Poppa's Corner; The cattle is the problem, this maybe the catalyst to make us do some drastic things!

Forgive me, I need to get this off my chest!

Yes the cattle is a problem, we knew that in probably every game we have won this year, just the same! I am/was devastated last night, the effort against Titans was probably a low point of the season ......so far? BUT I actually saw some effort in last nights game !!!!.....that's why it hurts more than normal after a loss. Yes I know people will laugh at that but what I cannot accept is the execution....lack of focus and the giving up of the ball

......The inability to realise with Melb making so many errors, there was a real opportunity to beat them. Even at 10 - 4 after half time and us butchering 2 tries in 5 minutes, we could still win this game with 20 minutes to go!

Now Melb were atrocious as well, I said to my wife that Bellamey must be thanking god his team was playing Parramatta.

I can get over most things Parramatta and have made horrible statements about them in the past, but there was something special in that game....a new level of ineptness, not courage or passion, just a junior team making errors that confounds me. I think I am writing this blog to purge myself.....I think we hit a new low.....I can only imagine what Ryles and his staff must think, like, its not like it was bad coaching, you couldn't coach a side to drop balls, miss tackles and position themselves as badly as they did.

Player's that excelled previously like Volkman and TDS showed why they are fringe players, I have no doubt now that we will see Pezet back in the side ahead of Volkman. Volkman only has to look in the mirror with a lot of his mates if they ever manage to be honest with themselves about being First Grade Footballers.

Oh! Parra, why have you forsaken us! LOL..... there are worse things of course...... to our knowledge no one died in that game, but you never can be sure if we lost a few supporters during it!

I know a few old blokes up in heaven who would be pretty grumpy this morning.

Good & very fair write-up, Pops.

It’s just a game, but, we are all passionate Eels fans and it’s been a very disappointing watch this season.

What Ryles came in & built in 2025 in culture, camaraderie, spirit & fight, always sat on a knifes edge. Fight, belief, it can run out quickly when relied so heavily on.

The Eels have to be near perfect to win, and that’s simply not maintainable in anything, let alone elite sport?

I have no criticism of these players because they’re trying, they’re having to skip development, or, they’re (respectfully) cup players being asked to step in top 13/17 roles. That can work for 1 or 2 players? But, 7 or 8?

They’re having to play bigger minutes, or out of position, or against far superior players physically every week, so it’s no surprise they’re struggling with conditioning.

Jason spoke of ‘lessons’, but are inexperienced players learning ‘lessons’ really going to improve them to a point needed? Maybe, he knows better than us, but it feels like some will, some won’t, and there is an imbalance between those answers.

I know ’scapegoating’ has become a site-defence of those responsible (and very well paid for that responsibility) for building the roster - a defence that apparently didn’t apply to multiple players or coaches - but, its clear that this roster is near the worst in the competition.

So, we are one of the worst teams in the competition.

Broken record, I know, but I genuinely feel we are back where we were in 2024, and that is & should be hard for fans to accept, because it was preventable.

To end on a positive Pops, there was a Sua Faalogo line break late in the game where Luca Moretti chased & chased, knowing he was done for speed, and as JAC was able to make Sua stumble, Moretti helped make the tackle.

Thought it was a pretty special moment in a horrific team performance.

"I think it is an overly inflated perspective of a few good project players like Ma'u, Papali'i etc and the very mixed success those types of signings bring.
We have continued to almost exclusively sign other club's reserve graders and try to develop…"

Replies

Nightmare Off-Season May 17, 2026 at 1:01pm

Good & very fair write-up, Pops.

It’s just a game, but, we are all passionate Eels fans and it’s been a very disappointing watch this season.

What Ryles came in & built in 2025 in culture, camaraderie, spirit & fight, always sat on a knifes edge. Fight, belief, it can run out quickly when relied so heavily on.

The Eels have to be near perfect to win, and that’s simply not maintainable in anything, let alone elite sport?

