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Exactly how close are the Parramatta Eels to announcing their next head coach? The Tip Sheet explores the latest rumours from the media that pitch Josh Hannay against Jason Ryles as the last men standing for the position.
Outside that it is the bye week and Sixties, Forty20 and Clint look at a hefty injury toll for the Blue & Gold as well as which Eels, young and old, will be donning the Sky Blue in the coming days.
The NRL recap looks at some see-sawing encounters before the show breaks down the two Origin squads ahead of the must-win Game 2 fixture for the Blues in Melbourne.
Ba is apparently linked to super league
(Leeds Rhinos I believe it’s reported).
Interesting to see no other clubs as far as we have heard have gone after him with any assistant coach roles or something?
P.s I hope Matt Arthur doesn’t follow him over there – that would a disaster for us.
Surely Ba is still blue & gold at heart & will suggest his son to represent us at the eels and make us true eels fans all proud who support him, BA seems like a very classy bloke as we saw in his post sacking press conference. What a bloke.
Who’s your preferred pick gentleman – Ryles or Hannay?
I think Hannay would have his nose in front of Ryles in terms of head coaching experience, but it’s a close race. Has Baz been rules out yet? Remember, this is only media speculation. I don’t think BA will have to worry about whether he’ll have coaching options.
The report I read stated that given they are now empty nesters, it would be an experience to coach in ESL. I am paraphrasing the report here.
I can understand that after 11 years, almost, involved in the NRL that they would want a change of scenery for a while.
Like you Sixties I believe that he will end up back in the NRL. He is too good a coach not to. I am still coming to terms with the fact that a strong club like the Eels let their experienced coach go without having another experienced coach in the pipeline.
That is what less attractive clubs do when they can’t get a quality coach. They take a chance on a rookie.
True 60’s mate media could be just making up stories too as we all know haha
60’s I reckon BA would probably help tigers a lot long term. They’ve been going sideways for a LONG time.
I feel like he would pick & build good forwards, plus straighten up and simplify their attack and what not.
Jim Dymock would get me excited about Rugba lleegue again.
Are Ryles and Hannay really better than Brad Arthur?
You obviously have Stockholm Syndrome if you are still talking about Brad Arthur.
I have made my thoughts known Luke and I fully expected the comment from Avenger. However, the club has made its call and it now has to get its next decision right. Now that said, we can’t expect miracles from a new coach. There is plenty of work to be done to fix problems.
In relation to the sacking of BA there are a couple of points.
Firstly I agree with the sacking. Notwithstanding the lack of a full roster, it was quite apparent that not all the players were on board.
There were anecdotes from ex players that some were treated differently to others and like Jason Demetriou, players just seemed to fudge the line between boss and mate resulting in a drop of performance knowing that they wouldn’t be punished.
Once that blurred line is crossed, there is no coming back from it.
There were reports that players just didn’t find a BA coached team an attractive destination.
Now these are just reports and may just be scuttlebutt but after 11 years, the board obviously thought they needed to move in another direction.
I think BA respects and understands that if you are unable to win a competition after 11 years and your team is close to the bottom of the ladder, you are in trouble.
Secondly, I also agree about the timing of the sacking.
If they held off until the end of the year instead of a June appointment, the on coming coach will be heavily restricted in recruitment and set up time.
If either Hannay or Ryles get the appointment, one would assume that they will apply for an early exit from their prospective positions allowing them to start recruiting for next year. They will also be able to work in the background to set up for the following year.
Even if they are unsuccessful in obtaining a release, they will still be able to talk to prospective recruits who will have clarity where the Eels are heading.
I’m disappointed that Trent Barrett didn’t take his opportunity. He needed to be imaginative in his coaching and I felt he took the safe route.
It’s a pity because I thought Trent has a future but if you are a facsimile of BA and the board just sacked BA , then you are not going to get the job
All in all, I’m quite excited by the future no matter who is appointed and I do hope that the board gives that new coach the resources that he requires.
Hey spark, interesting you mentioned some players not excited about wanting to join us under BA’s coaching.
Not sure if it’s true, but I heard something similar and also that players didn’t want to join knowing parra always has limited rosters or minimal depth and they didn’t think we could win a competition.
