As we head into June and not far off the middle of the season, attentions really begin to look at 2027 rosters across the NRL.
So far the club has signed a very good talent in Jayd'n Sua. He has played 6 origin games for Queensland (last in 2024) and 10 internationals for Samoa. At 28 years of age he has the potential to continue his representative type form which no doubt we can benefit from. The club has done good here.
But from this signing it does appear from the outside looking in, this is where it stops. At this time, the Eels are losing the following at the end of this season and or these players have not been resigned yet.
Jonah Pezet, Sean Russell, Te Hurinui Twiddle, Toni Mataele, Ryan Matterson, Junior Paulo, Richard Penisni, Will Penisni, Jake Tago, Kelma Tuilagi, Ronald Volkman and Dylan Walker. We could possibly include the loss of Zac Lomax at the start of this year as well, and at a push Dylan Brown last year hasn't been replaced. (Money or talent wise).
So far, our signings have been very very slow almost non existant. Our next big name Junior to be talked about is 5/8 Lorenzo, even he hasn't scored a full time contract with the Eels yet. His contract is a development contract only till 2028.
Now I'm sure that the powers that be within the Eels R@R dept , that are so highly regarded by many 1EE'ers here know what they are doing, and some serious signings are just around the corner. But what corner and how long before we reach that corner is starting to take its toll on Members, Supporters and Fans alike. We here on this website are regularly told that there isn't much out there to be signed, we have to bide our time, we are going to rely on juniors. All very good arguments, that is until they are not.
Is it time to get concerned yet.
Lets try and put it into context and have a look at what is happening with other clubs, are there any players available , are we being mislead into thinking that there is no one available and we should we begin to wonder if the targets are not getting signed. I don't know the answer, but I am becoming a bit concerned about my club, It may very well just be that the club are keeping their secrets very close to their chest, that word isnt filtering out on targets or signings. Thats all possible. Is it reality though, I don't know, but the silence is making sceptics of a lot of people.
So let's compare, let's see what's moving within the NRL. Just in the last few weeks we have the following.
St George have signed Luke Metcalf, Keaon Koloamatangi, Scott Drinkwater and Phillip Sami
Cowboys have signed Jesse Ramien and Sione Katoa
Roosters are making serious offers for Cowboy International Winger Murray Tuilagi after the cowboys withdrew their offer. He is available to be signed right now. They have signed Ruben Garrick as well.
Papua New Guinea have signed Jerome Luai, Connor Watson and Alex Johnston
The Perth Bears have signed 19 players but let's cherry pick 2 in Tyrone Wishart and Toby Sexton
Now i could keep going, but there is some serious talent sitting there, if we go back just a couple of months we could throw in Mitch Barnett to Brisbane next year as well.
So when we consider the amount of players leaving the club or have not been resigned yet, surely that indicates we have a lot of wriggle room and some serious cap monies available, should we have been in the market for the players that have moved recently or is it possible we were in the mix but missed out on the signing. Either way, it's all hush hush, I don't know the answers, and I don't pretend to know. What I am asking is Should we be concerned, or is everything tip top and in shape, are we really progressing to the clubs plans, or is it going awry.
I have to admit, I'm getting very concerned! I don't know what is wrong, all indications are that there is something amiss with signing or resigning players.. ( attracting talented players). The club is closing ranks, shouldering arms, and going into protection modes if the recent Talking Parra Podcast blog is to be believed. I love this club, I've followed this club for close to 57 years and i really hope that they are working out what can be improved. I'm not sure that having a siege mentality against their own fans is the way the club should be going. It really raises this fans suspicions. I'd really hope that being open and transparent is just around the corner, so too the future talented signings. Until then their actions or lack of, are becoming more concerning by the week. Our 2027 roster does not look that flash on paper, does a spoon year beckon, or do the boys stand up, improve and march us into finals footy. I sincerly hope it's the latter, but I'm concerned.
Have your say, I'm sure the club are listening and monitoring social media, so be careful, be straight , but be respectful, That's how we generally get measured change for better.
Replies
Fair blog, though I'd take Perth out of it as their signings are average to bad minus say Wishart.
