Disclaimer - I am trying to make this blog as little about R&R as possible, however that is impossible in parts. Of course, thats for the original blog & any posters should speak freely about whatever they please.
In a pre-game interview on Monday, Jason Ryles was asked about the 'lessons he’s learned' from this season.
His response was immediate ‘the importance of recruitment’.
Some believed this comment was a sign of ‘focus’, others felt it was sign of what potentially lies beneath - that leadership at the Eels isn’t as aligned as we are led to believe.
The reaction from Lara Pitt, Jasons expression, the verbal sidestep afterwards, and the fact this isn’t the first time Jason, or Moses, have made subtle comments around R&R, could also be telling factors.
FOUNDATIONS
For the majority of Eels fans, Ryles has shown coaching ability in the face of adversity during his time at Parra.
In 2025, JR turned the defence from league worst to top four for the final months of the season, defeating multiple top 8 teams in the process.
Despite the 2025 results, 2026 had an air of excitment amonst fans, due to the clear culture shift, defensive improvement, a more creative attack, and clear buy in from the spirited players who, for the first time in years, consistently played for 80mins per week.
This season has obviously been disappointing to say the least, but again, Ryles has shown on multiple occasions that he can lift this team despite being decimated by injury, consistently changing combinations, inexperience, and who arguably entered the season with a clear lack of quality in certain positions.
But, it always balanced precariously on a knifes edge.
HOUSE OF CARDS
We all understand the cut-throat profession that is coaching at elite levels of any sport. You are responsible for on-field success, regardless of any limitations you face off it.
Jason Ryles will wear our 2025, 2026 & 2027 results on his resume, his first 3 seasons as a 1st grade coach, whether that is fair, or not.
Forgetting the pre-game interview on Monday, Jason’s career & everything he has worked tirelessly for can hang in the balance of his results at the Eels.
He has proven potential as a coach, but multiple bottom 4 finishes and it will matter little. That is the brutal life of a first grade coach.
When a persons profession, their livelihood, their families livelihood, are all at stake, loyalty has a price for us all.
Would Jason risk all of it for a club he had no attachment too prior to this position?
Every positive Ryles has brought, is at risk, if he is at risk.
The 5/8th parallel
Months before Dylan Brown left this club (don’t worry this isn’t about Dylan himself), many of us warned that losing Dylan wasn’t about losing Dylan in isolation, that it would essentially void our investment in Mitch Moses, and end our chances of competing in the near term - unless adequately replaced.
Regardless of how you feel about Dylan, or Lachlan Galvin, the coach identified both players as players he wanted at the club - now, through 2025, 2026 & potentially 2027, we have still not replaced our 5/8th - limiting any chance of success next year for Ryles and the Eels (there is still time, I know).
Ryles has copped criticism for the Pezet deal, and perhaps fairly, but Pezet wasn’t Ryles first choice, or his 2nd, and thats just from what we know - perhaps there were others, perhaps in multiple positions?
Enough has been said about all three players, but, the issue in focus is JR wanted both those players before giving Pezet a deal.
Much like he wanted Kalooamantangi. Mitch Barnett.
It’s fair to say this has hampered his chances of success, and also likely fair to say Jason has noticed.
We’ve heard all the justifications, some fair, some ridiculous, but whats important now is the coach being provided his next signing identifications.
Because we have seen how hard a 5/8th can be to replace, what about a coach & everything he has implemented?
Moving Forward
Injuries aside, we all saw the results of our Cup team last week, while its hard to judge based purely on one season, it should still end the fantasy that we are on a similar path to the Panthers & their once in a generational, 4-peat premiers, squad.
We look a Nathan Cleary, 6/7 of his rep level mates, a dad who knows these kids personally & keep them together (and can coach), a Matt Cameron, and a lightning in a bottle moment, short.
Junior development is vital, and the positive signs are fantastic. But like the Storm, Roosters, Broncos, and even the Panthers themselves, success requires balance.
