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That method now lies outdated as the smaller, more mobile forward we once saw in the early 2000s are preferred.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
Why do you think we have a warchest LB?
It was all JR's doing. It was by design, not fluke. He has cleaned house in record time. That alone is a massive achievement. We as suffering fans always want things fast tracked for success, I don't know what you or others were expecting in his first year? He is trying to reshape the salary cap, off-load and sign new players and the big one.... changing the decade long bad culture, standards and poor coaching from his predecessor.
We are improving, we have salary cap freed up, we have had a terrible run of injuries and setbacks. For a first year coach who inherited this mess he is ticking all the right boxes for me.
BA was given a decade with multiple rebuilds, let JR have one before he is hung out to dry.
Yes i know he did it, as i mentioned in my post he created it and instead of just letting the players deals run out and build the team slowly he got a head start and got his warchest a year earlier. I also said with warchests come expectations and that can be his undoing.
I am not sure where you think, if this is what you are saying, that i am knocking Ryles as i have not ever really i am backing him. Just saying he has chosen to get his own team quicker by sweeping the broom in year 1 where other coaches start in year 2. But it is a risk as it puts the pressure on him to succeed based on him eliminating excuses of had no cap, hasn't got his own team, has ageing players, is bringing juniors through. All those get eliminated with a warchest in year 2 and spending it to 90%
LB , you miss the point of this blog completely. It has nothing to do with money and signings, it has all to do with what Ryles has had to work with and the improvements in attack and defence which we've seen of late.
Against the heavy hitting Sharks we were right in it, and again against the Dogs. The Dolphins can score from any position yet we matched them 3 tries all. 2 of our spine have a dozen games between them. Mate, you need to calm down, and all the sacking by 2027 talk by others is just panic talk.
The expectation talk because he let certain players go is total nonsense
I'd like to know which player he let go which some of the knockers would have kept, and i understand you are supporting Ryles
Add to that beating the Tigers with 11 men
Chief you getting defensive over Ryles. I am supportive of him. I understand that blog, but was mentioning the most important step for him moving forward. I am all for him moving this players on, did you not see me comment about how Gutho and RCG losses weren't that big of a deal?
I am simply saying, he needs and will sign players but it is going to be a test of him as a coach and roster builder. He is doing it earlier than expected let's hope he does it.
It's not expectation of players he let go, expectation of who he signs. I think a lot of people here will understand him moving on the players he has, when losing it gives them ammo to blame it on that. But majority will say we needed to get younger. It's who he signs with the money where the expectation comes in.
Plus the talk of sacking I am just saying if he gets a some decent names in 2026 and we don't improve rapidly, he will be on hot seat whether we think he should be or not. Thats why I am saying it's a massive risk what he is doing so quick but good on him for doing it.
You seem to be riding me a lot lately and yet I am a Ryles defender. But I also see it in realistic point to if something can be defining for him. Please do not tell me to calm down, if anything Chief I feel you are getting a little to defensive if anyone slightly knocks Ryles. That's fine but I was just stating thw risk and reward of his plan. Let's be fair here, if BA had a war chest and signed decent players and we missed the 8 most here would call for him to be sacked just saying and i was calling for BA to get sacked.
I always thought he was the best option, he starting to show why. He doesn't rush, he truthful & loves his footy.
I just hope this isn't steve Kearney all over again in regards to not being able to attract talent. Resorting to reserve graders and has beens.
We have "risen" from Rock-Bottom to Just-Bottom. I am not trying to be negative, but all i see is improving competence, maybe (still last)
Greatness, or potential greatness, does not even enter my word-cloud for anything we have seen so far.
I am hopeful for a Ryles era, but at this point it is just hope, 50/50.....and us Eels fans know a thing or two about what hope gets you
I do like the "cut of his jib", if that means anything.....actually, I think it does mean something so for me, 60/40 he succeeds(still shit odds)
odd's ??? children could be reading this.....woke up!
get off the internet and go to bed you little shits
Where is the rise? We are last.
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