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It is one of The Tip Sheet’s most anticipated episodes each year and the inimitable Bernie Gurr joins the show once again to recap and review the 2025 season for the Parramatta Eels. Sixties and Forty20 talk everything Blue & Gold with Gurr and tap into his keen mind to break down a massive year of transition and growth for the Eels under new coach Jason Ryles.
The show covers a broad range of topics starting with the importance of the Centre of Excellence and then through a series of focused footy questions. What did the Eels do to turn their season around after a dismal start? Which players and positional groups proved key during their scorching run home? Where do Parramatta need to improve and what positional should they be recruiting for?
Bernie also takes a look at the wider landscape of the NRL. How does season 2025 stand among recent years for the code? With the finals down to just four teams – who will be the last team standing? The boys wrap up the show with a look at the looming expansion for the code and what logistical and administrative challenges await Perth and PNG.
If Parramatta Council were serious about having COE there should of given us part of Parramatta Park turn into coe
That would have never happened. The Park has historical significance and there is also the history of the park protesters blocking past stadium development. It could have been realistic to have aimed for acquiring either the dog park or the athletics field next to old Saleyards but it didn’t happen. We had to face reality that the Centre of Excellence could not be built at Parra. The end result is a magnificent facility at Kellyville which is a 20 minute drive from Parra Stadium.
Interesting news fellas about Matto coming back to Aus after a reported failure to impress in super league
What’s really interesting is this blokes only 30 and has less miles / damage than Jnr Paulo and gutherson
Yet both of those men have continued to be high performers regardless of ages 30 +
I’m shocked how badly so many of the old BA era guys have fallen and let us down, I’m not being mean to them or Brad
But I’m starting to wonder if our team fell off a cliff because some of these players honestly lost all true motivation and hunger after losing the 22’ GF
It’s crazy so many of our old players literally fell off a cliff post 2022 and not only that maybe they got too comfortable under Brad and truly lost their edge to be regular first graders
Regardless I wish Matto all the best. And a LOT of lessons here for our club and new coaches to learn from here…
Hindsight is a wonderful thing that sometimes makes the complex appear easy, but hopefully we learn a lot of lessons there and DO NOT extent older players contracts past 1-2 years unless they are a Mitch Moses type player
We’ve probably also been extremely lucky with Jnr Paulo too, he actually had his best season in years – shows you that Jnr loves this club and had put his team first, moved aside any ego, and fully applied himself to the team and coaching staff …
Jnr Paulo deserves a real shout out for his 2025 contributions – he is truly a leader at the parramatta eels
Muz, there is a strong argument that the Eels roster was at its strongest in 2021 when we were robbed in the finals series match against the Panthers. It was diabolical officiating. Perhaps Parra overachieved in 2022. The form was never consistent, but given we played Penrith at the peak of their powers and had beaten them in the trials and in both regular season matches, we can’t take anything away from the 2022 achievements. What happened from there was that the game has changed. It has become faster. Those players that you noted – specifically the forwards – weren’t built for the faster game. Parra’s improving defence is based on greater speed and mobility in the defence line. Junior has always had good mobility for a big man, but he shed even more weight in the last preseason to play as Ryles required. The other forwards could not adapt. Sadly, look at Reg at the Titans. He was a shadow of his former self, yet he was literally Parra’s best in 2024. That’s how much the game has changed towards speed and mobility.
We were cooked by gf day as we had to go further than anyone ever had to make it. Had to play penrith in Penrith where penisini was knocked out for no sin bin and then blokes like RCG ,lane and paulo played in 30 degree heat to make it whilst our halfbacks head was spinning with the birth of a child.
Can someone ever explain why N Brown was selected in that game having not played since earlier in the season.
Luke, I did not agree with the selection of Brown. He had been a good player in previous years but seemed to lose his mojo during that season. He contributed little during that season or on the gf day. It was a baffling decision by Brad.
You’re right Muz about our old players. Case in point is RCG who has really fallen off a cliff in performance. Maybe leaving players on the field too long hastened their decline to play reasonable football after 30?
Glenn, I’m not going to argue about certain players struggling post 30 with how the game has changed, but that hasn’t applied to Junior who has revelled in the longer minutes in 2025.
You are absolutely correct about that assertion. Absolutely – it’s that which took away what was a good coaching legacy.
Agree Muz.