Entering 2027 pre-season, not mid year when injuries strike, if the Eels haven’t signed another 3/4 genuine first graders, do we as fans believe Ryles will continue to fight it out at the Eels? Risking his career in the process?
Bellamy’s career is coming to an end, the Dragons are currently coach-less, both clubs have a far deeper connection with Ryles than the Eels.
EELS FIRST
This is potentially a ticking time bomb, and like our 5/8th situation, if that bomb goes off, it could take years to re-build.
Despite 2026 having the worst Eels defence on record and sitting 3rd last, this isn’t rock bottom, it can get a whole lot worse.
The ball is still in the clubs court, the Eels future is still up to them…. for now.
But at what point, do we risk a future without Jason Ryles holding up the house of cards?
A hypothetical question…. For now.
As fans, we all want to believe & want whats best for the club. We get a lot wrong, we get some things right.
We’ve been asked to align, to commit to the badge - we can all respect that sentiment, but if fans were 100% aligned right now despite where we sit, despite all the contradictory evidence to the narrative, thats a cult, not a fan base. Too much negativity, and too much blind faith, can both cause damage, and the noise is all fans really have.
Thankfully, we still have some time, and there are plenty of aspects to be positive & hopeful about, but every month, week, that clock is ticking… The next 3-6 months can define the Eels next 3-6 years, lets hope its positve.
Replies
Well if you look at Iongi, Rogers brought it up to him and he wanted him.
Kautoga he wanted.
He wanted Williams.
Those two he said in interviews he chased as soon as getting the job.
Walker was a MON suggestion and Ryles wanted that type for his system.
He wanted Da Silva.
He wanted Pezet though after missing Galvin and needing a 6
He wanted De Belin.
Kelly was a "it will do" signing.
Fox was a Ryles led signing.
Samrani and Papali'i are more likely signings from Rogers and MON and Ryles signed off on them.
The issue is the bigger names.
i think he has gotten a few of what he asked for but the difference is getting the massive names he wants too.
If you read my post, i did say he deserves some blame, even if small. Though MON still needs to do his job getting them in and agreeing with what he wants, Ryles also would not get one player through the doors he doesn't want. I also believe there is not one player extended he doesn't want.
Not like Osborne with Kearney where he apparently signed Tonga against Kearney's wishes.
Nailed it one sentence LB . The issue is the bigger names. or to me any talented player that we have to compete for to sign is the issue.
With our roster you would have to think we have some serious coin floating round somewhere looking for a decent signing.
Well i wonder too how precious we actually are with the money and years. Could we be that in grained of bringing along the future stars that we only offer big names 2-3 years instead of 4-5 that could get them over? What I was told on KK, which I have no clue if true or not, is that we only offered 2 years max, had we offered minimum 3 we get him.
Are we doing that to not block either Tuivaiti, Brown, Talagi, Koina etc? Surely not but that's where maybe Ryles comes in and says "just give them 3 years, we will work it out when time comes"
I think its more a case that we are too conservative. The club had to take a measured conservative approach after the salary cap debacle and has slowly and steadily rebuilt the clubs integrity.
As a bi product of that i feel the club has become locked in to the conservative approach as it has worked for them in rebuilding, the problem is that recruiting conservatively only works if 1, you have a really strong roster already or 2, you have a really strong development program that is producing a production line of quality first graders (panthers).
They have to accept we are not an appealing destination just because we are a big club, we have been a bottom team for a few years and need to offer more than probably any other team in regards to money and or years until we have continued relative success.
I didn't read much, but will agree with the blog sentiment of sack everyone involved with R&R.
Hahaha efficiency, Kurupt. Respect it.
You know where I'm at NoS like the great Jack Gibson mentioned 50 odd years ago where does it all start all the rest is elementary my dear Watson.
JR can't do this by himself the road is to long the hill is to steep.
Parra has to start winning battles everywhere not just at the top.
Who and what are we as a club we need a damn identity and how we do business and play footy should reflect that.For me again this shouldn't be driven by the coach it starts from the top and the filter down efffect If correctly run and driven should be as above mentioned.
