Parramatta coach Jason Ryles has described the signing of Jonah Pezet on a one-year deal as the “perfect storm”, an arrangement he believes will benefit all parties. The Eels on Wednesday officially announced they had secured Pezet for 2026, before he joins Brisbane the following year on a long-term deal to replace veteran halfback Adam Reynolds. Pezet, stuck behind the established Melbourne halves pairing of Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, became a free agent after the latter signed a contract extension.
Parramatta’s decision to sign Pezet for only one season has divided blue-and-gold fans, with some believing they are developing a player for another club’s benefit.
Speaking for the first time about the unusual situation – that will result in Pezet playing for three clubs in as many years – Ryles said he felt it was a positive outcome for all parties.
“It just happened through circumstance really; he made himself a free agent and we saw a bit of a gap there with our depth,” Ryles said on Wednesday.
“[Back-up halfback] Dean Hawkins had made it pretty clear that he was keen to potentially move on if he could do something bigger and better, and we understood that. It was a bit of a perfect storm in that regard. That’s how it all happened, it wasn’t planned or perfect, but it ended up like that. Everyone benefits out of it.”
Ryles has a strong relationship with Pezet from their time together at the Storm and the pair were keen to reunite.
“I get on with everyone, obviously, but there’s one or two you always sort of gravitate to,” Ryles explained. “For whatever reason we did, and we just have that relationship there. We spoke in and around it, never thinking that anything like this would ever come up, and I wouldn’t do that to the Storm either. It was more just we had that relationship.”
Pezet has made only 18 NRL appearances since making his debut three years ago, but will get the chance to add to that tally alongside halves partner Mitchell Moses.
“He’s done a lot of hours of training and he spent a lot of time on the field and in [State] Cup, and had those [NRL] games as well,” Ryles said.
“His kicking game is one of his strengths and he’s a really good organiser. He understands the game and will compliment Mitchell really well. Joash [Papalii] is going to learn a lot off him and hopefully we can develop them both together. Jonah will benefit from Mitchell and Joash will benefit from Mitchell. We’ll just let them fight it out in the preseason.”
Parramatta have some of the best junior halves in the game already in their system. Lincoln Fletcher and Lorenzo Talataina are earmarked as likely successors to Pezet, but the club also has Talen Risati and Te Hurinui Twidle as options.
“It benefits everyone and it benefits the guys coming through,” Ryles said.
“The pathway that Jonah has chosen to take is a pretty good way to do it. He’s taken his time and making sure he gets the reps in because it’s a hard position to play, especially at NRL level, both physically and mentally. He’s given himself plenty of time to develop it and then this is just another part of his journey.”
Asked about the prospects of Fletcher and Talataina, Ryles said: “They’re obviously good young talents. They got us to the final of SG Ball, there’s no fluke in that, they were a big influence on that. They’ve got a long way to go in regards to seeing if they can make the NRL, but they’re certainly giving themselves every opportunity. It’s just going to be good for their development.
“I’m not going to say [their progression] is going to be a black-and-white strategy for us, but ideally we want to maximise what we’ve got in our pathways for us. This allowed us to do it, we want to continue to do that wherever we can.”
Ryles recently returned from a study tour of the UK alongside chairman Matthew Beach, CEO Jim Sarantinos and general manager of football Mark O’Neill. Highlights included spending time at EPL clubs Chelsea and Manchester United and rugby clubs Saracens and Bath.
“Obviously everyone does the PD [personal development] tours at the end of the year and everyone gets little bits out of them,” Ryles said.
“We got gold nuggets for us, but I reckon the most beneficial thing was [the four Eels officials] got to spend a week together. We got to do a little bit of planning for the club for the future and obviously get to know each other a little bit better. Whilst the PD was really good and high level, that was just as beneficial.”
Replies
I'll trust Ryles' instincts on this. He's been right about a lot so far.
this fucking guy
Everything is temporary in life, be that Pezet or our lives, and most things are uncontrollable. That's not an excuse to keep trying, fighting, improving, doing our best and being better: the only things we can control.
So if this is Ryles preferred deal, then why did we pursue him for a full term contract in the first place ?
I thought long-term would have been a goal and wanted it to be, but solid sources indicate a formal long-term contract was never tabled.
Ryles isn't a hypnotist: Pezet wants to be a half not wait 4 years behind Moses or Hughes. Not for the Storm. Not for Us. Not anyone else. Refer his PO get out of Storm clause. Clear as day. Broncos are a perfect fit.
Mate we are needing a half, Moses can quite easily be shifted to 6 if the Pezet deal hinged on it. I'm not buying this shit about it being positional. It was good enough for Thurston and Moses was a 6.
It's not as if Moses would be getting a demotion .
Moses wants to be the General. So does Pezet long-term. So your suggestion is: Moses would still be the General (a 7 but wear 6), while Pezet would play Robin, second-fuddle (a 6 but wear 7)? Fork me. Ryles needs to work on his hypnosis skills with some sandalwood.
I'd love for it to work! A circle doesn't end up fitting in a square hole, even if you change the name of the circle to square.
I'm not sure that would be enough to pull the wool over Team Pezet-Anasta's eyes. If I'm Pezet, I'd say thanks for the thought, but I want to play 7, wear 7, be a general, a half, long-term. I don't want to wait 4 years like I had to at the Storm with all this bollocks.
Additionally, this, moving the centre of the universe for a rookie, Doggie-Galvin-style, I'm not sure, is a great strategy. It didn't help the Dogs much at the end of the year. They ended up going back to what was the more natural fit.
Ok that's different if you're suggesting Peasant wants to run a show and not just play as a 7. I haven't read anything about him saying he wants to run his own team. Big jump from playing NSW cup to running the possibly 2 time premiers in 12 months. I'm not buying it.
Our situation is totally different to Melbournes where he'll possibly be behind Wishart , Munster and Hughes. We could offer him a full time starting gig in the halves. From there he's the master of his own domain. Suggesting he only chose to go to Brisbane due to some egotistical garbage about playing second fiddle seems a stretch at 22 lol.
Canterbury again, is not comparable . We wouldn't be moving a guy out of the squad. Mitch is the captain, so any success is a reflection on him . Would you rather be a winning captain @6 or a loser in the 7 ? Again seems egotistical.
Me thinks people are just looking for excuses as to why it makes sense he chose another club that doesn't insinuate it's because they're a better club.
Wizzy, Let’s not go off the reservation, naively. Elite sportspeople have egos. We all do.
Bollocks, a 22yo can’t. Pezet will be 23 soon. Sam Walker debuted at half at 19, full-time for the Roosters (21 games debut year, after Keary's injury). Keary didn't play with him that year, so we can cross that off as an "excuse", because it's fictional.
My understanding is he wants to be a half — to became that General and organizer that his kicking game suits. He has said on the record he feels he is ready to be a seven at NRL.
Why in the heck do you think he had a PO get out clause to get out of Storm long-term contract as soon as Hughes, their seven, re-signed?
He's already had a taste of NRL on-off 2023-25. He's already waited for years. But he doesn’t want to wait for another four years behind a Moses or Hughes. Yes, Call it ego. Nature’s calling. The Call of the Wild.
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