“They wanted it more!”
I normally despise using these words, but from the outset on Saturday night that sporting cliche was certainly true for the Rabbitohs. From the stands, they absolutely looked like they wanted it more.
One team wanting the win more than the other, or as is also said, one team not turning up, is nothing new in rugby league. It’s why upsets take place across all sports.
However, let’s look at how that performance from the Eels reflects on where the team is at.
I firmly believe that the club has made major strides this year, including bringing youth into the squad.
That said, there are a few things that must be improved or solved if Parra has any finals aspirations for 2026.
The first is the Eels mindset.
Parra has become highly competitive against the top teams. Ryles calls it getting into the fight. Yet, even with the changes to the roster and the coaching staff, and the headspace of getting into the fight in the match, that killer instinct against teams that are there to be beaten is yet to manifest.
Jason Ryles
It’s something that is quite frustrating as a fan, to see the team turn up against the best sides (apart from the first round and the Darwin game) then produce games that are nowhere near that standard against the lesser lights.
At times inexperience and injuries has meant the top teams gain the ascendancy at around the sixty minute mark, but the line speed, support play and cover defence in such games has demonstrated the effort put in.
However, in the last two games against teams below or around them on the table, the Eels enthusiasm has been poor, resulting in a fortunate last minute victory over the Cowboys and a very poor defeat against Souths.
Last Saturday night the one percenters or basics weren’t happening. The team was slow to react to loose balls or were late responding to line breaks, leaving runners unsupported – most notably Jack Williams.
No doubt the season is long and arduous, especially once finals hopes are over but these traits, and this lack of a killer instinct, have long been evident in the Eels and must be eliminated.
The second issue to address is the Eels attack.
No doubt Lomax is a threat in the air, but it’s an option that we have become too reliant on. And unfortunately, the kicks he is chasing are falling well short of the line, unlike teams such as the Roosters or Storm who have their wingers catching the ball in goal.
Zac Lomax
Furthermore, teams have been guarded against this Eels tactic all season, deploying apparently legal blockers and reducing Parra’s return on investment in this ploy to almost zero.
Maybe it’s time to put less emphasis on this option. It doesn’t mean scrapping it, but rather mixing it up just a little more.
The other aspect to our attack which requires a lot of work is at five-eighth.
I really like Josaah Papalii, but if we are looking at moving him to six next year I’d like to see him given more responsibility now as a playmaker. As it stands, I felt that his game last week was in reality an extension of his play as a running fullback.
What we need to see is a development of his decision making, especially around last tackle options. Last week we had Josh Ado Carr receiving hospital passes with no place to go but over the sideline.
It is an interesting conundrum for our coach as there is no doubt that the talent is there with Papalii, but does he fit as a six? From my perspective in the stands we are in a similar situation to the one faced by Bulldogs with Galvin.
Junior and Joash
Like Galvin, Joash is a great talent and in my opinion, like Galvin, his best position in first grade at the moment is taken by another player. The Dogs won’t move Burton and the Eels won’t move Iongi. Therefore both the Bulldogs and Parra are trying to manufacture these talented players into other roles.
In the case of Joash as a 6, I will happily be wrong.
So we move onto this week against the Roosters. Wouldn’t it be lovely to inflict a season defining defeat on the Roosters and push them out of the 8!
I hope the Blue and Gold army turns up this week and gets behind our boys as they try to combat the bombs no doubt coming our way.
See you there.
Shelley
In next year’s trials I’d like to see Iongi at 6 and Joash at one. In 1981 we struggled early with Ella at 6 and Kenny in the centres. Jack switched them around and struck pure gold.
I really like Iongi at 1, I think he could become top shelf. We cannot weaken one position hoping it might strengthen another.
If Joash cannot develop at 6, then we need to promote quickly a young player who is a 6 or buy. The problem might be that if he bring a 6 to the club you do not want a long contract as that will block our younger players.
Maybe the short term is Screaming Dean at 6 and Joash in the centres.
Centre is a huge weakness that we need to fix somehow.
I don’t see Joash as an organiser particularly though I do think that he is a very brave defender; I think those who have criticized his defence have been unfair. To me his great gift is as an elusive ball runner. I think, if he’s going to carry the ball he needs more space than typically he would get as a six; the successful ball-running sixes have usually been bigger men – I give you Freddie Fittler as the outstanding example. I think the top two places for Joash are one of in the centres; I’ve always liked the idea of him as a centre; he reminds me a lot of Steve Ella.
Apart from Iongi and Dean I’d like to see Dylan Walker trialled at six. I’ve never seen him kick the ball but he seems to me a great combination of organiser and running threat.
There’s a lot to try in the off season, plus, of course we have some real young talent coming through. I think, apart from Junior who won’t be around forever, props with real authority desperately are needed. I note that Rida plays Cup this weekend.
Well I thought Ryles was going to try that when he added Iongi late.
You never know Jacks, you never know.
Agree about the last two week, they have been dreadful.
