Poppa's Corner: We made a mistake, lets admit it, move forward; and it looks like we are overrated!

This heading is probably something we don't like admitting to. Yes it implies criticism but I don't want to start looking for blame or scapegoats, just accept it and move on.

The main issue in my mind is the "Pezet" experiment. It hasn't worked and the future has to be now. If its not, then it is a pointless exercise.

Back to Pezet. It occur's to me that just about everyone is in concurrence that he is not up to the 5/8 role.

The fact that our Reserve Grade side is struggling and do not have a proper half, it is a good opportunity to let Pezet fill this role and see what he can achieve, and how our long term 5/8 potential reacts to having a "proper" half!....????.

After all the real point of having Pezet was a backup half for Moses and the developing of our junior 5/8 talent. Well the 5/8 role ain't working.

He has no speed. His defence is poor. And he show's me nothing much as a link man.

I believe all the rhetoric and dislocation, not to mention the poor form of Moses is directly related to covering Pezet's shortfalls. That included the positioning of Williams at lock and the dropping of JDB to provide cover defence for the Pezet shortfall.

We are in a remarkable good position with 2 out of 3 games, whereas we could be zero and 3 and in deep shit.

Lets not abuse our good fortune. Let's act now.

There is no way we will beat Penrith going forward with this current make up.

Finally, I expected with our back ups and juniors coming through that we were good things for Reserve Grade. But we are now showing issues there. Our junior's are struggling as well. The issue is our upcoming 5/8's are not exactly killing it!

Have we overated our position and personell?

How does this happen? Well, we, Parramatta, are total optimists with the exception of a few and we always want to see the positives.

All that being said, I continue to believe in Ryles and our coaching staff and the reality is he is still learning as well.

Just a smokey to end this discussion. Bevan French.

I do not know the contract implications, but if we get cap dispensation on Hopgood, how about making an offer for French to take the 5/8 position? He hasn't played for Wigan yet this season and I would be not against making an offer he "can't refuse". Obviously this could simply be too hard, but we are a long way short of what we want to be!

Please don't bring up the "French" defensive issues, he is now one of the best players in the world and a lot stronger defensively than when he was with us.

Great blog, Pops. Some really good points here, and the posts as well, we have some very intelligent minds on this site.

Most fans will admit to often getting recruitment wrong, there is so much about a player we aren't privy too, and so need to trust 'the process' from those behind closed doors.

I look at Sean Russel, this is a player I would've happily seen leave in 2024, now, wish he was staying long term - couldn't be happier to be wrong, he's always seemed a likeable person.

But, we did we get this one wrong?

Many of us said losing DB & it will cost us years, we'd already lost Blaize, targeted a disinterested Jaydon Campbell, and missed a sliding doors moment with Galvin where all the stars aligned, and this is where we land.

If Pezet was a generational talent, a Kotoa type, for 12 months you take him, why not. He's not in the same stratosphere.

Joash, even if not a natural 5/8th, is committed, a team-first (Eels first) player, and he brings energy, and he is no further behind Pezet in development, who is also not a 5/8th, so to your point, what is the point?

Pezet had to hit the ground running at 5/8th to make this work, at a minimum he had to hold up defensively, he's not & it was never really possible for a kid of 20 odd games. A back up 7 makes sense, though. Moses will miss games.

Like Bluey, its not Pezet in particular that bothers me, its everything that's happened (and hasn't changed) to see us taking a 4th/5th preferred option as our 5/8th for 2026, with no guarantees beyond this season either.

As Cap said, until we are ready to be more honest with ourselves & where the issues are clearly sitting, we will continue to see the same short comings roster-wise & in turn what we are seeing on the field.

Its not about personal vendettas or finger pointing, signs of a weak organisation, it might just be more clarity around roles & investing in a new recruitment system.

Ryes & the club have come so far in so many areas, and have actually now gone backwards in one area.

Coryn mentioned a line through us in 2026, but honestly, I can't see how we genuinely compete until 2028, unless we sign 2/3 elite talents in needed positions, or, our juniors have a storm-in-a-teacup Panthers style development incoming.

