Parramatta Eels 4
Melbourne Storm 52
It is taking superhuman willpower to not go biblical on this performance, questioning the nature of football support and why we all bother. Why do we love something that can hurt us like this? I’d like to at least wait until daylight savings is finished before having an existential crisis regarding rugby league, so let’s vent, moan and move on.
To sugar coat it, that was a train wreck. I’ve seen more joy at funerals than at fulltime of the TCT Parra Leagues watch party, and if it wasn’t for the need to get the grades in (and the price of petrol) I’d have turned onto Windsor Road and kept driving until the sun came up, wondering where it all went wrong.
The second half statistics make my recurring drowning dreams look positively pleasant by comparison. The Eels were outgained nearly 3:1 in metres, giving up 8 line breaks and making none, completing 10/14 against 23/25. This despite “only” losing the error count 6 to 3. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so hard on the stupid “scoring team kicks off” rule that PVL somehow didn’t manage to squeeze through in his attempts to ruin the game.
While the second half was the payoff, the groundwork for that capitulation was laid in an equally terrible first half where the Eels built up a fatigue deficit they could never recover from thanks to boneheaded play and mistakes. Gone was the clinical execution and tough tackling of the trials, none of which survived first contact with a competitive contest. We all knew trials mean nothing, but at the least the Eels could donate some of that prize money to therapy sessions for long suffering fans. I’ll be first in line, please.
There was a lot of 2021 about this game, and as a rugby league fan that is a big concern. All game Todd Smith waved his arm like he needed to be rescued from the surf, which compounded with circumstance to leave the Eels defensive line exhausted with a good half hour left in the contest. It was all downhill running for Melbourne’s forwards from there, leaving the scoreboard smoking as it struggled to keep up with the procession of tries.
Tackling the opening exchanges a man down started the fatigue deficit rolling, even if the Eels were the better of the two sides during that period. That fatigue was exacerbated by some rotten luck with the new interchange system where Tallyn Da Silva entered the field about thirty seconds before Isaiah Iongi was called off for a HIA, requiring Joash Papalii to enter the game as the Eels fourth interchange player and condemning the Eels to play with one middle forward in reserve. That forward (Matt Doorey) proceeded to get banged up, playing only 18 minutes. The Eels were bad, but this game looked all the worse because players at early season levels of fitness were stretched against a team that has made a reputation on starting the season hard.
The final factor is unfortunately the most critical, and the one entirely of the Eels own doing: mistakes. From the moment J’maine Hopgood was marched, the Eels needed to control the tempo of this game to manage fatigue levels. Instead they threw stupid offloads and passes in unnecessary positions, making mistakes in basic ruck sets time after time.
The Parramatta attack looked like it had spent ten years on bricks in the front yard, rusted and without its most basic parts. The service from dummy half was terrible, passes going to ground and behind their mark. Basic errors in game control were made; when a flop was needed to slow a play down the quick play-the-ball was allowed, when there was no need to give a whistle happy referee an excuse to wave his arm, defenders got tangled up or stayed in tackles a touch too long.
It was dumb footy, and while I’m going to eventually forgive it here as mistakes made under intense fatigue (as any night that has finished in front of Jimmy’s Kebab can testify), the Eels are officially on “dummy watch” going forward. There needs to be far more footy smarts in this group, especially from senior players like Paulo and Moses.
Anyway, let’s see if eviscerating the performances of some individuals can make us all feel better. Onto the grades!
Isaiah Iongi
1 – Fullback
We’re three games into the NRL season and already nobody knows what a high tackle is, as Iongi became the victim of a stubborn “I think you’re milking it” no-call followed immediately by a head injury assessment that suggests maybe he did, in fact, get hit in the head. While that farce annoyed me, what is really concerning is that Iongi has now made a meal of two contested kicks in two matches. Once is a mistake, twice is a concern, another one is a trend. All the good attacking touches in the world won’t mean anything if you can’t catch a high ball. We’ll save criticism of his defensive positioning and efforts chiming into the line for a later date, we’re running out of space here.
Bailey Simonsson
2 – Right Wing
If I was the referee I’d probably look at a 42-4 scoreline with ten to go and maybe just wave the arm again rather than bin a player for a marginal professional foul, but if I was the referee I’d never have got out of the sheds because I’d be in front of the mirror slapping myself in the face, so it’s all hypothetical. Otherwise, Bailey Simonsson was ineffective but inoffensive, I’d like to see a bit more force in his kick returns and ruck running, but given the scale of the issues emerging from this game that problem is way down the list.