I met a young bloke who played SG ball for Tigers or manly, I think ended up at Roosters NSW cup team at one point.
He told me that among young players like him it was known that parramatta didn’t really have a roster or depth to actually win a premiership.
He said to me most of the young good players are all trying to get in at clubs who they think can win or have won it in the last 10 or so years.
The other point he made was that the narrative is that you’ll never win a premiership if you go to the eels.
So a lot of people simply won’t sign with us or want extra contract length, or more money.
Obviously we all know our drought situation.
But even if it’s coming from a PR / reputation perspective.
Having someone like Jason Ryles or Hannay as our head coach will help score more of these younger talented players to want to play for us.
I’m not bagging him because I do believe he did a good job for our roster for most of the years, a good win %.
But you could imagine a lot of players upcoming weren’t attracted to a club whose philosophy is always mentioning win the collision and we only sign power players and no speed or x-factor.
Although the strategy did work for the most part, young upcoming talent or players on open market want to play fun exciting football and to win the premiership.
A previous 1 dimensional strategy and a narrative you’ll never win anything at parra (as I heard from young players themselves outside of our club).
Maybe the recruiting problem is much harder and challenging than we think?
Maybe the attraction to join the eels for legitimate quality players just isn’t there unless we pay overs in many cases.
I’m not blaming BA or giving the R & R an excuse.
But from a young footballer’s perspective that didn’t follow the eels like we do, and getting an outside perspective.
Playing for the eels didn’t at all sound like a thing that’s desirable for most players who aren’t out jnrs.
Hence we seem to mostly only get rejects from other clubs.
I’m not saying Hannay or Ryles can completely change our Brand Or reputation as having no roster or recent history to suggest we can win a GF.
But maybe having those individuals MIGHT make our club more appealing to players.
Also helps they both have relationships with players in the maroons team, sharks, Melbourne storm, the chooks.
This as we’ve seen with Bulldogs ciraldo has been a master plan by Gus.
He knew Ciro had strong relationships & leverage with the Penrith players.
This then allowed them to go and sign to Level talent from Penrith who already liked & trusted him (ciro)
If our eels execs are being intelligent here.
They’ll be also looking at the player leverage the new coach will have in terms of helping them with recruiting.
It’s well documented good players will follow former assistant coaches to other clubs if they like them and have relationships with them from former clubs.
This is why I’m not angry about BA going.
Him going early will give the new Coach time to start making moves.
Just like south’s removing JD.
Now Bennet is always making signings and sackings telling them how to adjust the roster for 25’
I know 60’s doesn’t like mid year sackings and I agree generally.
But bunnies are flying now since news of a new coach.
Just the news of Bennet has gotten them playing with fire in their belly’s and winning games.
This is due to the pressure of some thinking they will need to perform or be sacked.
But also the motivation & positive attitude that comes knowing their highly respected leader is returning.
We would highly benefit from a strong coach signing.
Some Players will start playing for their futures and lifting to the next level.
Signings will most like come easier..
if players hit the market who like Say Ryles or Hannay and have relationships with them from origin or club teams.
Young players in Melbourne, chooks, or maroons teams will be far more interested in joining us with a new coach they like & trust.
We need to look at a new coach as not only a new direction.
But possibly part of a missing key in regards to our recruiting issues.
Having the PR & hype of a Hannay or Ryles suddenly becomes far more attractive to players who have played under them at previous clubs or at rep level.
I think we need to look at the bulldogs.
They stunk for many many years.
One good coach signing who has strong links to top level Penrith players.
And Stephen Crichton (and a few other players)
In my opinion has completely turned that club around.
And good luck getting players like him to join the bulldogs without his previous relationship’s & success at penrith.
If parra are getting smarter.
They might be looking at the bulldogs and seeing how a former assistant coach from a strong club may help them with recruitment.
This is why i believe BA leaving now isn’t such a bad thing.
We would have been out of the top 8 even if he stayed.
We might get a new coach early and even start recruiting earlier.
We might even be able to move on the dead weight earlier with BA gone earlier.
It might be wishful thinking for us all.
But I truly hope the new coach can just help swing the narrative & reputation for us a little bit, PR wise.