Just my opinion, and of course, hope to be wrong.

"Dolphins need to fix their defence, once they do they are top 4 potential.
But yeah no matter who goes there they will be underfire by Brisbane media. Woolf would prefer, as any team would, of less media fanfare. Tallis has made things in the media…"

"Fletcher isn't in reserve grade. He's doing well in the under 20s and i believe he is the real 5/8 Ryles will be looking to in the future.
He's only 19, and it could be wearing are waiting for him to fill out before making him our number one back…"

"Eli, I think you completely overate Moses, especially in his current form, if you think Hunt and Reynolds are not capable of mentoring a young player, even one I don't rate....I think you are delusionary!
You really scare me when you say you…"

Replies

- - - - Poppa > LB March 23, 2026 at 3:36pm
        
        You sound desperate to me LB, its about a discussion, contrary to what you think if you can't keep up, don't bother trying. IMO at the moment Pezet looks a lessor player than Keating, but hey go back to the start of the blog, read it and if you cannot understand the discussion, get off the toilet!
        
        PS The start of the blog was about Pezet, some of our juniors could be overrated and a smokey called French. You have had your say on Pezet, nice each way bet, you don't rate French and our juniors seemed to have escaped? What else would you like to contribute other than your wisdom as a school teacher and your unquestioned love of the game.....btw....that's called passive aggresive which it was meant to be.
        
        LB > Poppa March 23, 2026 at 4:16pm
        
        What the hell are you talking about you old fool. I brought areas of your discussion, you argued against, i gave you facts and you have yet to show anything in response. The Keating comparison was an example of what i meant by not rating a player but they can still be ok enough to garner over 100 NRL games. What is this each way bet rubbish you go on about. I do not rate him nor do i like the signing but nothing can be done about it so just have to support him and hope it works out. He will be a player that will play a few years in the game. Guess what so have a whole bunch of halves that aren't overly good in the league but they are decent enough as a bridge. So wake up to yourself. Saying he will be a servicable Halfback is not rating a player, that is acknowledging they are fine and can do a job. I'd be different if i said i don't rate him but let's sign him for 3 years as we have nobody else.
        
        How many experts are excited for our juniors like they are for other teams halves? Not many, we may have felt this person might be the one but we are also going off one of them has to be since the plan is Pezet for a year then in 2027 by process of elimination one of the kids has to come in unless we sign another stop gap.
        
        Juniors have escpaed? What do you mean there?
        
        In terms of French again, i am saying temper expectations of how good he is in one League compared to the NRL.
        
        You are here saying i cannot keep up yet you argued against what i replied with and i replied back? Instead of going back to what i said and try and prove a point more, you rabble on with this rubbish of bringing up the side discussions brought up, they are brought up to prove my point which i feel i have done well. So maybe you would like a repeat of your old forgetful ways of forgetting things you did in the past when people catch you out when you tell us not to do that yourself.
        
        So yeah this blog is about Pezet and i answered as well as a few other things in the blog. If you didn't want the discussion on French, don't mention him?
        
        Poppa > LB March 23, 2026 at 4:39pm
        
        RUOK LB, That school playground can get pretty tough.
        
        LB > Poppa March 23, 2026 at 4:42pm
        
        You have nothing to counter what I said that was against what you are saying so that's your response. Great talk coach.
        
        PS: I was off class for most of today for planning for term 2 so didn't even see the playground thankfully haha
        
        Poppa > LB March 23, 2026 at 4:45pm
        
        I'm sure you were there in Spirit LB.....you are right by the way "I had nothing to counter" .....of course that depends how you interpret it!
Nightmare Off-Season March 23, 2026 at 10:47am

Great blog, Pops. Some really good points here, and the posts as well, we have some very intelligent minds on this site.

Most fans will admit to often getting recruitment wrong, there is so much about a player we aren't privy too, and so need to trust 'the process' from those behind closed doors.

I look at Sean Russel, this is a player I would've happily seen leave in 2024, now, wish he was staying long term - couldn't be happier to be wrong, he's always seemed a likeable person.

But, we did we get this one wrong?