Will Penisini
3 – Right Centre
That run would have been an all time try highlight, and probably would have got Vossy a spot in the TCT podcast intro. Alas, Will Penisini couldn’t close the deal and immortality will have to wait at least one more week.
Brian Kelly
4 – Left Centre
On the plus side, Brian Kelly didn’t stand out for his defence in this one, something many had worried about when he was recruited. On the downside, that was because the entire team was so miserable without the ball. There were a few off the ball low effort moments from Kelly that concerned me, but we’ll give benefit of the doubt here with the fatigue factor and his interrupted off season. There’ll be better days. There better be better days.
Sean Russell
2 – Right Wing
We should thank Rusty for providing the only highlight of season 2026 so far, I suppose. Beyond that I don’t have much to say about him, which given what I’m saying about other players, he should be thankful for.
Jonah Pezet
6 – Five Eighth
I doubt Jonah Pezet pictured his revenge game being highlighted by a middling edge forward towering over him giving lip, but sometimes life just doesn’t work out how you planned. It was a very ordinary performance all round for Pezet, in admittedly difficult circumstances. He’ll improve. He has to.
Mitchell Moses
7 – Halfback
Poor Mitch is learning how Clint Gutherson felt for all those years exasperatedly arguing with referees. Unfortunately Mitch had about as much success changing the officials’ mind as the King did. That just leaves this car crash of an attack, which wasn’t helped by the poor service and field position, but fairly or not control of the side rests on the shoulders of the million dollar halfback, and this team was out of control for 80 minutes.
J’maine Hopgood
8 – Front Row
Given the team totals, Hopgood’s 46 tackles without a miss is an impressive number, though unfortunately he also didn’t miss Alec MacDonald in the first minute and set the Eels off on the back foot for the entire match (in a classic case of punishing the injury not the action). None of the forwards put up noteworthy attacking numbers, but Hoppy’s 9 runs for 64 metres is a particularly meagre return.
Ryley Smith
9 – Hooker
Pretty ordinary night for Ryley, who was the lucky tenth Eel to be steamrolled by Harry Grant for a burrow try, earning us a free coffee and a bran muffin on our next visit to AAMI Park. The defence wasn’t great, the service was somehow worse, and the only thing saving him from an epic Mitch Moses spray is if the halfback loses his voice serving up the other 15 Eels who deserved a bake too.
Junior Paulo
10 – Front Row
We needed much more from the veteran forward in this one, who made a few key defensive errors when this game was a contest. Getting into a slapfight at the play-the-ball and creating the space for Harry Grant’s first, incredibly soft try was amateur hour, then missing the chance to slow a lightning quick play-the-ball when Moses Leo scored showed a lack of game sense. It was a tough night for the middles, but we needed veteran leadership here and Junior didn’t deliver.
Jack Williams
11 – Second Row
Sometimes you just want to be the kid that disappears when the teacher is on a rampage, and Jack Williams was out of my line of sight for most of Thursday night.
Kitione Kautoga
12 – Second Row
Kitione had a few beast moments that warmed my heart, particularly with his selective use of the offload rather than throwing it every time he got his arm free. His running was the only constant danger for the Eels all night. Unfortunately he was also responsible for a few backbreaking set restarts and made a couple of errors, but if we’re going to stick with the 2025 Eels Phrase of the Year “green shoots”, Kautoga was the only tiny green leaf peeking through a ten inch layer of manure at AAMI Park.
Jack de Belin
13 – Lock
Defended stoutly but didn’t do much with the ball. This was a game where we needed the veterans to steady the ship, and while he was far from the biggest problem I expected a bit more from JDB.
Dylan Walker
14 – Interchange
Interchange madness this week aside, it doesn’t look like the Eels’ pack fitness is going to be able to sustain only two middles on the bench, especially if these early signs carry through and we’re looking at V’lando-ball Mk II. Given the Eels are a completely different team with Dylan Walker out there, he has to remain in the squad but might need to start if we are going to need to give Ryley a spell. As for his efforts tonight, he copped a few ruck infringements which isn’t great, but he’s still crucial to our attack.
Matt Doorey
15 – Interchange
Poor old Matt Doorey can’t take a trick, copping a knee knock that he shook off at the time but almost certainly prevented him from returning to the fray, as I doubt it was in anyone’s plans to have our only middle forward reserve play 18 minutes of footy. I’d grade him an “incomplete”, but when you get beat by 50 in the first game of the season, for the second year in a row, everybody is getting Ds and Fs.
