing. First times I stopped watching a parra gave 3/4 of the way through.
Is it MON that needs to change? I mean i know the answer is more likely yes but the fact he has gone for so many big targets and cannot get them is concerning and surely Beach and Saranatinos know that. Surely Ryles sees that.
I'd love to know, what the club is doing to identify why we don't get the players we say we are after. If they are leaving no stone unturned then tell us the stones, help us fans understand. As soon as we know why, the real reasons then fans can accept that. Is it a person, is it a process, is it illegal tactics used by other clubs, is it our reputation, is it our coaching team, is it the destination for housing and training.
'Is Mark O'Neills hands tied, so to speak, or are we negotiating from a poor position, whatever it is, it needs to be understood.
There was an article the other day about Madge, he got on a plane and went to New Zealand to personally speak with Barnett. Now that shows respect and shows how much the coach values Barnett talent. Other coaches like Bellamy explains at the recruits home, how family are included and looked after, may be moving, may be jobs for the wife, maybe best schools etc. It's laid on. Gould does personal meetings and shows his clubs blueprints, pathways and after football life. The Dragons chartered a private helicopter as part of their recruitment to sign Keaon Koloamatangi from Souths, they flew him from Sydney to Wollongong. All this is VIP recruiting rolling out the red carpet, showing they are a priority signing they provide a memorable experience. The Roosters offer a quasi membership into the Sydney Roosters Foundation with strong corporate partners, they offer career pathways after football.
I don't hear about how the Eels go above and beyond. They may do it, or they may not. But our reputation is that we are not a flashy recruitment team, and i cannot find any antidotal evidence that they do a lot of these types of things during recruitment.
It dosnt have to just be $$ when fitting a $15million dollar team into a $12 million salary cap, nor does it have to be illegal. It does have to be first class and does have to be planned.
Bravo 👏, Bluey.
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