Junior was just about a spent force bench player until Ryles came along and thankfully canning the worlds largest 1st receiver role. As Sixties mentioned about Reg at Titans the game had moved on and we were going backwards 2023 and 2024 at a rate of knots. Imagine if BA was allowed to continue to see out his contract. I was a big fan of BA but he just ran out of ideas. His game went the way of the dodo and couldn’t adapt.
The GF was a misread and missed opportunity. If BA if he had his time over would have allowed us to lay in the ruck instead of rolling off too quick and avoiding penalties. Nathan Brown? Why pick him? Maybe he could have started first 20 minutes and set the tone.
BA admitted he treated the GF as just another game. The players stayed in their own beds and made their own way to the ground?? We probably played our GF the week before beating Cows – getting out of jail. Long trip back from Townsville would have been draining. Some players were just happy to be there on the day. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail and I think that’s part of it.
No disrespect to BA and Hasler for that matter both good coaches. Both have not adapted and as a result will find it extremely hard to get another gig in the NRL.
Pete, I think that you are being way too harsh on BA. Not only did the Eels only miss the finals by one game in 23, but BA was without Moses for the early part of 24. We saw what happened without Moses in 25.
What I will say is that it was mutually beneficial for BA and Parra to part ways. Parra needed revolutionary roster changes, including Gutho and RCG. That was most unlikely under Brad as he was too loyal to those blokes. And don’t forget, it was a bold call mage by Ryles given RCG won the Ken Thornett Medal. Plenty of supporters didn’t agree with his departure. Few disagree now.
No I don’t think so. I was really just stating the obvious and what BA had said himself about the GF. BA had no plan B. Plan A worked very well up until 2022. If it was BA or MON I don’t know but the loss of players was a self inflicted disaster.
Reg won the KT because he tried hard all year in a badly beaten pack. Not because he was in outstanding form being the best in a bad bunch in reality. When he said he’d die for BA then came out with 8 runs for
70+ meters we all knew time was up. It was a great way to send Reg off by getting the KT it was deserved.
Great show gents. Bernie is a great listen and still on top of his game.
This episode was entertaining from start to finish, the questions were spot on and pretty much what most fans would’ve asked. Thank you.
Cheers Joseph. We are indeed fortunate that Bernie has always been generous with his time with us.
Could listen to Bernie all day. Excellent interview. He’s very smart, clear, incisive and very knowledgeable. He and Sterling would be in the top echelon of rugby league knowledge.
Chiefy, I caught up with Bernie for a coffee about two weeks before this podcast. As we talked about everything from Parra’s season and potential recruitment, NRL in general, and big issues facing expansion, I found myself taking mental notes about what our listeners needed to hear in a podcast. I went home and wrote questions before I could forget them. Yeah, how good is Bernie!
Great listen as always. Nice to know Bernie still has a soft spot for the Eels but keeps his eye on all the NRL.
Not going to disagree with anything he said. The top eight next year will be interesting as it tends to change by about three teams. Sometimes more as the 2024 top eight had the Roosters, Cowboys, Sea Eagles and Knights (what a fall for the Knights in 2025!). And I do expect Parra to be top eight in 2026. Who falls out is an interesting question. There is usually a team or two through injuries or inexplicable loss of form that drops out.
Speaking of dropping out, the Bulldogs failure to fire in the finals is interesting. I still think Lachie Galvin disrupted the side’s cohesion. It was a puzzling decision by the Dogs. And while I don’t really follow the rumours, I’ve seen something that suggest Burton could be moved on. Just imagine him and Moses playing together combining their kicking games. Sure nothing will eventuate but it would be a terrifying pairing for opposition fullbacks and wingers.
So Shaun, I wonder who was more instrumental in the decision to recruit Galvin. Was it Gould or Ciraldo? It would be interesting to know.
I think it was his school coach
I think he was instrumental in getting him across the line. I’m more thinking about who wanted him at the club. Was it Gould targeting him or Ciraldo?
Bernie is great to listen to; always love when you have in on. Listened yesterday and picked out his segment and listened again to day.
Looking ahead to the Junior Development lists and your training reports.
Cheers Leigh. We always have no shortage of our own opinions, but when you have access to such expertise, it adds an extra dimension to the analysis.
I just watched Chiming in on Fanatics TV. Chimes did an interview with Jack Debelin. I think he doubles as his player agent.
For anyone who is disappointed or one of those happy he is coming to the Eels at season’s end it is a must see.
Cheers John. I’ve had that interview recommended by a few people now. I’ll check it out.
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