Lazy defence, panic calls, pushed passes: Ugly Eels opener had it all

The only thing more surprising that Parramatta’s opening-round capitulation to the Storm last year was that the Eels would allow it to happen again. AnalysisSportNRLNRL 2026Lazy defence, panic calls, pushed passes: Ugly Eels opener had it allBy Adrian Proszenko March 6, 2026 — 11.30amSaveLog in, register or subscribe to save articles for later.Save articles for laterAdd articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.Got itNormal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeAdvertisementParramatta coach Jason Ryles, while addressing a recent members’ forum, was asked to reflect on his first year with the clipboard in the NRL.“What was I surprised about? I’ll give you something to laugh at, but it wasn’t funny at the time,” Ryles told the 100 fans in attendance. “The first half in Melbourne. I was surprised at that.“We can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t funny at the time.”It’s even less funny the second time around. Few saw last year’s 56-18 opening-round capitulation to the Storm coming. Fewer still could have guessed that worse was to come, Friday night’s 52-4 surrender at AAMI Park.What makes Parramatta’s performance - or lack thereof - most shocking is what preceded it. You could mount a case that Parramatta had the best off season of any club. They rolled into their summer training after winning five of their last seven matches in 2025, including wins over the Broncos and Roosters.Then they won the NRL’s pre-season challenge, and the $100,000 that goes with it, after impressing against the Sharks and Roosters. And then they inflicted a rare off-field defeat on the Storm, thwarting their hopes of signing Zac Lomax in a move that appeared to unite the club and earn the respect of rivals.But standing up to Melbourne on the field proved beyond them. The latest loss was heavier than the one in the corresponding game last year and will raise even more red flags. On paper, Melbourne fielded what appeared to be a weakened team. They were missing Ryan Papenhuyzen, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Eli Katoa. Ex-Storm half Jonah Pezet was now playing for the opposition. And to make matters worse, Melbourne lock Alec MacDonald’s night lasted less than a minute after suffering a concussion.And yet, save for the opening 10 minutes, Parramatta never looked in it.AdvertisementOf particular concern was the Eels’ inability to control the ruck. Storm captain Harry Grant needs little invitation to run, yet he was rarely presented with two set markers. When you’re constantly backpedalling, it’s no wonder the missed-tackle count reached 38.Another opening round, another big loss to the Storm.Credit: Getty ImagesWith a completion rate of 63 per cent, against a team that refuses to be beaten first up, it was only going to end one way. Spine superstars Grant, Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster had it their way.“They’ve got three of the Test spine there,” Ryles lamented afterwards. “If you give them that much opportunity and don’t tackle well, you get what you deserve.”Once again, Ryles didn’t see the result coming.Loading“If you’d asked me before the game, was it going to end up like that, I would have definitely said no,” he said.“I’ve obviously got to go and reflect on our preparation, what went well and what we need to work on. The bottom line is we just didn’t give ourselves a chance.”To make matters worse, Eels prop J’maine Hopgood is set to miss a week after being charged by the match review committee for the high shot that ended MacDonald’s night and saw him sin-binned.However, all is not lost. The NRL season is one of the longest and most taxing of any sport. It was the first official outing for the new-look Parramatta halves pairing of Mitchell Moses and Pezet, with the latter getting worked over by his former club. They will be better for the experience.But it will be a particularly awkward video review for the entire squad. There was a slew of pushed passes, panicked decisions and lazy defensive options that can’t be repeated when the blue and golds travel to Brisbane to face the premiers next Thursday.“It’s round one. Let’s not lose sight of that fact,” Ryles said.“The disappointment is probably that we evolved ourselves to a standard of play that didn’t look like that.“[We took] some really good lessons. We just have to have a big schooner of reality and move on.”It’s a long way away, but this could be a recurring theme. Parramatta and Melbourne, two teams yet to make the journey to Las Vegas, are expected to face off at Allegiant Stadium in the 2027 season opener.SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save articles for later.License this articleNRL 2026Parramatta EelsAnalysisAdrian Proszenko is the Chief Rugby League Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via Twitter or email.Most Viewed in SportLoadingFrom our partnersLoading 3rd party ad contentLoading 3rd party ad contentLoading 3rd party ad contentLoading 3rd party ad contentAdvertisement