The Eels will have to close out season 2026 without Isaiah Iongi and Sam Tuivaiti after blow young stars succumbed to high grade MCL sprains (with a bonus PCL sprain thrown in for Iongi). The Tip Sheet looks at how coach Jason Ryles plans to cover for their losses as the Eels prepare to host the North Queensland Cowboys in the second leg of Indigenous Round. Reports are emerging that talks between the Perth Bears and Junior Paulo have fallen apart – is big Junez set to return to the Blue & Gold in 2027?
Brian To’o is a Chief while Corey Horburgh, fresh off a public castigation from his coach Ricky Stuart, is now the primary target for the Bears as both expansion franchises look to make moves. The NRL continues to chase controversial changes as they moot a 3rd Place Play-Off and in injury news, Isaah Yeo marks a huge loss for the Panthers after injured his pectoral muscle in the loss to the Warriors.
I’ll be happy if we give Horsborough a very wide berth.
Likewise
We need some quality purchases – we all know it; and we need some NRL experience in some ways; whether thats a 50 plus NRL player or a 200 gamer.
I would love to know what some of our players are on…if we keep Paulo does this mean we do not have enough $$$ for anyone else? surely not
The treatment of Ryley has been nothing short of disgraceful. You could understand the initial plan to send him back to reserve grade to give him some minutes but the continual demotion when the hooker in first grade is far from setting the world on fire and then to parachute a absolute plodder in Edwards in to first grade in front of him.
His one of the only blokes who puts everything on the line when he plays and the fact is he is right now the best all round hooker at the club.
The fans shift is real around everyone at the club coaches and management because these calls make absolutely no sense.
He’ll walk and so he should and what kind of message does it send to potential young guys when you’ve got blokes like kelma,will p , de belin, Gideon literally racking up worst on ground performances regularly but continually being selected. If I’m a young gun right now at parramatta and a better club come knocking I’m leaving in a heartbeat the clubs a mess.
This club has a massive stench around it right now and I sincerely hope that this so called review starts one of the biggest clean outs in history
A dog that is carrying a piece of meat looks down as it is walking beside a stream and sees its own reflection in the water. Taking that for another dog carrying something better, it opens its mouth to attack the “other” and in doing so drops what it was carrying
I posted this on another comment page – it is the list of players available for 2027 (though might have changed slightly. I post it because anyone thinking 2027 is all sunshine and roses needs to see whatr the reality is.
Based on need and quality, who are the players you would want to sign from this lot?
For me (not considering the Eels players listed):
Kamikamica
Humphries
Billy Walters
Brodie Jones
maybe even good old Ray Stone
Not saying i love picking those players, but they’re better than what we got and we are going to have to sign players just to make the salary cap.
FULLBACK
Kade Dykes, Heath Mason.
FIVE-EIGHTH
Daly Cherry-Evans, Zac Herdegen, Josh Rogers, Trent Toelau, Cody Walker.
HALFBACK
Jamie Humphreys, Brad Schneider, Ronald Volkman.
HOOKER
Jayden Berrell, Tristan Hope, Jake Turpin, Sam Verrills, Billy Walters, Patrick Young.
LOCK
Nathan Brown, Adam Elliott, Blake Hosking, Liam Le Blanc, Kalani Leuluai-Going, Kurt Mann, Cameron McInnes, Hohepa Puru, Ray Stone, Jack Todd.
PROP
Tom Ale, Jake Clydsdale, Tuku Hau Tapuha, Jack Hetherington, Samuel Hughes, Jaiyden Hunt, Tui Kamikamica, Sean Keppie, Kaiden Lahrs, Blake Lawrie, Jett Liu, Matthew Lodge, Ata Mariota, Vena Patuki-Case, Junior Paulo, Toby Rudolf, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Siosifa Taukeiaho, Braden Uele, Leeroy Weatherall.
SECOND-ROW
Tyson Frizell, Morgan Gannon, Jack Gosiewski, Brodie Jones, Mason Kira, Zyon Maiu’u, Ryan Matterson, Max McCarthy, Sam McIntyre, Kai O’Donnell, Aaron Schoupp, Tony Sukkar, Kelma Tuilagi.
WINGER
Michael Asomua, William Craig, Siale Faeamani, Jaxson Paulo, Jeral Skelton, Jed Stuart, Jake Tago, Murray Taulagi, Christian Tuipulotu, Daniel Tupou.
Now with a soon arriving new ceo, we may have a chance at moving in the right direction
Big opportunity with Jim leaving. A management refresh is due and it’s important to get the right people – not washed up administrators like Richardson. Wonder who is next to fall at Parra management. I doubt it’s only jim leaving. He is first domino
Why wasn’t there a podcast or any blog on here as this is a big news day?
Seems strange on this site