“IT’S A RUTHLESS BUSINESS”: Jason Ryles Turns Up the Heat as Parramatta Eels Enter Era of Tough Calls and High Stakes
Jason Ryles hasn’t wasted any time putting his stamp on the Parramatta Eels.
Appointed to the head coaching role ahead of the 2025 NRL season, Ryles walked into a club that had been stuck in mediocrity—lacking direction, identity, and bite. It’s no surprise then that from his very first press conference, the former Roosters assistant and Storm enforcer made it clear that sentimentality would have no place in his blueprint for rebuilding the blue and gold.
“It’s a ruthless business,” Ryles said bluntly when asked about difficult decisions made during the preseason.
And he wasn’t joking.
In his first months at the helm, Ryles initiated a sweeping cultural reset. That began with the shock call to strip long-serving captain Clint Gutherson of the captaincy and hand the reins to star halfback Mitchell Moses. The move raised eyebrows, but Ryles stood firm, insisting it was about aligning leadership with the club’s on-field identity moving forward.
“Mitchell commands the group,” Ryles explained. “He’s the guy they look to in pressure moments, and that’s what leadership in this league demands. We’re not here to make people comfortable. We’re here to compete—and to win.”
While the Eels started slowly in 2025, fans soon got a taste of the transformation Ryles had promised. The side played with renewed aggression and urgency, even if the execution didn’t always match. Losses mounted early, but Ryles didn’t blink. Instead, he doubled down—tightening standards at training, increasing internal accountability, and challenging even his most experienced players to meet his expectations.
When questioned about the ruthless nature of some selections—particularly the omission of veterans and the preference for young talent—Ryles didn’t sugarcoat it.
“That’s just how it is,” he said. “If you’re not moving forward in this game, you’re standing still—and that gets you run over.”
Among the more telling moves was the club’s pursuit and signing of 21-year-old hooker Tallyn Da Silva on a long-term deal through 2029. That deal effectively pushed Api Koroisau—a respected Origin veteran—out of future plans. For Ryles, it was about building a spine that could grow together and execute his vision over multiple seasons.
The Da Silva signing is a hallmark of Ryles’s overall strategy: back the young, explosive talent who can absorb his system, work hard, and deliver high-effort football. Alongside Moses, fullback Isaiah Iongi, and five-eighth Joash Papalii, Ryles is quietly assembling a new core.
But this overhaul hasn’t come without backlash.
Many longtime fans have struggled with the speed and severity of the change. Some viewed the Gutherson demotion as “disrespectful.” Others questioned whether the Eels had discarded too much experience too quickly. Commentators have noted the pressure Ryles is under, especially given the club’s slow climb up the ladder.
Still, there’s an undeniable clarity in the way Ryles speaks and coaches. Even after a brutal early-season loss to the Storm where Parramatta conceded 56 points, he stood firm.
“We’re not happy with that performance,” Ryles said after the match. “But this group knows what’s expected of them. There are no excuses in this business. There’s only the work, and whether you’re willing to do it.”
Behind the scenes, players have reportedly responded well to Ryles’s structure and standards. Several young stars have emerged under his watch, with forwards like Luca Moretti and outside backs such as Arthur Miller-Stephen impressing in recent weeks. Players say there’s a “no-nonsense” edge to the coach that demands their best—but also gives them purpose.
“Rylesy doesn’t play games,” one Eels player anonymously told The Daily Telegraph. “You know where you stand with him, and you know if you’re not putting in, someone else will be.”
That environment has fostered a competitive internal culture—and it’s beginning to show in performance. The Eels notched a gritty win against the Dragons in Round 9, then backed it up with an even stronger effort against the Bulldogs a week later. Suddenly, the Eels look more disciplined, fitter, and hungrier than they have in years.
In a league where coaching tenures can be unforgiving and short-lived, Ryles’s open embrace of the “ruthless” label is both risky and refreshing. He’s not chasing popularity. He’s not building around nostalgia. He’s constructing something sustainable—and he knows it won’t be easy.
“There are no guarantees in this job,” he said recently. “But if you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one. I’ve got a vision for where this club can go, and I won’t apologize for doing what I think is right.”
Looking ahead, the Eels still have work to do. The top eight is in reach, but consistency will be key. Injuries, pressure from the media, and internal expectations will all challenge Ryles’s ability to keep his squad mentally sharp and focused.
But if his early months have proven anything, it’s that Jason Ryles isn’t afraid of the hard calls. He thrives on them. He’s coaching like a man who’s already been around the block—and who knows full well how fleeting NRL success can be.
“Ruthless?” Ryles said with a smirk in a recent press conference. “Maybe. But that’s what this business demands.”
And for the Parramatta Eels, it might be exactly what they need.
