The Parramatta Eels have undergone a significant overhaul during the off-season, a change deemed necessary after finishing 15th in the league and recording the second-worst defensive statistics, surpassed only by the Wests Tigers. Brad Arthur, the long-time head coach, was dismissed mid-season, leading to Jason Ryles stepping in as his replacement. Ryles made bold decisions, including releasing team veterans Clinton Gutherson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
Among the notable changes, crowd favourite Maika Sivo has joined Arthur at Leeds, while promising acquisitions like Zac Lomax from the Dragons and Josh Addo-Carr from Canterbury are expected to enhance the team. Isaiah Iongi from the Panthers faces a considerable challenge in stepping into Gutherson’s role as fullback. Historically, scoring hasn’t been a concern for the Eels, having scored more points last season than the Bulldogs and Knights, both of whom made the finals. However, Ryles will be focusing on shoring up a defence that conceded an alarming average of close to 30 points per game.
The Eels’ playmaking duo, Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown, remain instrumental to the team’s offensive strategy, providing ample opportunities for players like Will Penisini and Bailey Simonsson to excel. The forward pack is robust, featuring exceptional offloaders such as Shaun Lane, J’maine Hopgood, and Junior Paulo.
One of the pressing issues for the Eels is their hooker position, as there are multiple contenders but no standout candidate, which could pose a challenge moving forward.
In terms of recruitment, the Eels have welcomed several players, including Zac Lomax, Isaiah Iongi, Dean Hawkins, and Josh Addo-Carr. They have also faced losses, including Clinton Gutherson and Maika Sivo, who have joined other clubs.
Josh Addo-Carr stands out as a key signing, with a reputation as one of the top wingers who could emerge as the league’s leading try-scorer when paired with Moses and Brown. Conversely, Junior Paulo faces added pressure to step up in light of RCG’s departure, as his performance will be vital to the team’s success.
The critical question remains whether Jason Ryles can optimise the talents at his disposal in his inaugural season as head coach. Predictions suggest the Eels may finish around the 10th position, with odds of $41 to win the championship.
Projected Round One Line-Up:
- Isaiah Iongi
- Joash Papali’i
- Zac Lomax
- Will Penisini
- Bailey Simonsson
- Dylan Brown
- Mitchell Moses
- Junior Paulo
- Joey Lussick
- Joe Ofahengaue
- Shaun Lane
- Bryce Cartwright
- J’maine Hopgood
- Brendan Hands
- Jack Williams
- Ryan Matterson
- Wiremu Greig