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.
Replies
LB Just re read that and trying to remember why I would have said "I don't remember that" "it could have happened but can't remember"..... and wondered why I can remember it now and realised it is because you brought this up previously to remind me and it was months later and at the time it was no big deal, you and Wiz threw it back in my face in a "point scoring" exercise, just like you have again this time......games you people play? its amazing!
Maybe it's as simple as French doesn't want to comeback.
Lifestyle money I have no doubt he's set himself up for life he doesn't need to comeback here and prove himself.
ESL is his high tide and he's reached the peak of that mountain while sustaining his health and well being.
I have just been told a number of clubs have tried to get his interest. he rejected them all!
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.
💯 great post here NoS.
See you can't lose DB and Lomax in the space of 12 months and replace them with Simonsson & Pezet and think as a FG side we are better off they aren't like for like replacements the talent gap of the lost and replacements are lightyears apart lightyears but here we are.
2028 is accurate but again I don't see us competing even then because Moses is probably done then also this is the penalty we'll pay.We had DB locked and loaded for 8 years and some how we screwed ourselves out of that by giving him options every other year.It's madness.Throw in like you say expansion and the hill gets steeper again.
Really Parra's only way out is development because our R & R can't close deals pure and simple so again we are back to ending a premiership drought with one arm tied behind our back.
What makes it worse for the next 5 seasons at least Penrith look locked and loaded with there elite guys all locked up.We've got 2 guys Moses and Iongi and nothing else this is how far behind we are.They are the benchmark and we are but in the infancy of it.Do we have to wait to Cleary and co leave Penrith before we have a legit shot of matching these guys I don't know but it's going to be a long hard slog for us.
Agree, Coryn.
2028 is probably a best case scenario and thats recruitment / development dependant?!
Looking objectively & excluding emotion, our timeline for competing for a premiership realistically excludes Moses, JAC, Paulo, Russell, Dylan Walker - because unless we defy modern history, we can’t compete with three rookie spine members.
Obviously a lot can change, but they are big holes to fill, and exceed the current 5/8th conundrum which continues into 2027.
I’m a negative, broken record on this point, and don’t like it, but the concerning situation we find ourselves in currently is 100% by our design, whether purposefully or not, we had multiple chances for prevention.
There is frustration with Pezet, but it’s not his fault, he is a developing halfback 20 games into his career playing 5/8th for 12 months at a new club / new systems / new combinations.
As you said, you cannot lose the NZ 5/8th who was signed for 8 years, and miss likely the best replacement 5/8th in the game in the space of a few months - on top of losing an international winger (his issues aside).
We had to sign Galvin once we lost Dylan, if that was slight ‘overs’ to get a deal done, or a package deal with his high school coach getting a pay rise to come, so be it, we were in that position from our own DB contract options.
That one signing solved multiple issues with awaiting developing juniors for the 5/8th role - Lorenzo - without heaping all our eggs in that basket, thats a lot of pressure for a kid.
Galvin also could move to halfback post Moses (plus cover injuries), so its insurance, and would've kept us relevant in the meantime.
Now, Mitch Moses - who was pretty vocal about who he wanted at 5/8th - spends his final contract developing three rookie spine members, and will start again with a new 5/8th in 2027.
It may still pay off of course, our rookies - especially Ionghi - are very promising.
But a 1.2m investment per year on a halfback that looks like he had the ability to genuinely end the Eels draught, now feels like 'overs', because its out of Mitch’s hands.
Will welcome criticism of this post, I know its negative, but our lack of foresight with Dylans contract, and the best replacement, is hard to accept, and then justifying it with excuses instead of evolving & demanding better, isn’t what Ryles deserves.
There's plenty to like also, and this criticism is to one area, but its frustrating knowing that had things been different in recruitment this past 12 months, we very well could've been fighting for top 4 / competing in 2026/2027.
Hopefully things in recruitment change, and I hope to be very wrong.
To add to the 2028 talk. Players like Tuivaiti, Iongi, Kautoga, Samrani, Da Silva, Smith etc. If they are still at the club are well past 50 games bracket that is considered the point where the game slows down and you are FG hardened. Talataina would hopefully be close to 30 games.
Then sprinkle in the likes of Koina, Petrus, Talagi and perhaps Polley in the forwards who are starting to get a look in for some good depth.
All good points, LB.
With a few astute signings, 2028 could still be a contending year.
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