I have no criticism of these players because they’re trying, they’re having to skip development, or, they’re (respectfully) cup players being asked to step in top 13/17 roles. That can work for 1 or 2 players? But, 7 or 8?

They’re having to play bigger minutes, or out of position, or against far superior players physically every week, so it’s no surprise they’re struggling with conditioning.

Jason spoke of ‘lessons’, but are inexperienced players learning ‘lessons’ really going to improve them to a point needed? Maybe, he knows better than us, but it feels like some will, some won’t, and there is an imbalance between those answers.

I know ’scapegoating’ has become a site-defence of those responsible (and very well paid for that responsibility) for building the roster - a defence that apparently didn’t apply to multiple players or coaches - but, its clear that this roster is near the worst in the competition.

So, we are one of the worst teams in the competition.

Broken record, I know, but I genuinely feel we are back where we were in 2024, and that is & should be hard for fans to accept, because it was preventable.

To end on a positive Pops, there was a Sua Faalogo line break late in the game where Luca Moretti chased & chased, knowing he was done for speed, and as JAC was able to make Sua stumble, Moretti helped make the tackle.

Thought it was a pretty special moment in a horrific team performance.
- Poppa > Nightmare Off-Season May 17, 2026 at 2:02pm
  
  Good stuff NOS, you summed it up pretty well and expressed it better than me. No surprises there.
  
  What did you think of that touch football idea.....posted in reply to Cappy?
- Parra_Greg > Nightmare Off-Season May 17, 2026 at 2:30pm
  
  just goes to show how poor the storm really are with seasoned elite internationals in their spine or maybe they just played slopball with us as teams tend to resonate on the same level...It is magic round and I got the sense storm just wanted to junk their way to a win and get to the caxton ASAP lol
christeel May 17, 2026 at 1:03pm

IS THERE A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST IN THE HOUSE ? .....
- Poppa > christeel May 17, 2026 at 2:03pm
  
  If he was donating body parts....the queue for his heart would reach to Brisbane for a Magic Round.
  - Randy Handlinger > Poppa May 17, 2026 at 2:18pm
    
    Eminent Neurological Boffins have dibs on his brain...I'm sure it will provide great nightmare fuel for Matto & co...as if Steve Folkes wasn't enough
    - Parra_Greg > Randy Handlinger May 17, 2026 at 2:40pm
      
      scary thought Randy.. I gather its pretty clear it will be CTE. I know frustrating but it is good the game has tried to instil a risk minisation approach with head knocks (except the Tongan medical team of course)
  - Parra_Greg > Poppa May 17, 2026 at 2:36pm
    
    100%
Mallee57 May 17, 2026 at 1:24pm

The coaching is the problem as well as the cattle. Yet, even with the unfortunate injury toll the Eels have it's the coaching ( in my opinion) that's letting this team down. I mean seriously, errors, ball skills, passing, speed of play the balls, defence amongst other basic skills are absolutely diabolical and have been for the majority of this year but last night was the worst so far. What is the Ryles game plan in these matches? Ryles knows the Melbourne Storm he coached with Bellamy yet, what ever game plan he supposedly had seemed non existent last night.

The Melbourne Storm were terrible as well but not as bad and at least Bellamy calls a spade a spade but Ryles goes on about the effort was there that's total BS from what I was watching! Apart from a few players the rest were diabolical..Who knows where this mob go from here!
- Poppa > Mallee57 May 17, 2026 at 2:08pm
  
  I have no respect for your commentary Mallee, do us all a favour and just piss off!
  
  I hope you took note of Bourbon Man's post on your blog, subsequently closed down after 3 replies, lucky I didn't see it before it was closed.
  
  PS Just as a matter of interest those skils you mention should not need to be coached to players at this level and I cannot understand for the life of me why Ryles hasn't discussed his game plans with you Mallee, he might just think you are an absolute Moron like some of us on here.

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