Many of us said losing DB & it will cost us years, we'd already lost Blaize, targeted a disinterested Jaydon Campbell, and missed a sliding doors moment with Galvin where all the stars aligned, and this is where we land.

If Pezet was a generational talent, a Kotoa type, for 12 months you take him, why not. He's not in the same stratosphere.

Joash, even if not a natural 5/8th, is committed, a team-first (Eels first) player, and he brings energy, and he is no further behind Pezet in development, who is also not a 5/8th, so to your point, what is the point?

Pezet had to hit the ground running at 5/8th to make this work, at a minimum he had to hold up defensively, he's not & it was never really possible for a kid of 20 odd games. A back up 7 makes sense, though. Moses will miss games.

Like Bluey, its not Pezet in particular that bothers me, its everything that's happened (and hasn't changed) to see us taking a 4th/5th preferred option as our 5/8th for 2026, with no guarantees beyond this season either.

As Cap said, until we are ready to be more honest with ourselves & where the issues are clearly sitting, we will continue to see the same short comings roster-wise & in turn what we are seeing on the field.

Its not about personal vendettas or finger pointing, signs of a weak organisation, it might just be more clarity around roles & investing in a new recruitment system.

Ryes & the club have come so far in so many areas, and have actually now gone backwards in one area.

Coryn mentioned a line through us in 2026, but honestly, I can't see how we genuinely compete until 2028, unless we sign 2/3 elite talents in needed positions, or, our juniors have a storm-in-a-teacup Panthers style development incoming.

Just my opinion, and of course, hope to be wrong.
- Poppa > Nightmare Off-Season March 23, 2026 at 1:27pm
  
  Beautifully responded NOS, your summation is just about perfect......and like you and Coryn I have no answers.
  
  One thing I will say is that we know that Perth and PNG are going to place a large drain on overall playing talent, I think our lack of recruitment vision has been our valuation of players, I think in this environment and the salary cap being raised substantially in the light of TV rights etc then we need to be more adventourous with "offers too good to refuse' I now fear we have missed this boat as well......French could work btw.
Angry Eel March 23, 2026 at 10:55am

I think some of us are massively overreacting. St George are always going to be a tough team to put away. Melbourne and Bulldogs both struggled to put them away and everyone is expecting those teams to be top 4. It's early in the season and we have heaps of improvement in us not to mention I think most teams are adjusting to the way the referees are controlling the games and how teams use their interchange benches moving forward to combat/exploit fatigue. I suspect we still have a lot of tinkering to do with our starting lineup/bench rotation. The form lines read Melbourne beat us, we beat Brisbane, Brisbane beat Melbourne. This weekend says a lot about where we are. Penreff have been the standout team so far. If we are close to a result (even if we lose but lose a tight one) 2/4 with one of the worst possible draws to start the season becomes a pretty good result. 3/4 is phenomenal with improvement still left in us. Whilst our pack you can argue has been dominated so far to start the year, last year we were able to combat that with fantastic ball movement which we will get better at as the year goes on. Yes Pezet's defence hasn't been good at all but he's had some nice touches in attack. We are not the complete package yet but there's heaps of improvement in us and yet we are 2/3. Absolutely no need to overreact right now, just like there was no need to compare Ryles to Kearney 2 weeks ago.
- CarloEEL2 > Angry Eel March 23, 2026 at 11:16am
  
  That's the spirit !!!!
  
  in my mind a player that has been recruited for a year is always a risk in " protecting " their investment for their " real " club signing for the following year 🤔
  
  even if it's subconsciously not putting themselves fully into the fray to avoid injury
  
  that's why I don't like it
- Clintorian > Angry Eel March 23, 2026 at 11:26am
  
  I agree AE, it's way too early in the season to be making calls like this.
  
  I was one of the fans rubbishing Russell before the season started and said he needs to go. Well... I was wrong, embarrassingly wrong, and happy to admit it. We have a tough draw with Storm, Broncos, and Panthers in the first 4 rounds so our start was always going to be difficult.
  
  Let's wait till we play Tigers, Titans, Sea Eagles, Warriors, Cowboys before we start sounding any alarm bells.

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