Because you can bet there’s so many talented young players both of these coaches personally have strong working relationships with.
And let’s face it most players would find it much more appealing to go to eels with Ryles or a Hannay.
Especially if it’s a rookie coach and hasn’t failed yet in the past.
A Trent Barrett even tho we like him…
Holds massive baggage & record of 30% win rate or something.
Player agents & players themselves don’t want to sign up for failure.
Ryles & Hannay will get quality signatures a lot easier than Trent barret or BA.
Especially at the beginning. While the hype is around them.
At the bare minimum..
Let’s hope this new coach direction at least leads us to signing a 30 man roster + some ACTUAL quality.
No more singing slow rejects. Let’s hope that’s the first step. 🤞
Ryles or Hannay do not scream come to Parra because we are winners, they are untried and risky and have proven nothing, at least with something from left field like Cheika he has coached at the highest levels of his sport and can raid talented Rugby juniors who don’t have the bias of Parra is no where to go if you want success. Ryles and Hannay are just Parra trying to get on a bandwagon of young coaches, doing what everyone else is doing because the Board and CEO have no clue.
Anon, there’s rookie coaches who have significantly helped their clubs.
Clubs who have been smashing us often in recent times, have rookie coaches.
It’s not about screaming “success”
It’s about connections and former working relationships at other clubs as well.
Players are more likely to sign with us who trust & lie playing under coaches they’ve worked with.
This is also a recruitment strategy, not only about the coaches ability.
The eels may go after what they think will be the next coach.
But what we need is better recruiting.
If we can do something like the bulldogs have done and snag some of tje coaches former clubs quality or depth players.
Then it will most likely help our club tremendously in more ways than one.
As 60’s says our depth is a main issue, this may also help that if the new coach can use his influence to score depth from other clubs.
Mate without going through every point you make, you are certainly right and make some great points.
We need an influx of talent and for whatever reason we just were not attractive to players (Lomax excluded)
We had fringe first graders accepting reserve grade positions at their club or others instead of a very real chance of permanent NRL with us.
I don’t know who is to accept the blame, management , coaching ..I don’t know but I would guess a combination of all.
I suspect there were a few players, probably through their player managers feeding some negatives to the board and like all good guys, BA was totally unaware of the machinations occuring.
But it’s over and time to move on.
As I said , I’m very excited as to the what’s to come !
Spark, it was not apparent about the players weren’t on board with BA. Quite the opposite. So don’t re-write what’s happened.
But, the decision has been made and there is plenty of work to do. There will be anticipation and hopes when a new coach is appointed, but it is important that everyone accepts that much work is needed.
I stated that there were reports and that it may be scuttlebutt.
I believe that’s a fair assessment, neither accounting or discounting the reports but they were definitely there.
You can’t accuse me of rewriting what’s happened if I don’t maintain a particular position and it doesn’t agree with you.
I fully understand that you don’t agree with the sacking and that’s fine but others do.
Nevertheless, we do agree that now it’s done there is a massive amount of work to do before the start of 2025.
I was a supporter of BA up until Darwin. It was clear by giving the players an easy prep whilst Dolphins had a serious hit out prior to the game. BA then came out with the same game plan despite going there many times and knowing the conditions. It showed it was beyond him and he’d lost his way.
I think i was quite clear players had stopped listening to BA. They loved him Yes. He was a great bloke Yes. But they stopped taking him seriously and were not playing for him. It was obvious. The pressers were just in denial. Lanes form is an example.. Lanes was immune under BA. Under Barrett he’s suddenly found form?
Players have said to reporters that Eels have very strong personalities in the playing group. BA was a huge supporter of that. Opposition Players know if they want to join this team or not.
I think BA will be happy the board sacked him as it saved him from himself. After his 50th blow out loss. The board did BAs career a favour and means he will get another job. If it was dragged on all year BAs file would probably be marked – Don’t employ. BA will be a great rebuild coach for Tigers.
Pete even if the team dropped 5 %, that is huge in the NRL.
He will go great at the Tigers.
Spark in defence of Barrett he is still working with the same quality list as BA had for the last couple of seasons.
I am not bidding for Barrett just stating the facts.
