Starting 2026, Jack de Belin was signed from St. George Illawarra to be an experienced middle in our squad, particularly at Lock where he can be a link man workhorse. J'maine Hopgood was our starting Lock before that, however he was moved to Prop in 2025 to simplify his role in order to get form back. He ended 2025 postively, leading to de Belin's signing being understoof as Hopgood would be starting at Prop for the season. Issue is, de Belin showed very early on he was washed and regressing, while Hopgood played 63 minutes before his season was cut short due to an ACL tear. Even then by Round 3, de Belin had already been dropped and Hopgood was coming off the bench. Not that he would spend the entire year on the bench but he was already set to be in a here and now rotation from starting to bench and vice versa. de Belin was not dropped for Hopgood so to speak.
Dylan Walker started at Lock, though Ryles realised his value was coming off the bench. Saxon Pryke then took the role as starting Lock to finish the year, pretty much playing the role that Ryles expected de Belin was to be. That work horse middle that can rack up big minutes, run, pass and tackle.
Now come to 2027, de Belin's option was not taken up, Walker, Hopgood is returning and no middles as of yet signed. So who is our starting Lock for 2027 but also in the future? Hopgood is free to talk come Nov. 1. In four seasons at Parramatta, two of them have been cut short from injury, the other two he played a full season. if history is anything to go by Hopgood will play a full 2027 season. Though, is he the pencilled in Lock for the future? Well he is 28 next year, would be one of the most experienced forward in the team. Though, his move to Prop was also a game changer in his career, though was a move that was only needed at the time and him moving back to Lock now would be good for him and the team?
If we signed Leniu, then that pretty much forces us to move Hopgood back to Lock. A role that he has shown he can play at a high level, he earned an Origin selection playing Lock for Parramatta. With Leniu, Tuivaiti, Williams, Brown, Moretti, Doorey and Paulo* (*depending on extension), Hopgood moving to Lock is more out of necessity than it is best for him.
Though the question also should be asked, do we want to extend Hopgood past 2027? Hopgood would be on a decent salary, however, i doubt he asks for too much more considering how much he played over the past two seasons. So keeping Hopgood i think many here would not begrudge at all. Though Saxon Pryke is signed til 2028, though different style of player to Hopgood, with the former more of an 80' and/or 90's type of Lock. Nothing wrong with that either.
Another option is Williams. The reason i say Williams depends on what Ryles does with Kautoga. Su'A signed til 2029. He will be starting. Williams is the better edge, though he also can be a very good middle. Depending on whether Ryles is all in with Kautoga, we could see Williams as a middle moving forward. Who also gives us flexibility as he can easily slip onto an edge mid game if needed. Is Williams a great Lock? Well he is not really a ball player, though as a middle, yeah he is good. Though he is a better edge.
Then comes the future. It seems where all this links to is Jackson Koina. Young Lock we snatched from Brisbane, who grew up an Eels fan, entire family are Eels fans and the kid even goes about his days off wearing Eels gear. This is the definition of what Ryles wanted to build at the club. Koina is also very athletic for his size, he has a great all round game where he can run well, pass as a link man, defends well and tirelessly, can also put a hit on and his motor runs constantly. He is a Patrick Carrigan clone. Come 2027, he is 20. Does Ryles start to blood Koina for him to take over as starting 13 come 2028? Could Koina end 2027 possibly starting? It is a big move for a 20 year old to be starting in the middle though has been done in the past. Though in the favour of both, they can play Prop and the other can play Lock. Though it is also something to consider as going with Koina for the future is cheaper as well.
So Hopgood more likely starts at 13 for 2027. But does eventually move back to Prop and someone like Pryke take over at 13? Or does Koina get groomed to be that 13?
Replies
LB, is Koina the one who played the last few games of the season in reggies? Injured most of year? What does "athletic for his size" mean? I ask because the modern lock appears to have no common physical characteristic: Yeo & Murray are different to Carrigan or Radley. But they all a) play big minutes, and b) can play a link role in attack, primarily by having enough playmaker vision to square up edge defenders.
So, I think the Eels have two clear candidates for lock, assuming I am correct that both DBL and Walker are gone? One, Hopgoode. Made rep teams playing the modern lock role. Lost form, went to prop. Can he return to form? Two, my smokey, Paulo.
Ryles has run Pryke, Edwards and Doorey at lock at various stages. Probably more necessity than design?
My bet is Hopgoode & Paulo might share the role, switching who starts as per game plans or fatigue levels. This plan might depend on prop rotations with Tuivati, Moretti, Brown and Williams probably the first four in line for 2x starters and 2x bench. Leniu arriving would convert Williams into bench cover at second row and prop I think.
Williams is more a runner than link passer and also tends to arm grab a bit in the middle when fatigued.
My third smokey is . . . the forgotten man Ryley Smith. I just think Ryles has shown his hand and wants the creativity and run threat of TDS at 9, but we know Smith has a high work rate (one feature of the lock role). The 6-man bench can mean RS at 14 might sometimes get switched for a backrower if TDS plays 80 (Edwards was basically playing hooker/backrower)
I will go anything to get Riley back in the side, still mystified what he did wrong last year.....has Ryles got teenage daughters?
You're a sick mf
Yeah Koina is the one who played Reggie's late in the year, but he wasn't injured for most of the year. Went from SG Ball to Flegg then Cup pretty quickly and got hurt for final 3 games.
What i mean by athletic for his size is he moves well for his build pretty much. Quite simple as that to be fair lol. While Yeo and Murray use their height andleverage to sweep out back, Koina is much more in that Carrigan or Radley mold, dense frame, but has the leg speed to slide in A and B defender channels and the footwork to bite inside defenders before tipping the ball off.
To me, Koina is one of the better juniors we have due to the fact he is not one dimensional.
As for Williams covering bench, i do not see that. Ryles trusts him, he sees him as an 80min forward and will be starting whether on an edge or middle, depending on how Kautoga goes in the pre-season. I can see it being Leniu/Tuivaiti starting, Paulo/Brown rotation with maybe Edwards or Pryke as other middle on the bench if Ryles wants 4 forwards. Then Kautoga can be that edge coverage on the bench.
Only issue with Smith claim is that i reckon Ryles would have used him in that role towards the end of the season. You can carry Smith on bench, but also Edwards being able to play Hooker but also middle and edge gives him the edge over Smith. I could see Smith being that Brandon Smith type, but seems Ryles is not going through with it.
Edwards also could be a 13 for us but doubt it, his role simply is Hooker #2 and bench player. Pretty much a Utility forward.
Thanks for the good reply Daz.
Hopgood for mine and he's my captain I look for going foward also.
I saw enough 3 years ago that's suggested to me he has the skill set to play lock and play big impactful minutes also.
I for one don't like him at prop just locked into the middle third.
Hes got a run pass offload option in him imo outside of injury he's been incorrectly used.
I think the only reason he played Prop in 2025 was due to him getting that confidence back post back surgery. He was constantly trying to link up the halves, force an offload, while also doing his work in defence and running the ball. At Prop, tuck it under the arm, run and tackle. He played well too. But you are right, his skill set is more than just that.
Hopgood, with hopefully Koina earning a bench spot mid season
Give it to whoever you want for the next year or two because we will be shit regardless lol. Koina & Bell rotation at lock is what I would be doing 2028 and beyond.