I’m done pretending this is just a bad game. This is who we truly are — and it’s been the same story for years.
Every season repeats the same cycle. We beat average teams, everyone says “we’re so close,” and then when it counts, we get exposed by the top sides. Nothing changes. Absolutely nothing.
This isn’t about Penrith — they’re doing what elite teams do. It’s about Parramatta being stuck in mediocrity and calling it progress.
How much longer are we going to accept this?
We’ve had the same management, the same approach, the same excuses for over a decade. “We’re building,” “we’re improving,” “we’re close” — we’ve heard it all before. At some point, it just rings hollow.
Where is the accountability?
From the outside, it looks like there isn’t any. No urgency. No real pressure. Just the same people making the same decisions and expecting different results.
Let’s be honest — we’re not a serious premiership threat. We’re a team that needs everything to go perfectly just to compete. The moment momentum shifts, we crumble. That’s not bad luck — that’s poor structure.
Good teams don’t rely on emotion. Great teams operate with systems. We lack both when it matters most.
Fans keep turning up, keep believing, keep waiting — but for what? More of the same?
I’ll always support the club. But I won’t keep buying into the myth that we’re “almost there.”
We’re not.
And until real, fundamental change happens — not just small tweaks — we’ll keep witnessing the same story year after year.
Replies
I was literally thinking about this in the morning lol. I would have 100% taken 2-2 record to start the year given the draw we had. In isolation it is very good. But then I am like, I think I would have prefered 1-3 record if it meant our defence and start to games were much better.
If we Eels supports want to see another premership win the board need to put on their big boy pants & either make some serious changes on recruitment of players & coaches or simply fuck off.
With the rumour Nathan Cleary being chased by the PNG Cheifs & the Warriors wanted to reunite the trio of Cleary's at NZ , why dont Parra sign them as $$$ money talks to a multi million dollar deals
There's only tw reasons Cleary will leave the Panthers.
We can't compete with the money the Chiefs will be able to throw at Clearly as it's tax-free, it's just not going to happen.
And, as much as I love the diversity of Parra and the surrounding suburbs, that's not quite gonna hit the mark for playing on internationally either.
Bring in a new Head of Football with good connections and influence in the game and we might start making progress with some of the other elite players in the game.
If I'm Nathan Cleary I'm not leaving Penrith.
Theres no reason for him to go to PNG unless his oldman becomes the coach there.
Outside of that if he wants global appeal he should go to Union I know he has a relationship with Dan Carter so if becoming a icon in another sport and a global entity is his goal Rugby Union is something I'd think he'd look at before going to another nrl side.
I think it will be the same as last year. We will finish strong and figure out defence out. Between then we will get smacked a few times
I don't see doom and gloom at all I think it's just the realisation of how far Penrith who are the benchmark and
Parra are apart is all.This is the realisation it's not just inbetween the lines you have to be good across the board be best in class everywhere if we want to close this gap..If we want to add talent we have to add it everywhere across the board until we as a club understand that the gap will stay vast and it's a steeper hill to 🧗♀️.
Promises are the club is on the improve it is it's moved a long way foward from the early 2010s era it has,the climb back to level ground.The problem is that Penrith have lifted the bar so high that the gap that we saw on the weekend looks like it does and fans feel like we are going backwards.I think different we are moving foward but you've just got to tip your hat and accept it could be a very long time before we overcome our neighbours success.They've got it right they got a system and the right people across the board and we see the results of it.
We had our fundamental change when we sacked BA, I can't stop wondering how much extra help Ryles may have had from a cashed up, smart R&R front that could have signed Ryles first choice players. The list of missed talent is a who's who of the NRL world. Most have become central figures in their chosen clubs.
If we are consistently and regulary picking up other clubs throw aways, there is no way we can expect to be as good as the top 6 teams.
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