Tallyn Da Silva
17 – Interchange
One big pre-season watch for 2026 was how Tallyn Da Silva would fit into this attack after a full summer training with the squad. The unfortunate answer based on Thursday night is he’s still a square peg trying to squeeze through a round hole. It was a tough ask for him to come in and make a difference given the state of the game, but his service and pass selection had the same issues we identified last year. I’m not writing anybody off after this game, but it was a tough one for TDS.
Joash Papalii
19 – Interchange
A little cameo for Joash, who serves as a warning to all coaches that just because you’ve got HIA cover on the bench, doesn’t mean you should use it. Almost like this extended bench rule was rushed through without extensive thought or consultation, given it has only exacerbated a problem when used for its intent.
Only the humidity stopped me from feeding my dog a bowl of cheese and taking it for a walk past the Eels HQ at Kellyville this morning, but what my dog would’ve produced is a fair simile for Parramatta’s performance last night. Petty acts of vengeance aside, that was a really tough loss to cop.
It won’t get any easier in Brisbane next weekend, and in a season that shapes up as one of the tightest contests ever the Eels need to reverse this slow start quickly. If they start the year behind the eight ball they’ll stay there all season long. I’m hoping most of the problems can be explained away by early season rust and unexpected levels of fatigue, but things don’t look great right now, Eels fam.
Still, we continue. Dust yourself off, ignore footy for a few days and come back ready to get hurt again next week. It’s what we do.
Until then, stay slippery, Eels fans.
Gol
Stats and images provided by NRL / Eels media
I quite enjoyed that, thanks for the laughs
I’m still suspicious of Mitch carrying an injury, until I see proof otherwise
Hopefully Ryles takes a baseball bat into the changing sheds next week
Is it just me or was that a strange game?
Many many things I can’t even mention or point out directly
But I noticed the storm could hold down eels for a REALLY slow play the ball many many times…
Yet eels had to instantly stand up and allow storm fast passage through the ruck
I do not believe it’s only on the eels shoulders for a poor performance, although, they were poor
If you give easy possession to Storm, plus give them loads of repeat 6 agains?
The Storm will rampage down the park and score effortlessly once your players are gassed from defending non stop
I was concerned eels would struggle with NEW players + no fox and no Lomax + no Russel at centre (where he’s been AMAZING defensively) …
But I’m now scratching my head and also reflecting on our trials matches, a lot of YOUNG players actually looked better / more effective in our trials matches than Snr NRL players did
Do we need Samrani on the bench or on the wing? Russel at centre again?
Do we need Papalii at #6 where he looks better than Pezet?
Do we need to stop offering “market value” to Marquee forwards on the OPEN MARKET.. and pay overs to sign 1-2 KEY forwards? Because we cannot sign any by what we usually offer?
PS paulo looked better when he was trimmed down last season and when he played for Samoa.
Bulking up Paulo again isn’t going to help us. He desperately needs another proper big middle who’s experienced.
We also didn’t apply any pressure to storm. Always over chanced our hand, no long kicks and defensive line holding storm down in their own end.
It was almost like we tried to beat the Storm by playing like them, we’ve only beat them in previous times by holding the ball exclusively until in storms 40, then changing hand once they got tired.
We didn’t use Mitch Moses long kicks as a field position tool to keep us in the game & grind. It was strange game.
I’m still convinced Papalii and Even Lorenzo offers more than Pezet at 5/8. He does not look effective there (yet) He also keeps getting tackled while passing. Joash is also a far better runner of the ball IMO. Pezet is a #7 only at this point…
“Do we need Papalii at #6 where he looks better than Pezet?”
Personally i think the answer is ‘no’. Not until Joash can learn to pass a ball without it being a no look pass. He threw another shocker in his 10 minutes last night.
Pezet can play better. He better.
Last night might have actually played Joash out of the 19. If Ryles had Samrani on the bench it actually gives more flexibility. So last night for example. Russell could have gone back for 10 minutes (JAC could if he was playing), Samrani could have played a wing, then come off when Iongi was good to go. But he could have returned and played an edge to give a middle a spell (Williams could have slide infield). Joash is a 1 or a 6 – and not NRL level at either position. Not yet anyway.
Monumentally disappointing. We saw how important Dylan Brown’s clean up defence has been to us (when we’ve picked him). It’s pretty obvious that Pezet is not as effective at 6 as Joash is. I doubt that he’s a 6. Mitchell is great behind a dominate pack. Did we get in Williams the player we expected?
The NRL has reached extraordinary heights of professional excellence at its greatest levels; with our three best players now in their thirties do we have a player base to challenge the top sides?
That was a write off.
Parras first contact was the biggest concern for me from last night.
Make no mistake we had one hand tied behind our back .
