The Parramatta Eels can draw inspiration from their long-time rivals, the Bulldogs, as they navigate a challenging start to their rebuild under new head coach Jason Ryles — and promising young hooker Ryley Smith is a sign they’re heading in the right direction.
The Bulldogs endured a tough opening season under Cameron Ciraldo in 2023, winning just three of their first eight matches and only seven for the year. Fast forward two years, and they’re now undefeated and sitting atop the NRL ladder — a remarkable turnaround that offers a blueprint for the Eels.
Parramatta’s start under Ryles has been rocky, with heavy defeats to the Storm (56-18) and Tigers (32-6) in the first two rounds. However, their performances since have shown clear improvement: narrow losses to the Bulldogs (16-8) and Sea Eagles (26-12), followed by a golden point win over the Dragons in Round 5, sealed by Zac Lomax’s decisive field goal.
The victory not only lifted a weight off Ryles’ shoulders but also reinforced that the former assistant coach to Trent Robinson and Craig Bellamy is beginning to steer the team in the right direction.
Ryles joins the ranks of recent rookie head coaches like Craig Fitzgibbon and Ciraldo, both of whom studied under premiership-winning mentors and have since built competitive teams in the NRL. According to Bulldogs legend Michael Ennis, what these coaches share is a deep understanding of what works — and the patience to implement it.
“Fitzy and Ciraldo have done excellent jobs with their teams,” Ennis told Fox Sports. “Jason’s situation is a bit different, though, as he’s had to deal with key departures like Clint Gutherson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard.”
Both players were instrumental to the Eels in recent years — Gutherson as the team’s defensive leader and organiser, and Campbell-Gillard as part of a dominant forward pack alongside Junior Paulo. Ryles played a role in their exits to create salary cap space for a younger squad, but he also lost his marquee halfback Mitch Moses to injury early in the season.
Ennis noted that implementing new systems, as Ryles is trying to do, takes time — something Ciraldo openly discussed during his first year with the Bulldogs. The loss of Moses, compounded by the distraction of Dylan Brown’s high-profile $13 million contract with the Knights, only added to the early challenges.
However, Brown showed signs of revival against the Dragons with an impressive performance — a positive sign that he may be turning a corner. Ennis emphasized that both Brown and Moses need to trust their teammates and not try to do too much on their own when they’re reunited.
Despite the focus on the Eels’ halves and attacking structure, Ennis pointed out that success starts in the middle — and that the Eels still boast a strong forward pack from their 2023 Grand Final appearance. The challenge now is getting that group to adapt to Ryles’ game style.
“There’s no doubt they have the personnel to be competitive,” Ennis said. “Junior Paulo has stepped up recently, and players like J’maine Hopgood, Ryan Matterson, and Shaun Lane all have the potential to play at a high level if Ryles can get the best out of them.”
Ciraldo’s success at the Bulldogs has also been built on his ability to identify and develop young talent. Bailey Hayward is now a starting five-eighth, while debutants like Harry Hayes and Jack Todd impressed in the Bulldogs’ 20-0 win over the Knights.
Parramatta’s answer may lie in Ryley Smith. The young hooker debuted in Round 1 and has played every game since, showing tenacity, solid service, and strong defensive instincts — a potential long-term solution in a position that has been a problem since Reed Mahoney’s departure.
“Smith has stood out with his toughness and willingness to get involved defensively,” Ennis said. “He’s clearly a player Ryles rates highly, and he’s shown he belongs at NRL level.”
Legendary coach Jack Gibson once said great players make great coaches. Talent identification is crucial, and Ryles’ early backing of Smith suggests he has the eye to spot potential within the squad.
For Eels fans, there’s reason for optimism. If Ryles continues to embed his systems, develop young stars, and add smart signings from the player market, better days could be just around the corner. And who knows — in two years’ time, we might be talking about Parramatta sitting undefeated at the top of the ladder, just like the Bulldogs, with Ryles hailed for making the tough calls that laid the foundation.
