There's a growing segment of historians who demonstrate that empires do not rise and fall through a single, decisive event.
Instead small, incremental, sometimes unnoticeable changes are made until the result has already occurred.
The challenge for Jason Ryles lies in changing not just Parramatta’s personnel, but their attacking and defensive styles.
A change that is being made incrementally instead of all at once.
For so long under the Brad Arthur regime, the focus was on sending large bodies through the middle to lay the platform before spinning it wide.
That method now lies outdated as the smaller, more mobile forward we once saw in the early 2000s are preferred.
Penrith built their 4 time premiership pack around suffocating defence and a forward pack built for speed and intensity, rather than pure brute force.
Bookends James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota both weigh less than 110kg with JFH starting his career as a lock, while the 13 in Isaah Yeo made the transition from outside back and the edge into the middle as a ball player.
They were rolling with this middle, while the Eels carried heavyweight props in Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo. Effective when having the ball, but too heavy to handle when possession tipped against them.
So far Jason Ryles has clearly demonstrated a focus on a more mobile forward pack. Paulo has dropped weight, Jack Williams has shifted into the front row, while the likes of Luca Moretti and Matt Doorey have been part of the middle rotation when fit.
Perhaps most telling has been the recruitment and immediate impact of Dylan Walker.
The former centre and five-eighth has become key cog coming off the bench where his versatility and skill allow the Eels to go at the edges in attack.
Walker tips the scales at around 100kg, the same as former Eels lock Daniel Wagon.
In many ways, the game is heading towards the style once spearheaded by Brian Smith.
Unfortunately for Jason Ryles he will not have 4 internationals fall into his lap courtesy of the Super League War to try and drive home his changes.
As the weeks have gone in the 2025 season, Parramatta has gradually shown more confidence in their ball movement.
The return of Mitchell Moses and the recruitment of Dylan Walker have been key factors here. Once Walker enters the fray, the Eels seem to attack more towards the edges with Junior Paulo popping up wider where his size and footwork create more headaches for defenders.
Looking at the backline and Isaiah Iongi has shown that he was more than ready for NRL football following his recruitment last year.
The speed, agility and underrated ball playing of the fullback has slotted into an Eels backline that was crying out for a more creative custodian last year.
While Clint Gutherson was everything and more for the Eels throughout his tenure, by the end his lack of speed was glaringly obvious and a key issue for a very slow backline.
Combined with the recruitments of Josh Addo-Carr and Zac Lomax, Parramatta is starting to craft a powerful and speedy backline.
Yet to fully realise their full strength back 5, it’s clear what Ryles prefers. And that’s either a speedy back, or a powerful one.
Like many of their more fancied opponents, Parramatta is looking to their back 5 to take on more of their metre-eating workload than they did under Brad Arthur.
Lomax and Bailey Simonsson have led this change with their combination of size and strength allowing them to win first contact. It’s a shame neither have managed to really be on the field together with Sean Russell continuing to feature in first grade.
That being said, Russell, JAC and Will Penisini haven’t shied away from their workload.
What is clear though, is the change underway for the Eels.
What they could do with though is an emergence of a Nathan Hindmarsh-like backrower on an edge and a powerful bench prop capable of flipping the momentum after the 20th minute. Sam Tuivaiti was starting to show that ability until his injury.
The Eels are far from the finished product and there is unlikely to be a game where it all “clicks”.
But the Ryles era continues marching on as it looks to rebuild from the ashes of 2024.
Replies
Well said Super.
Whilst it is frustrating to be losing each week, improvement is clearly visible. I would be interested to see how a full strength team (with Lomax, Simonson and Tuivati all playing), playing with confidence, would fare against the heavy hitters of the comp. I daresay we wouldn't get blown away like we did in Round 1.
Super, re the back 5 either being speedy or powerful. Which of these categories would you see Penisni and Russell in.
Neither player features anywhere near the top 50 for running, line breaks, or tackle breaks nor kick returns. Penisini has terrible tackle efficiency with 84% to boot.
Neither are able to keep up with speedy play.
I have real reservations about both of them, and wonder what others might see that I'm missing.
When you look at Iongi, he is in the top 30 odd NRL players in these gategories, a real talent.
I've always been of the proponent you have to have your own identity in how you want to play what I'm seeing is a copycat of what alot of teams are already doing.I'm not a really big fan of this.We have to be a leader in what we want to do in copying others that requires superior talent. I'm not sure we are close to that and will ever be close to that.
Time will tell.
All I know is we can't drop any further because we are already there.
Jason Ryles is getting into dangerous territory with the money he will have at his disposal. He has been given a warchest that many coaches would kill for. Poor Dean Pay didn't even get a chance to use the cap the Dogs had, was sacked just before the last backended payment finished and Barrett got first go at it.
Though he has this cash and spots available so quickly instead of gradually it came available, he will be scrutinised quicker as he is getting majority of his team quicker. If he doesn't use the money much at all or uses it incorrectly, despite MON being involved too, he will get blasted for it. Now it is hard to strike 100% with all signings, but with the money we have we should be able to get some decent ot heavy hitters, not projects.
The board were patient with BA, as he was here before them. If Ryles' new team with the money he spent on who he wants fails, eyes are on them as another coach fails, Ryles will be gone sooner so they save face. He wont be sacked in 2026 (Unless we get spoon or close to it) but if by 2027 we are not in finals he could be in trouble.
He will jump in feet first to it, he wont shy away and i admire that about him. But he has been given a gift that can be a curse. A warchest is a luxary but it comes with expectation. Can he and MON do it?
It is completely fair if by halfway 2027 were still in the bottom 4 or even bottom 6 then I won't mind banging the drum pending unforeseen circumstances.
I am qute patient and don't like too many signings anyway, but even in 2026 I'll have an eye on how were going and would be happy to start yapping if things seem off.
In '26 & '27 two new clubs will have more money to spend than we have. JR needs to sign a few soon before it's too late.
2027 is a long way, if there isn't a massive improvement I doubt Ryles will be around in 2027.
I would not say massive improvement. But lets say he kept Lane and Matto for 2026 and we finished like 12th i think the club have leeway. But he makes signings with the cash and we finish 12th? I think he is given 2027 but is on a massive hot seat.
Well probably why we are getting the money earlier to spend. Thankfully the 2 clubs (PNG apparently could be post poned til 2029) are a hard sell.
I always thought he was the best option, he starting to show why. He doesn't rush, he truthful & loves his footy.
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