In the first 17 minutes of either half the Storm received 7 six agains and two penalties through the same period the Eels received 1 six again , 1 penalty and a player in the bin.
To go with other dubious calls for a first round game we were forced into fatigue quickly.
What’s infuriating is the referee tried to even up the 8-5 six again count and 5-4 penalty count by giving us 4 of our six agains and two of our penalties in the last 9 minutes of either half.
The horse had well and truely bolted.
Our ball handling and decision making were poor and the refereeing doesn’t excuse the scoreline but it was a massive reason why we fatigued so quickly against a well drilled elite football team.
Not surprising Bup but you identified the real issues of the game, the only objective understanding of the circumstances.
Unfortunately GOL who decides when he wants to about making these award winning comments gets an total F for failing to understand the game and the people he has identified.
Whilst Parra’s performance was embarrassing and not the least disappointing GOL showed a remarkable intolerance of all things relevant. Not the least being the referreeing buy onsite and offsight personell (pun’s intended).
Sorry GOL but your performance equalled any of the players you in turn vilified!
Equally the best “F” of the game in summation.
You’re a dribbler poppa – give it a rest instead of having a go at Gil. The ref had an impact but players need to own their putrid performance as well
Hey Ron its Gol not Gil
I may be a dribbler but read it in context, I covered the embarrassment and disappointment, what do you want me to say if I don’t agree with Gol’s comments. Call him a dribbler?
You consistently take silly and meaningless points to criticise others. It’s something I’ve noticed for a while.
Sure, Gol could have pointed out the refs/six again blight on ten game – he clearly comprehends that issue – but he chose not to focus there. That was a choice. Nonetheless, you try make it out like he doesn’t understand the nuance. It’s disingenuous and unfair on Gol (and others) when you resort to straw man arguments.
So yes, picking out a typo or wanting more bagging of the refs is your prerogative. But it’s not a substantive point. It’s dribble from a dribbler and who tries to try sound smart to a certain crowd that may not see how hollow your remarks are.
Here here
I thought Gols piece was pitch perfect. Entertaining, factual and identified fatigue and how that was a factor and how snr players probably didn’t manage it well. I would probably rate ilongi, penisini and a few others higher. Fatigue and bad refereeing aside I was left feeling we were a bit outsized and overpowered. Lastly I don’t get the hype around pezet or tallyn. Poppa you really are a dribbler.
Ha Ha, Matthew I admitted I maybe a dribbler, but one with a contrarian view to many. If you guys just want to piss in Gol’s pocket, then do so.
Your inability to contra counter or even understanding the point of the grades is classical of people like you…..Russell for example get’s a D when he was arguably Parra’s best player and maybe a B. Why should he suffer because Gol wants to make himself look clever and circumspect.
If you sycophant’s on here had any objectivity about you, you would think about it and challenge the process to make it better.
These comments are not about the “site” but the “safe room” a lot of you live in…..I can see you walking by someone that was doing something wrong and saying “none of my business”.
Look at what Bup said, he actually knows what he is talking about.
Ah my friend- we pray in different churches
Nothing more to say.
Then why say it?
I don’t pray in anyone’s church but I agree to their right to do so.
We are objective but we know when to take a point and when not to. You don’t seem to have the same discretion – and that’s a shortcoming on your part rather than Gol who is writing post game in round 1 after a deflating pummelling.
The objective of his writing may not align with what you seek.
Also, what you seek (eg a B for Russell is not objectively reasonable) who advocate for giving a player a B in a 48 point loss? In a team sport? On an edge where we conceded multiple tries due to system errors, fatigue and lack of communication? They all have a part in the shambles display – as Gol point out. And as Gol points out it is more about accountability in round 1 of the season. We did not control even the basic of getting to a kick at the end of set. That builds fatigue of itself.
Polish up your schoolyard insults for elsewhere – they are as pissweak as your defence of your comments
I hope you feel better now!
Ahhh and here is the sarcasm that accompanies a typical poppa thread when he can’t defend his initial comment, can’t make any further substantive points and has thrown out insults -and/or inapposite analogies like a kid.
Nothing if not predictable…
Actually I did defend my initial comment, unfortunately you did not understand it. Which is typical of someone that has no understanding of “concept”.
Note that not one individual was identified as a dribbler or dope or a victim of some sort of personality trait in my meanderings..
You played the man and not the ball, but let’s face it Ron, your not actually the sharpest tool in the shed…..doesn’t stop you from digging holes for yourself notwithstanding,
Look forward one day to finding something we can agree on.