But yeah I guess I'm willing to wait til at least October to see if we have signed people already and waiting to announce. Now if say Jenkins, Timoko, Xerri and the like sign elsewhere, then yeah I'll be very concerned as those options give you hope to improve.
Though market does present you options when you never thought they were possible of getting. Now no guarantees of getting them when they appear but still options can come up.
As for plans going forward, well for forwards I think there are options coming through. Our backs are the issue. Though the theme seems to be juniors, at the same time Ryles went for Galvin when Lorenzo and Fletcher were playing SG ball. So is it 100% juniors or is it all in cause we can't get anyone. Remains to be seen unfortunately.
BE can I ask, we have 22 spots filled so 8 free who would you keep and what positions you think we need to feel satisfied with our off-season?
But I think this blog is fair BE. Enjoyed the read.
LB, I don't really want to get into who to sign , who to keep. I'm more trying to attack it from the angle, If Ryles wants them in the first place, then I trust that judgement. My concern is and has been are we able to sign whom has been identified in the first place, not the pivot signings we fall into as backup options. Then with the recent Talking Parra Blog and the club closing ranks has really peaked my concern, that the club is feeling the heat and reacting not in an open and transparent way that includes the fans. members etc.
My concern is they are now so worried about the lack of signings or missing out behind the scenes that they are in protecting themselves mode instead of embracing the failures and improving on them. Now I don't know if any of that's true, however there is some real evidence to that occuring. The club is at the begining of a slippery slope and a path that could lead to the bottom of the competition table. Thats my concern, I'm hoping the smart ones there can recognise it, or even the perception of it and get us back on the right path.
Sorry I probably didn't answer your question, but in terms of players, I don't think i'm that far away from most people that want genuine talent across the park. Probably a pipe dream, but so many teams can do it, why don't we is the real question, i feel.
In terms of Talking Parra. I would take that with a grain of salt at the moment. Primarily due to both those two parties having a fall out months ago. One side carried on about not having access anymore, on April fools day made a joke saying "We have access back" etc. mocking the decision. It could be a ploy to pressure the club to give that back with them rallying fans. Is what he said true? Who knows at this stage. Is it exaggerated? Good chance. Just put it this way BE, he has had a history of saying things about the club and what they say to him for others to see conversations the club have had with them and it is not the case, it was all exaggerated as they didn't get their way. As Coryn said, he is right, if they are reacting to what a podcast says about them we are bigger trouble than we thought. Which makes me believe they listen, they see it but they more likely react to it in house and in their own way.
So i would keep that aside for now. In terms of embracing the failures and not being transparent, sort of? Though did they embrace the failures last year? I do not see how it is smart to embrace the failures as the season is still going. That is an end of year thing. Like the Roosters are an example of a club that do that, they admit signings either didn't work or didn't go to plan, but that is when the season is finshed. You don't hint a player is rubbish while still there trying to play. I understand the idea of the importance of relaying information back to fans. They do that through the SGA and fan events where MON says they want a middle and a back. But at the same time, they can also be limited in what they say.
Imagine MON coming out tomorrow saying "We are currently heavily on the look out for signings" it is futile as majority are going to be angry and say "No they are not". He cannot simply say if they have signed anyone til it is announced and that is an agreed upon thing between club and player. Like Talkin Parra said "When was the last time the club announced a signing before the media did" or "They are not very good at keeping things in" well nobody had a clue about either Jack Williams & Dylan Walker are prime examples of that. The club do not let a lot out. Yet the most leaks that come out go to him haha. But yeah they can be transparent but also at the same time they cannot just say everything either. At the end of the year is time for the honest reflection and mirror looking.
I think they are trying to improve the team every day. Now can they fail to improve them while trying? Absolutely but they are trying. One thing i will not say about this current R&R is they don't try. They can fail, they can have a bad plan but i see them trying, a bit.
Finally, in your last part, yeah most here are in agreeance in what we need and players that fit. But it all depends on the plan that they see. Maybe Ryles wants to not block the path of certain juniors therefore the forwards looked at are different. Like you said, lets see what Ryles chooses and back it for now. Many here despise Penisini, if Ryles keeps him let's go with it.
As long as the club keeps believing in its people we should be ok, right?.
