The NRLW has arrived for season 2026 and while hopes are high for the Eels this year – they have hit an early hitch with a trio of recruits already in the injury ward. The Tip Sheet looks at how the girls are shaping up ahead of Sunday’s clash against the Tigers and how long they could be without the services of Keilee Joseph, Layne Morgan and Jayde Herdegen.
Sixties and Forty20 wrap up a rather ordinary weekend for the fellas – although the NSW Women’s Premiership squad delivered an excellent victory. Bronson Xerri is the latest missed signing for the Blue & Gold as pressure hits a critical threshold on roster building heading in 2027. The Eels were pipped by the Storm for the left centre’s signature and there are serious questions about where the next impact signing is now going to come from. And while head coach Jason Ryles might be struggling to put out spot fires at the Eels, he turned real-life hero on the weekend as he saved a woman from a burning car in the wake of the club’s loss to the Rabbitohs.
Well that escalated quickly! There was little dilly-dallying with the new broadcast deal as Fox and Nine successfully retained the rights with a mammoth five billion dollar package securing the code’s future for the next 7 years.
Sounds like a tricky start for the Eels, injuries are always a setback. Hopefully they can get everyone fit and firing for the season.
Sixty and Forty 20
I haven’t been so excited during the pre-season than I was this year thinking about our Parra Eels. I told anyone that would listen that we would be in the top four. The way we finished last year was not only winning footy but also extremely attractive attacking footy. Coach Ryles looked like he had us humming in attack and improving in D. I liked what i saw in Joash P, Ryley Smith, Iongi, Addo Carr, Tuivaiti, Williams, Moretti and Kautoga. And Moses surely wouldn’t be injured again. How could we go wrong????
And then it did and apart from the odd resurgence we have never got back there. I must have misread the team we had. Lomax leaving didnt help. i thought he was one of our best last year. The problem is I cant see the way out right now. Where are our young Eels. We need them more them ever pushing through and fast!!