You repeated your misunderstands of gols piece and misunderstanding of a team sport ina 48 point loss to defend it.. a very straw man defence is I can grace it with that description
Then you accuse others of not understanding your misunderstandings – textbook from a deadset dribbler
Oh and raiders didn’t have possession for first 12 mins last night – I guess that shows players are not merely at whim of refs and needs to take large part ownership for their errors, lack of communication, lack of temperament and lack of respect for the ball (as Gol indicates)
Grace is subjective, don’t spoil it with something you just simply do not understand.
God knows how the Raiders got in this conversation….are you OK Ron?
Like everyone, I was disappointed in the extreme, but today is a new day, next week a new opponent and in that context I offer these observations.
1. The Eels were never grand final possibilities. We are competing for a position in the lower part of the 8. That ambition is still open.
2. We were diabolical in execution and made heaps of mistakes that contributed to our obvious exhaustion. However, that was exacerbated by the dubious calls of forward pass, the inconsistency about shoulder to the head and the lopsided six again and penalty counts when it really mattered.
3. The service Smith and TDS provided from dummy half was a long way below par.
4. Melbourne have three great players in their 6, 7 and 9 and given the amount of possession and space they had, they tore us to shreds. Their first and second tries are good examples.
5. I can’t see the upside in JDB, unless it’s just as a tough guy to have around the club to harden up some of our younger players. Play Guymer instead. He is a long term proposition.
6. The HIA of Iongi hurt a lot. We had two big boppers on the bench who could have got our boys going forward.
7. Pezet was very disappointing and should struggle to hold his position.
8. Russell is a defensive beast in the centres and probably should be picked there.
9. Next week will show what they have got. I’m looking forward to a spirited and plucky performance.
Go Eels.
Given the performances of our reserve graders in the trials the Cup side were always good things last night and I see they had a good win. Too early yet, but many more NRL performances like last night and we’ll have to look at bringing some of the younger kids up.
Hooker is a massive concern; the difference in performance between our two and Grant last night of itself guaranteed we couldn’t win. If there’s not a massive improvement there we may need to get creative, maybe give Volkmann a try, maybe even think of Walker
Russell is the best centre in the club and needs to.play there.
If Pezet can’t improve massively quickly he needs to be introduced to Jason Cayless.
If I’m in the Parra stats department I’m spending the weekend going through the footage and reviewing every aspect of the officiating and if there’s provable bias then keep track of it going forward because when you add in the “apply the blowtorch” there’s potential case to be made with lawyers
It blows my mind how Parra let that one slide with the blowtorch txt, are we just making up the numbers ready to cop the shaft or what
And we were awful, I think missing the fox was a part of why we looked lost
A lot to ask of The Fox to turn that tide but he’s very important to our maturity as a side, no question.
So many concerns that left edge defence in the first half had me fearing the worst
Pezent and Kelly don’t look like they could read a colouring in book let alone a attacking raid.
The middles got pumped and the descion to have Joash on the bench instead of Samrani proved crucial.
Overall it was bad it was worring.
Question is if we drop out of finals contention like last year does Pezet go to reserves and future is now happens again?
Love your work Gol. Had me smiling even though I was reading about a train wreck. Ryles showed after last year’s train wreck that he wasn’t afraid to drop players after a bad first up game. I’m not seeing what JDB and TDS offer to the team that others wouldn’t so a stint in Cup to find or regain some form wouldn’t surprise.
I reckon some are being a bit tough on Jack De Belin; he seemed to me to be one who was willing to mix it up in the tough stuff; I’d have had him in our top three or four.
We ended up playing poorly but the Zac Lomax result for the NRL was clearly evident in how that game was influenced.
When one team continually seeks bargains at Aldi and the Reject Shop, and plays teams formed by having players from the pricey end of town and the equivalent of Tiffany’s it’s a tough ask. We spend the same cap as other teams who seem to find an appetite at the top table, just seems incongruous that for years we have no one able to get our spending in the same stratosphere.
Having the catch cry that we need a prop, an elite centre ant an minimum and yet don’t go close ito getting one is disastrous. The green shoots will disappear if all they work to maturity with are journeymen. This is a reminder that who did we replace Gutho, RCG , Papali’i, Nikore , Mahoney, Kaufusi etc etc with, no one of note and here we are spending the cap with basically one elite player. Say what you like, the Dogs have signed 4 or 5 in the same time , as have other clubs . Doing the same thing for years with the same recruitment team and getting the same result is dispiriting.
Any 1 complaining about refing needs to take off the blue and gold glasses, we were our own worst enemies with poor completion, pushed passes that weren’t on and bad defensive reads.