John, like you I don’t think Barrett was the right choice for the club, The poisoned chalice for the club remains the front office and the poor recruitment ,short rosters , lack of backs and a problem is signing our own better than average juniors.
Don’t see the attraction of a 57 year old union coach, and having seen the resurgence that Cronulla has experienced under Fitzgibbon, who in a broad sense has the similar development as Ryles he may be a good choice. Still, until other areas are up to speed, there is a doubt that it will be quick progress.
The other areas that need to get up to speed is the speed of the players they are recruiting. Lomax will be an outstanding recruit. Notwithstanding though the whole RR process just moves too slow.
This slow process must have presumably cost us good recruits like it cost us any chance of recruiting Bennett. I say this because nothing gets out these days about potential recruits.
Yeah John I see that but I just thought he could have been a little bit more imaginative. In my opinion he just needed to do something to stand out to the board.
Promoting someone like Matt Arthur and a couple more. Bring in a winger from the lower grades.
If you are just going to pick the same team as Brad , well what’s the point ?
Yes I agree. I see other clubs using players at the same level as MA and getting an opportunity in the NRL.
You look at Ethan Strange and Chevy Stewart at the Raiders, they are doing well. I think MA off the pine would be a good option. Give our attack some variation.
John Eel those young raiders stars are going to be unreal – getting loads of experience.
I hate being too negative but our club moves like a snail.
Their young guns are gaining experience and ours arw being blocked by old slow out of form players.
Dylan brown is possibly leaving and our best half who’s a jnr is going to Canberra.
Eels will be scrambling to sign another half and won’t be able to get one close to Dylan if he leaves.
The club honestly makes you shake your head.
Sanders is going to be a legit NRL half back.
We let him go to keep brown who wants to leave.
A good managed club would have made room for all good players and made it work.
Instead we do stupid stuff that’s very short term thinking.
I love our club but it’s honestly hopeless.
Even the not signing Bennet ages ago when the option was possible.
Instead they wait until he’s all but gone to bunnies already.
Then make a stupid late play to save face.
Because everyone thinks we were stupid for not going after him.
Honestly, this new coach is going to need some luck.
Our clubs being ran by tight asses who are ultra conservative and notoriously slow, and difficult to do business with.
The new coach will need a lot of luck.
This is why I think Hannay will be our coach.
Ryles will likely see the basket case of a organisation they are to deal with and ultra slow.
Hope I am wrong tho.
But I do not hold much confidence of our leadership.
It’s slow, tight fisted, ultra conservative, and seemingly always behind the 8 ball compared to other serious clubs.
We don’t know the full story either,
Who knows, the club could be themselves not wanting baz to promote him yet.
Could be due to them being notoriously tight, or them really holding him back after what happened with Jake Arthur.
Baz probably thought if he made too many changes at once he couldnt tell what was or wasn’t working.
But he should have maybe flipped the coin and backed himself fully.
One good decision has been Hands.
Ba was hell bent on not playing him.
When hands is on the field we seemingly can score points and quickly.
I unfortunately feel like we roster and teams list is being mismanaged at the moment for whatever reason.
I remember a game at Gosford in 2004 where Josh Hannay had some of the worst field goal attempts I’d eve seen. And we want this person to be coach?
Yes, I am joking. The playing career is no indication of coaching ability and I did listen to Josh discuss coaching on a podcast and I like what he heard. He made some good points about modern coaching and it is not about tearing strips off players etc. Fear and humiliation are very poor motivators and he talked about other ways to get the best out of the team. It was quite interesting.
At the end of the day I have no control of the decision. And I have not been part of the process. I hope (not trust) that the club chooses the person who can get the best out of the current squad and make the right additions to get the Eels back into contention.
Exciting times are ahead!
Shaun I haven’t been able to find the podcast.
All I hope for the coach is to stop being mates and tell them no one is guaranteed any position.
Some of those players at the beginning of the year were deadset taking the piss.
Here you go.
https://thegeronimoacademy.com/podcast/how-to-set-your-team-up-to-win-with-nrl-coach-josh-hannay/
And I agree that accountability is important. Without it you have a poor culture. And Hannay does mention that he has learned a lot from Craig Fitzgibbon on how to set up a team culture. Worth a listen.
Thanks mate !