The Commbank crowd, the second-largest of the season, rose as one, applauding. Ryley Smith’s passion-drenched face said it all as the Eels closed the year winning five of their last seven.
It summed up how Eels fans felt watching the 66–10 annihilation of the Knights. A win that not only shattered records but lit the fuse for next season.
It was the Eels' biggest-ever win over Newcastle (founded in 1988) eclipsing the 50–0 of 2005.
It also marked three straight victories, something not seen since mid-2023.
The win came despite some flaws. More errors (10 v 6). Worse completions (76% v 86%). Some wasted chances down Penisini’s right edge, and again points conceded down that edge where most have been this year. To be fair, the Knights end with nine straight losses were on their worst stretch since the spoon years of 2015–17, post-Wayne Bennett.
The Eels’ turnaround this season has been Kaizen in Motion.
A horror start: 1 from 5, rock bottom, 17th.
A mid-year crawl: 4 from 12, up one to16th.
A blazing finish: 5 from 7, climbing to 11th. A season high.
It was seeded from mid-last year when the club and Jason Ryles, architect of one of the club’s biggest-ever clean-outs, set a simple plan. Leg speed. Skill. Constant improvement: A commitment to Kaizen muralized in the sheds and at the COE. To becoming better players, better people.
So out went 1,500 NRL games’ worth of experience: King Gutho, RCG, Joe Ofahengaue, Ryan Matterson, Bryce Cartwright, Shaun Lane, Brendan Hands, Maiko Sivo, and Bailey Simonsson now on the outer. In came the energy of youth in rookies such as Iongi, Ryley Smith, Jordan Samrani, Kitione Kautoga, Sam Tuivati, TDS, Joash Papali’i, alongside experienced recruits like Dylan Walker, Jack Williams, The Fox, and JDB (arriving next year) to fill the experience void.
But The Plan was swiftly put to the sword in the first forty minutes of the season.
"It was 46-6 at half-time in Melbourne (Round One), and it's something I'll never forget to the day I die," Ryles confessed in the post game pressor tonight. A moment Jim Sarantinos called the Mike Tyson moment: "Everyone has a plan, until they're punched in the face".
What changed? They got back up. And kept getting back up after every fall. They stuck to their own plan. Kept working on the the little things. Defensive grit. Top-four over the last seven weeks. Hungry support play. Desperate kick chases. Hunting in packs. Belief. And a few more balls have stuck.
"She was a wild ride early on, but we just had to hold our nerve," Ryles explained.
"And that wasn't just me. That was the whole footy club. CEO, GM, Chairman. We're very aligned in regards to what we want to do."
Internal alignment is everything, regardless of external noise and circumstances. But the work must continue. The War, The Rise, has only just begun.
A picture tells a thousand words: round 27.
The Fox celebrates another hat-trick. 14 runs. 194m. 2 linebreaks. Hopgood joins in the party. 72 minutes. Eels top tackler 38 tackles. 1 miss. 14 runs. 114m.
Zac Lomax, the Lion-hearted Warrior who wears his heart on his sleeve (Getty). 23 runs. 211m. 70m post contact. 4 offloads. 1 linebreak. 13 tackle busts.
Moses' celebrates his first NRL hat-trick with the Hayne Plane (Getty).
Dylan Brown kicks the last goal, for a proper send-off, before greeting his new team mates who thanked him for the spoon.
Eels' Highest points scored
| 1 | 74 points | 23/08/2003 - Eels 74 - Cronulla 4 |
| 2 | 68 points | 18/07/1999 - Eels 68 - Wests 10 |
| 3 | 68 points | 02/09/2007 - Eels 68 - Brisbane 22 |
| 4 | 66 points | 07/09/2025 - Eels 66 - Knights 10 |
| 4 | 66 points | 29/04/2001 - Eels 66 - Wests Tigers 12 |
| 6 | 64 points | 17/03/2002 - Eels 64 - Penrith 6 |
| 7 | 62 points | 20/08/1978 - Eels 62 - Newtown 18 |
| 8 | 62 points | 29/07/2001 - Eels 62 - North Qld 0 |
| 9 | 60 points | 06/09/2024 - Eels 60 - Wests Tigers 26 |
| 10 | 58 points | 15/09/2019 - Eels 58 - Brisbane 0 |
Eels' Biggest Winning Margin
| 1 | 70 points | 23/08/2003 - Eels 74 - Cronulla 4 |
| 2 | 62 points | 29/07/2001 - Eels 62 - North Qld 0 |
| 3 | 58 points | 18/07/1999 - Eels 68 - Wests 10 |
| 58 points | 17/03/2002 - Eels 64 - Penrith 6 | |
| 58 points | 15/09/2019 - Eels 58 - Brisbane 0 | |
| 6 | 56 points | 07/09/2025 - Eels 66 - Knights 10 |
| 7 | 54 points | 29/04/2001 - Eels 66 - Wests Tigers 12 |
| 54 points | 10/08/2002 - Eels 54 - South Sydney 0 | |
| 9 | 52 points | 12/08/2005 - Eels 56 - Bulldogs 4 |
| 10 | 51 points | 11/04/1982 - Eels 54 - Canberra 3 |
Stats are sourced from nrl.com (game day) and The Rugby League Project. Images are from Getty Images.
Replies
Matty Johns was saying that fox has shed 7kg this season which I'm guessing for him is a lot. Speed wise he looked fairly slow I thought last season at the dogs but his zip is well and truly back. Credit to him and the staff for his resurgence
Spot on, Adam. Foxxy has recorded the fastest speed this year in the NRL from what I believe. 36.6kmh or whatever it was? Losing 7-8kg helped. Wonder who'd win a 40m vs 100m race between 2025 Fox, The Hammer & Saab.
Losing weight also has helped Junior. He's played the highest average minutes per game of his entire career I believe. Do you remember seeing Junior having regular puffs and smokie breaks on the wing and edges over the last few seasons?
Excellent post Yehez, thats what we are meant to do as supporters back our team hell or high water - we can express opinions but unfortunately they are not based on facts. The closest people to the action is Jason and his team, its obvious Ryles has been working overtime creating the right environment. I'll say it now anyone that questions Jason motivation and desire I'll shred them with words and II wont hold back lol - I've backed Jason from day dott and that wont change. In Jason we trust, I wore my Eels training Jersey with pride yesterday and I'll do the same today! Eels Forever.
enjoyed that, thanks, as always good quality
Think we will all ride the off season with excitement for 2026. Feel most of us can see a finals birth next year
2026 gf Eels Vs Roosters
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