Russell was 1 if not our bet player and should be back in the centers as is our best centre. Don’t get the fascination with Deblin, he is very average and offers nothing, Walker should be lock as offers more which puts more pressure on the defense. Dorey tries hard but to me is reserve grade only. Pezet should be dropped to reserve grade and left there, even when at the storm was not NRL level and still isn’t, would be better with Joash at 6 and developing him. Very disappointing and hopefully we improve 100% next week. The whole team was disappointing no more than Mosses, being captain and a 1.3 million dollar player who wasn’t worth minumin wage in that game.
We were our own worst enemies because of the reffing. Mistakes were inevitable when you’re playing catch up football. A lot of games are going to be decided by the ref’s this year. We’ve had 3 games already, Saints v Dogs, Walsh v Roosters and us. Some are saying we are not fit, we are, it’s match fitness that is lacking atm, but it will come.
reffing had nothing to do with the drop balls, pushed passes bad reads in defense they are poor decissions made by the players
We’ll be -100 for and against after next week’s game. What a dreadful way to start a hopeful season At least hope has already been hit on the head and the only way from here is up, or more likely staying down.
There will be a few players who the coach will be looking to offload if opportunities arise, and some of these were only recruited last season or this season. I just hope the young guys in the lower grades can take their opportunity in NRL and run with it, because I can see them coming in sooner rather than later.
Apa Twidle is an interesting one. He needs to get an opportunity before someone else nabs him,
Indeed, surely we can give him a run at centre or utility or some position. He’s got natural footy instincts that a Bellamy would just let play on the field (Hynes, Wishart etc)
It’s entirely possible that Apa Twidle is the best numbers currently in the club. Ron Volkman could also be very good there. Pezet and Papilii are being given their chance; I’d give them to(and including) round 6 to look like superior NRL players. A criticism I had of Brad Arthur was that, in my opinion, he too readily pigeon holes players and was unwilling to experiment. On last Thursday’s form we have nothing to lose by trying a few alternatives. And we need to get our biggest, most threatening forwards onto the field.
I think apa should be given a crack at 6 if an injury arises (ie Papalii should be back up fullback and apa should’ve profiled as back up 6 + centre+ utility). He’s too good to simply sit in reserve grade but I do have faith in Ryles to see the talent and profile it properly. I just don’t know how long we can go without signing top quality to help Moses and younger players.
We need a proper leader because our leadership group capitalised at the first sign of pressure on Thursday. Paulo was pushing passes doing dumb shit, hopgood was no good, Williams unseen, Moses was very poor.
You could see Ryley and others were nervous in the actions of their poor service and simple errors
*Capitulated ( not capitalised )
We’ll be -100 for and against after next week’s game. What a dreadful way to start a hopeful season At least hope has already been hit on the head and the only way from here is up, or more likely staying down.
There will be a few players who the coach will be looking to offload if opportunities arise, and some of these were only recruited last season or this season. I just hope the young guys in the lower grades can take their opportunity in NRL and run with it, because I can see them coming in sooner rather than later.
It’s been said before but we really need an Alpha male who intimidates the opposition.Souths went out and got Fifita and Hass, we managed to secure 35 year old Jack de Belin. Are we on the right recruitment path.
Agreed – our recruitment is putrid. We think calling ourselves a development club covers for signing journeymen and missing real talent. We will always need talented players to help show the way for youngsters.
Anyway, a lot of people have said yesterday was disappointing so we will learn a lot about our team in the next 3 weeks. I’m not giving them a pass for yesterday unless I see consistent systems and discipline for a few weeks in order to write yesterday off fully
I don’t like these grades. Some players like Walker did nothing wrong yet he has to.pay because others throw hand grenade passes.
Ive never enjoyed the grades on the cumberland throw. They are more emotional grades not an actual rating on each player.
I think a bit of calm is needed. The game wasn’t reflective of this Eels team at all.
Anytime you have only 40% of the ball you are going to get towelled up with the way the game is currently played / officiated.
The positive is that before the ref started awarding the 6 agains, we were dominant with only 12 men on the field.
The lack of a big man on the utilised bench hurt.
I’d be looking at getting Samrani on that left wing and Russell back at centre until the Fox is back. Samrani’s workload in Cup was impressive.
We had a very big man on the bench – two in fact. They didn’t get on the field. In part that was down to Iongi being told he hadn’t been fouled when clearly he was
Dreadful refereeing wasn’t the soul or even the main cause of our dreadful display but it didn’t help. The Iongi call, the Kelly “forward pass” were just two blatantly wrong calls.
Refereeing needs to improve quickly if the season is to retain credibility and it remains obvious that the stronger clubs get most benefit of decisions.