I honestly don't know what to expect going foward here those last 2 months of footy last year feel like a damn mirage/oasis in the desert yes sure there are things that have effected this but as you mentioned in the OP NoS there are holes all over the shop that you'd hope yr 2 in we'd be on top of but it sure feels like we've taken a step back.
40 yrs tend to have this effect on a fanbase and when asked to be patient well I feel it's like fans have and aren't really getting any sought of reward for the mentioned.Hence why there's such a negative groundswell amongst many.
Again this isn't the fans fault.I'll say it again this isn't the FANS fault for having this way of thinking.If you want mass change the ball is in the clubs court and there actions as a club change the narrative nothing or nobody else.
Really thought provoking blog NOS! I had to have a few reads and let it percolate...there's a lot in there.
On Ryles specifically, without being too harsh I don't actually see him as a great loss. I say this as someone who still backs him close to 100% and wants him to be successful. But he has no runs on the board, has attracked no players of note, doesn't appear to have any players "tied to him" like May declared with Benji. If he walks...what do we really lose? We have the annoying situation of having to find a replacement, but it's hard to imagine we could trade downwards on results (so far) alone.
I'm actually not sure that we have a ticking time bomb any more. I think we did...and it went off when Dylan Brown walked.
That showed we were bereft of a Plan B. Not just with one of the most important players in our team, but the same showed in our Coach when we went for Bennett, lost out, and then just said "Who else will apply?". We worked through the proverbial scraps and took a punt on Ryles.
What this season has exposed is that our Plan A is sub standard, and our Plan B is non-existent.
Beating a dead horse here, but I truly believe this is a talent density issue - not just on the field, but around the field. Having a rookie coach is fine, just as having a rookie half is fine...as long as they have experienced talent around them.
We went all in on a rookie coach - have we surrounded him with experienced talent with runs on the board?
I don't think Ryles is the problem, but I also don't think he's the answer. He's a rookie, statistically he can't win us a premiership for another decade. Now stats were made to be defied, but you better have a damn good plan to defy them. We don't appear to have that.
Instead we have a rookie coach who may be a future super-coach, but is currently going to do some pretty rookie coach things (eg Pezet). If anyone things Ryles is the most important piece of our puzzle then you're admitting we are building a very poor puzzle. It would be like saying that Teancum Brown is the most important player in our squad. He's a great rookie that shows fantastic promise...just like Ryles was as an Assistant Coach.
If we don't improve the talent density of our club from top to bottom, we will continue to be below average. The evidence is all there. This isn't opinion, it's fact. It doesn't mean we need a cleanout on or off the field, we have some solid leadership in both areas...but we need balance both on and off the field. Experience and raw talent, wise heads and youthful exuberance, people with success on the board and those just starting. I don't think we have the balance right on or off the field yet.
We need tweaks. Evolution. If we stay the same (on or off the field) we will get the same results...and that is a promise.
An intelligent, thought-provoking post, Captain.
What would be some specific examples of these “evolutionary tweaks” as you see them: the practical solutions (to the talent density argument)?
I'd be very happy to see some (probably retired) premiership winning coaches consult regularly with Ryles. Give him a brains trust he can work with.
Same with our R&R staff - if we want to bank on in house talent and stick with the folks we have, then we need to get them in regular contact with folks who have made it happen previously. We need honest consultation with people who know what it takes to get it done and are incentivesed to call out our deficiencies.
Same goes for Jim and the rest of the exec/GM layer.
I don't see anyone in our current setup who has been an out and out champion in their field. They are all solid folks who are either hired on potential or (to use a footy analogy) playing out of position.
Doesn't even need to be NRL - go wider to other similar sports with similar systems. Go international.
It's almost impossible to "invent" talent - you need to first have the potential, and then have the connections with someone who can pass it on from one person to another. We use these methods with all of our on-field talent...but then seem to disregard them for our off-field talent.
Would we hire a physio who has never been a physio before but has seen a few YouTube videos and has been an awesome accountant for 15 years?
We need to either:
Right now it feels like we're doing neither and instead are just hiring potential and... hoping for the best.
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