We should be extremely concerned and i have very little confidence the recruitment team lead by O'neill can get anyone of note over the line
Im also extremely concerned about the lack of development pushing for first grade positions which is almost zero. The debutants thus far this year Pryke, Nava and Mataele who debut previously are reserve grade standard. Nothing more. I don't like picking on Players but if can't find someone better than Pryke as a prop debutant this season we're in massive trouble
I have plenty of time for Ryles like I've said previously, but those above him all need to be sacked starting with O'neill and Sarantinos. Both have let the club down enormously. I cannot see this club getting out of the bottom 3 for the next 5 years under these bozos .
We'll be in a battle for the spoon until 2030 minimum and you can bet the stooges running the joint will still have their jobs
I don't know what fans can do to get change, but we need suggestions immediately
Chief, can i please ask as i am curious and not being smart. What is it about Ryles that you support so highly compared to BA who you despised?
You mention debuting Pryke and Mataele, referring to if that is the best we have that is pathetic. Well firstly that is 4th and 5th string, not much better 4th and 5th strings out there. Secondly, Teancum Brown is seen as better than both of them but Ryles is not naming him. So we apparently do have someone better but the coach who gets a pass doesn't play him. Brown could have played over Pryke but Ryles chose otherwise. That is not on the backroom staff, Ryles has the choice to go with Brown but didn't.
Brown will.be better but im unsure what the issue is. When.i saw Brown.in.pre season, he was training the house down and beating guys like Tuivaiti in the runs. I haven't seen what's been happening in reserve grade.
Ryles proved last year what he can do with a lowly rated roster. I believe defensively the team is better than at anytime the bush coach was here. This year we can't really judge as its been a disaster with injuries, but the second half of 2026 showed what Ryles is about. He's just dealing with a bad roster that's been dealt to him by O'neill and the r and r.
When brad was coach, the wide defence was lost. Nobody knew whether to rush in or wtf was happening. Technically Ryles is better . BA was a great people person who could get players up, but he failed to get the right people around him and stuck with his assistants. He didn't want any competition for his job
*2025
Ok few things. I do not really agree the defence as a whole is better than BA's at this stage. I mean this year we are setting records. Before you say injuries we conceded 86 points in first fortnight. Also, saying the roster that MON has given him is the failure for Ryles, i think that should mean BA gets a pass as MON set up rosters for BA as wel.
Your first paragraph though is saying an example of the roster producing what many consider a gem, a gem that this squad is lacking for Ryles but yet he refuses to play them. Now the reasoning could be simple that Ryles wants to preserve this talent for a better time when the squad is not in a worse state, but to give examples of how the roster is in a poor state where Ryles has to pick certain average players is the fault of MON and co. yet Ryles himself refuses to pick a talent like Brown? Well i isn't that a Ryles thing?
Your part of Ryles can do wonders with a lowly rated squad. BA proved that too, if anything proved his ability to turn around the fortunes of players teams had forgotten. RCG, Papali'i and Cartwright the main examples.
I mean it seems contradictory to me as i wanted BA gone and i really like Ryles and am on board with him. But at the same time i can call it like it is. Ryles has made some mistakes this year and that is ok. BA made plenty and rebounded massively. But after one and a half seasons, i am not ready to say Ryles is miles better than BA. Not yet.
However, your last paragraph i will 100% agree with as a flaw to BA. He kept friends too close to himself. Kept people around him that would not undermine and by the end the feel of the club was not good under him. How the players walked around the joint was embarrassing is what i was told. He always had a "Me against them" mentality to the NRL media and fans and at times. Also, he even admits this, he trusted players too much. That is the one area i feel Ryles works a little better is he is not afraid to drop you if you are not working. Out of all of it, that is where Ryles stands out the most at the moment.
I'm hoping Chiefy that some of the suggestions can hit the mark. For one the club must return to being open and transparent. Admit failings and improve them on the same token Celebrate the wins in recruitment and shout them loud and proud. Including fans and showing them respect gives them an ownership and a stake in the club, fans that are included will always pay the club back in faith and support. To dismiss fans and keep them in the dark, always leads to dissent, bad blood and calls for change. They have done well with Sua. Now time for more.
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