Yep, Tuivati had to get on in this one.
The timing of the Iongi HIA was unfortunate as he had just brought on TDS a minute earlier. If the other way around he probably doesn’t use TDS, and has Joash cover Riley once Iongi comes back on, allowing Tuivati to play.
Well said Gol, I didn’t think it was possible to find humour in that 80 minute nightmare but you’ve proven me wrong. There is nothing even remotely funny about the teams performance, but this brutally honest and candidly articulated report card aligns with my “laugh at your problems, everyone else does” approach to life and is greatly appreciated.
Just read on ” the other Eels site” the tackle times during most matches so far very interesting, 6 again infringements, definitely didn’t help us
I wasn’t going to post this, but just read your comment. I need to get a life but I watched Warriors v Chooks and Penrith v Broncs and counted the seconds on every tackle and watched closely for 6 Agains. Most tackles were 3 seconds or less, some were 3-4, the 4+ second tackles were not frequent and you could hear the ref calling louder. The 6 Agains were mainly from the 4+, not always as some are situationally slow but some look intentionally slow and the last tackler up puts his hand/s on the player or ball for another moments delay. This last mentioned action also occurs in faster releases and attracts 6Again attention when it is clearly a secondary action. But the thing I was 100% sure about was there was very little hair trigger, pedantic decisions, most looked warranted and not mysterious, there was no crippling double calls , the players have an awareness even when slowing the play is essential. Adam Gee in particular was clear and balanced in managing 6Again territory.
There was a lot of fatigue in our game which can cause 6 Again activity but I found these 2 games completely different in the application of this penalty. I still maintain that many awarded against us were quicker releases than the Storm’s standard wrestle, but Smith just saw some minor action which he deemed ‘slowing the tackle’, maybe justified in his mind, the letter of the law applied…I don’t know because for many I didn’t actually see anything occur and they are not replayed/reviewed.
I sat and watched that game from up here in Queensland and I booked my ticket for Suncorp next week.. We could be on a hiding to nothing but I have to go and watch it. Why? Because they have been my team almost 70 years – almost. I have seen good years and shockers. We have played in three grand finals since 2001. How many teams can boast that? Apart from the Storm, Roosters and Penrith how many? We should have played four if wasn’t for a cheating trainer. We won’t get there this year if round one is the benchmark. Then again for the Storm round one has become a sacred game – a team vow not to lose. Thursday night like last year no team would have beaten them. The first round is emphatically important to them. I say again not one team would have gotten close. I read everyone’s comments and many have their heart on their sleeve. The season is not over in the first round it’s the start. Okay we lost badly and in the second half possession at one point was 21 percent. You can’t win when you make so many mistakes. They at times panicked and tried to score on the first or second tackle. That was not the same team that did so well in the preseason and we want them back. By the way Grant is a bogeyman for the Eels. But we cannot compare our two hookers against an Australian and origin player who has a number of years experience on them. Finally, I concur with the comment Gol’s gradings were emotionally based and objectivity was lost on the scoreboard. And, one more thought, I like Poppa’s comments. It’s nice we can have difference of opinion in the absence of bad language although the sarcasm was dripping at times. We have a tough start for the new season, when you are on the bottom there is only one way to go and that’s up. Vent as much as you like but don’t give up in them.
I hope you feel better now!
Duplicate comment no context, fitted somewhere else, if it can be deleted please do so!
One of eels MAIN issues? Every time a GOOD player becomes better / reaches potential.
We lose them. OR, pay HUGE overs to keep them / or they end up with us for too long.
Sean Russel is now on the verge of becoming an NRL star, maybe not Farnworth or Stephen Crichton level.
But Sean is now clearly the best player in our back 5. The Fox is good but old, may only have 2 seasons left. Sean Russel? Maybe 5 more seasons as a top centre in the NRL.
We lost Lomax (our only threat in the air) now losing Russel, our only Elite defensive centre, who is young, and tracking towards becoming one of the best centers in the NRL.
I’m not throwing toys out with bath water here – but the eels have some significant issues, Jason Ryles CANNOT solve all of them.
We aren’t the Melbourne Storm or Easts. Elite players will ONLY come to Parra, or stay with Parra, for OVERS, period…
Now the eels come in with Jason Ryles and offer only “fair value” on open market to stars…
Result? ZERO marquee signings, losing out every single time.
Whilst we need to build internally, times running while we have 1 elite halfback.
Once Mitchel Moses is too old or retires we will not have a genuine NSW level #7, we may not have another Moses on our books for 15 years in all honesty, he’s our best #7 since sterlo (in the 80’s)
We need to roll the dice. We have no Jnr Paulo replacement. We have no Mitch Moses Replacement #7 in the pipeline.
