Ryles is doing fine with a half-priced roster

Ryles Winning with a $6 Million Roster

Jason Ryles is doing a phenomenal job at the helm of the Eels — and when you break it down, he’s doing it with a roster that’s worth just $6 million out of an $11.5 million salary cap.

That’s nearly half the value of many of our opponents.

Here’s a rough breakdown of the current squad he's working with

Iongi – $450k
Addo-Carr – $450k
Penasini – $550k
Russell – $280k
Lomax – $600k
Papalii – $180k
(Footy Dean) – $200k
Junior Paulo – $850k
Ryley – $170k
Williams – $460k
Kautoga – $200k
Tuilagi – $375k
Hopgood – $400k
Walker – $400k
Doorey – $300k
Lussick – $300k
Guymer – $300k

That’s approximately $6 million – and that might even be generous in a few cases.

Yet despite being undermanned on paper, Ryles' Eels have not only held their own, they've beaten the Dragons, Titans, Tigers, Manly, and Newcastle. They’ve also gone down narrowly to quality sides like the Sharks, Dolphins, Bulldogs, and Panthers — all in the last 10 rounds as the team adapts to Ryles' systems.

It’s clear: the coaching staff Ryles has assembled is doing a good job. With a full-strength roster and the cap space to build the squad he truly wants, look out. Parramatta is in seriously good hands.

Also, if we can get jag a win against the Dragons this Saturday then another 2 points with the bye up next, we'll have a host of players coming back from injury and suspension including

Moses, Sam Tuivaiti, Moretti, Bailey Simonsson, Ritchie penasini, Ryley Smith most of them due back after the bye.

A run for the 8 is not out of the question

Good blog, Chief.

You knew you’d cop some criticism but stuck to your guns. Well done.

It feels at the moment that we are really on a knifes edge, where the next 6-12 months could define the next 5-10 years.

Ryles, as you & others have mentioned, is building fantastic foundations.

Despite a lot of success under BA, we never developed a backbone defensively, with attitude, consistency.

Above all else, many of us wanted improvements defensively. It’s been a long time since oppositions didn’t simply have to enter our redzone to score, and as fans, we knew it. We felt it.

As you & Mick said, he has a side right now showing more fight & defensive cohesion than sides with 4-5m more in used cap. That is pretty impressive.

Players are also now able to step in from cup for injuries & suspensions, and we don’t look completely at sea.

But it’s also the attack. The Eels are a bit unique, & it was clear against the Titans, despite missing our halves, that we would stick to an aggressive mindset & be there to score points. Scoring 36 points without your starting halves is great.

Ryles & co. are building a new Eels DNA, and while we are a long way from executing weekly, the players are clearly buying in, and that’s a good indication of culture & environment.

As Mutt & BE mentioned, my concerns are now only in whether Ryles can be provided the team he asks for to execute what appears to be a very competitive vision.

The club have done an amazing job in the space of 6-12 months, from being one of the worst defensive sides in Eels history last season, to a team who held the ladder leaders right to the end despite 40% possession.

Its now up to the R&R, there is cap space, there is first grade opportunity, and there really are no more excuses to fail publicly in signing players the coach wants.

12 months from now the Eels could be a top 4 side with a premiership level defence, or we could be sitting right where we are now, with players losing that fight & belief, and no longer performing above their pay grade.

Love the optimism though, I am with you.

Coming off contract up at cows and is unhappy coming off the bench. NZ international and would start next to Junior nicely. Hope we have a look at him

Replies

- Coryn Hughes > Zip zip June 24, 2025 at 9:54am
  
  Or the players below the highest paid player aren't putting the team in position for the mentioned to have the effect expected.Said this many a time and it's rampant all over the nrl if the supporting casts don't keep them in games and consistently do there jobs on the weekly these talented 7 figure guys can be rendered ineffective.
  
  Thats why I'm of the addage of lifting the floor is more important than lifting the ceiling.Keeping the performance between good and bad as close as possible.
Nightmare Off-Season June 24, 2025 at 10:20am

Good blog, Chief.

You knew you’d cop some criticism but stuck to your guns. Well done.

It feels at the moment that we are really on a knifes edge, where the next 6-12 months could define the next 5-10 years.

Ryles, as you & others have mentioned, is building fantastic foundations.

Despite a lot of success under BA, we never developed a backbone defensively, with attitude, consistency.

Above all else, many of us wanted improvements defensively. It’s been a long time since oppositions didn’t simply have to enter our redzone to score, and as fans, we knew it. We felt it.

As you & Mick said, he has a side right now showing more fight & defensive cohesion than sides with 4-5m more in used cap. That is pretty impressive.

Players are also now able to step in from cup for injuries & suspensions, and we don’t look completely at sea.

But it’s also the attack. The Eels are a bit unique, & it was clear against the Titans, despite missing our halves, that we would stick to an aggressive mindset & be there to score points. Scoring 36 points without your starting halves is great.

Ryles & co. are building a new Eels DNA, and while we are a long way from executing weekly, the players are clearly buying in, and that’s a good indication of culture & environment.

As Mutt & BE mentioned, my concerns are now only in whether Ryles can be provided the team he asks for to execute what appears to be a very competitive vision.

The club have done an amazing job in the space of 6-12 months, from being one of the worst defensive sides in Eels history last season, to a team who held the ladder leaders right to the end despite 40% possession.

Its now up to the R&R, there is cap space, there is first grade opportunity, and there really are no more excuses to fail publicly in signing players the coach wants.

12 months from now the Eels could be a top 4 side with a premiership level defence, or we could be sitting right where we are now, with players losing that fight & belief, and no longer performing above their pay grade.

Love the optimism though, I am with you.
- Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin > Nightmare Off-Season June 24, 2025 at 10:30am
  
  Good post well said nos.
GM June 24, 2025 at 12:45pm

Lomax on $650
Bob mertens June 24, 2025 at 12:49pm

Why have we not spent our cap? How is that an amazing job??
- Poppa > Bob mertens June 24, 2025 at 1:27pm
  
  It is a bit to complicated for you to understand Merken. Now go back to the little boys room and play with yourself. Fcukwit!
- Optimistic eel > Bob mertens June 24, 2025 at 1:38pm
  
  The important part of this rebuild isn't buying players cause the $$$ are there ... it's about buying the right players, the right attitudes, bulldogs built a squad with rejects from others clubs but they all were competitive and wanted to win its not so much competing on the play but defending the offloads and swarming defence. The reluctance to just add to the squad because we can is a Good thing now it's just Wether recruitment and retention can land the sort of players we need. Luke garner to me is that sort of player he may be older but is a premiership winner competes on every play has urgency in defence
Darren Munro June 24, 2025 at 2:19pm

I think JR is doing an excellent job. The defence is the best it's been in over 10 years thanks to coach moa and his d team. We have aresilience we haven't had since the cap year. Our attack is exciting. To the naysayers if we won the 5 close games. The season could be a different story. This is only the start of the JR journey. A lot of changes to be made yet.
- LB > Darren Munro June 24, 2025 at 2:41pm
  
  Ryles does defence with Moa too Darren, he deserves praise for that too.
- Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin > Darren Munro June 24, 2025 at 2:42pm
  
  Our defence in the last 8 rounds has let through under 20 points on average. The top clubs usually average about the same amount. Ryles has certainly done a good job there.
  
  People must realise how inexperienced our team. Is. I have 5 x more confidence in Ryles than any other coach we've had since Brian Smith