My view – not dreadful, tired, jaded, maybe having over performed given talent, especially in the forwards. We’ve had some enjoyable experiences but, in the end, when the heavy stuff is on we ain’t got the cattle.
It was going to be interesting to see how the team reacted once Finals were out of the question mathematically – and it hasn’t been good. It coincides with the Bailey stuff – so i don’t know if that plays into it.
It also coincides with Joash at 6 – which can’t be ignored and with TDS getting 30minutes plus on the field. I have no problem trying Joash at 6 and seeing what you have. But i hope there is a plan B, because Plan A isn’t going great.
I hope Plan B isn’t Iongi to 5/8. I value the fullback role as far more important than 6, so unless you have Papenhuyzen coming home to the Hills, then leave Iongi and workout an alternate for 6… I here Pezet is pretty good….
I think we have got enormous value, in a year we were never going to contend, getting Iongi in at fullback and he has exceed (my) expectations. Is short comings that were highlighted against Souths – particularly when Duncan beat him to a ball on the ground – that is something that never happens to Gutho. Its a shame we couldn’t find a way to keep his energy and competitiveness at the club this year in a 13 or 14 role. It would have only enhanced the development of Iongi and others.
I think it’s been a long, tough season for many Eels players and they are jaded. The fact that the energy they had against Brisbane, Melbourne and Penrith has evaporated is quite telling. The coaching staff need to find a way to bring that back, as we’ll need it every game next season. Without experience we need to rely on enthusiasm to get us through.
Without a doubt the questions over the 6 jersey is causing some instability and the sooner Ryles sorts that the better.
BA, I agree about Iongi staying put at fullback. It would be silly to contemplate a move. Joash has had limited opportunities at six so any judgement is a bit premature. He is revealing shortcomings which we expected.
As for Gutho, Ryles wanted him to stay as a 14. His choice was to leave.
I feel joash will be dropped this week with either db or hawkens taking his spot if it’s hawkens then I also think brown will be dropped for samrani or dunster and I also think lussick will be in the q7 with da Silva dropped .I hope db is 5/8 to help moses in the half’s because no half’s are straighting the attack and on top of that brown doesn’t hardly miss a tackle at 5/8 .it’s ok to experiment for next year but don’t do at the expense of wins inexperience nearly cost us a win against the broncos and to me it’s crushing the teams confidence for next year answer pick the best players for the positions for this year and worry about next year in the off season
Excellent breakdown as always
I thought Footy Dean was working well
I don’t understand Dylan Brown playing out of position given he’s leaving
All I know is Jason Ryles is the only one with the steering wheel and us fans are passengers
The only way it can be
I liked what Dean Hawkins was doing. It would be interesting to see the Moses and Hawkins combination with Iongi back. I tend to think that Joash is too raw to play such a crucial position, that he is still learning in first grade.
I reckon we lack footy smarts, moses included. Gutho was our smart player
We dont attaxk teams when they are injured or out of position e.g. Duncan
The storm and panfers hve this thing where if the opposition centre makes a tackle in field they attack the line where that centre was as someone else would be defending in his place and centre is a difficult positron to cover
Guth wouldn’t have made that mistake iongi did as he knows the rules and is much smarter
All he has to do was let Duncan dive for the ball and then put 2 hands on him then tackle complete. Guth and Hayne were masters at stuff like that
I think either iongi was worried about the spinning ball and didn’t want to make a mistake or wanting to attack.
Guth wouldve made it safe first
As for bombing to lomax, use him as a decoy. Have another player go up for the ball instead running from a different line and lomax can pretend to chase hard and jump . And if they stick 4 blockers to block 2 chasers then spread the ball where those blockers wouldve came from
“Parra need a killer instinct” is like saying Parra need to get folding
It’s obvious we lack folding power, we all know it so when are we going to start splashing our war chest around? Are we keeping it for a rainy day? We should be having lunch with Pain Haas or Leniu
De bellend isn’t going to fold sfa
When was the last time we truly had a killer j stint as a club ?
I’d say 1986.
Why does that year seem familiar ?
I thought when Pay, Smith, Dymock, McCracken switched we looked a little more serious, but back in 86 the coach had changed but the Gibson influence was still around.
The 97 & 98 finals flameouts would argue otherwise
Agreed here BDon, that era we had some tough fowards and young ones also; think we needed clearer heads steering us around the park in the halves! Forwards were good and not the issue; it was the game m’ment like at times now.
True Milo, the greatest band in the world still needs a conductor.
The signing of Taylor and Buettner turned a very side into what should have been our drought breaking premiership winning team, if not for a fully juiced up and brilliant Andrew Johns.
No wooden spoon for us this season 😀
Great team performance but Williams brought the aggression against a star studded pack. All his tackles look like they hurt.
And the Ibis got the scraps twice, he seems to have a knack of being at the right place at the right time.
Let’s hope for an undefeated end to the season.
I’m looking to the offseason, new recruits and the brilliant coverage of the offseason thanks to TCT.
Getting them up after last week (against my confident prediction), coming up with the very unlikely game plan of bashing them through the forwards – it was a masterly coaching performance by Ryled.