Our team is hanging on by a thread held together by Jnr Paulo and Mitch Moses currently, with nobody close to what they offered us coming through.
Countless good halves & middles have hit the market but we don’t offer overs. You CAN pay overs for 1-3 players on your roster, look at panthers for example, or bulldogs, then build up other ppl AROUND those marquee players.
Stephen crighton going to the dogs absolutely changed their fortunes. Luke Metcalf & James fisher Harris to the Warriors ABSOLUTELY changed their side.
The eels are hanging on to only two elite players, who in all honesty, are past their best, Moses regular injury’s / him missing games means he is not as valuable to us on average anymore, Jnr is good but older now.
While I’m proud of Jason Ryles & co getting our roster back into a more balanced situation.
If those two players are out for the season, we are toast. If those two players get 2 years older without us signing ANY additional world class players, we are toast.
I’m bullish we can fight for the 8 this year. But time is running out. Our only 2 origin level players are edging closer to retirement. Moses may have 3-4 seasons left, but he may end up like Reynolds, constantly injured.
Correct me if I’m wrong here. But it seems like we need to pay overs to get a few more leaders. Or we are doomed. The youth won’t succeed if there is not 2-3 elite Snrs there to guide them moving forwards.
The bulldogs and the tigers have better rosters than we do in all likelihood. We HAVE issues / cannot sign any established tier 1 players!
These are fair comments. We have not only lost Russell we have lost Dylan Brown as well as Lomax. Jack and the Fox fell into our hands and will do useful service but clearly both are closer to the finish than the start. In addition to them our two major signings for this season have been Pezet and Da Silva. In my view there are currently legitimate questions as to whether they are as good as some Cup players who already were with the club
I believe they should be given maybe six rounds to find their feet and prove themselves. If they can’t, if they have to be replaced by others on far less money there will be legitimate questions about our recruitment leadership.
I have to see a season from Russell before I give him a wrap like that
Admittedly it looks like he trained hard in the offseason
We may as well play Lomax if we can’t sign anyone decent
I’m a firm believer that this squad has a lot of talent thru it but is it premiership material right now probably not but we are 2nd year into a rebuild. Can recruitment improve absolutely but the market is harder then ever and with us having so much youth coming thru it adds one more layer of complexity.
Penrith are undoubtedly the most successful sporting team of the modern era in Australia and it came all from within they created systems that could continue success. They are the absolutely blueprint of how to build success in the modern era but it takes time and focus.
If we want premiership success right now I think we’re 3 to 4 players minimum away and that’s impossible to sign in the current market.
Moses may in fact miss his oppurtunity but if he helps build this squad for the future it could well bring us success down the track.
This squad beat Brisbane in Brisbane last year they are not hopeless but they most definitely need to cut the errors out and remain disciplined and they’ll be competitive
An excellent summary of what was a performance way below our expectations, I flew down to Melbourne for the game full of anticipation and confidence we would give the storm something to think about this year but left the ground wishing I had saved a bunch of money and stayed at home to watch the game, had an early night swearing to myself safely tucked up in my own bed delivering a few stout uppercuts to my tear sodden pillow.
It’s a matter, isn’t it, of what our reasonable expectations should be of the club. We have a
a region that continues to create gifted juniors; we have a rich background of former players who have performed at the highest levels and who demonstrate a continued commitment to our success; we have the interest and support of a sophisticated business community; if necessary we have the potential support of one of the richest social clubs in Australia and we have access to training facilities as good as any in the competition and two years of the last 17 we have had a NRL side good enough to challenge for the title.
We got away to a start similar to this year in 2025 and finished, what, twelfth with a couple of very good wind at the end of the season. We may do as well this year. Is that good enough? Meanwhile we face the inescapable truth that Newcastle has started well with town at 7, Penrith had started well with Talagai at 6, The Dogs were strong last year with Mahony at 9, the side that thrashed us last week had Utoikamanu dominating, Kamikamika on the bench, The Warriors are going well with Marata Niokore at 13 or 12
; all these are players who spent at least some time in our junior systems and, for one reason or another, weren’t retained; there are others.
Do we have the structures in place, the personnel to recruit and retain a laying foster to fulfill the potential of the club? In many ways I think the performances of Pezet and Da Silv- the major recruitments of current leadership will answer that question in the next couple of months.
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Hey fellas
Can anyone help me as to where I can buy a “make parra matter again” shirt from??
Im in desperate need…as are we all i think as supporters of eels right now.
Thanks