Eels coach Jason Ryles says Parramatta’s fans had every right to boo the team after they slumped to an ugly 52-10 loss at home on Sunday afternoon as their horror injury list grew worse with a couple of head knocks.
Parramatta has conceded 226 points through the opening six rounds – the most in the NRL this season – with the blue and golds picked apart with ease by Gold Coast’s speedy backs.
The result leaves them in 16th spot, with their fans voicing their displeasure when the full-time siren sounded at CommBank Stadium.
“We just got 50 put on us at our home ground, so the fans are well within their right to be doing that. They’re a huge part of what we’re doing and it’s disappointing that we performed like that in front of them,” Ryles said.
“It’s really disappointing. I didn’t see it coming. (There were) some not really good signs there.”
To make matters worse, Sam Tuivaiti and Kelma Tuilagi both suffered head knocks that will rule them out of their next game against the Bulldogs.
The Eels have already lost J’maine Hopgood, Matt Doorey and Bailey Simonsson to season-ending injuries, while key spine members Jonah Pezet and Isaiah Iongi will also be sidelined for a few more weeks.
“It’s certainly a challenge,” Ryles said.
“Whenever you get a third of the way through your list, it’s always going to put pressure on performances. But at the same time, it creates opportunity.
“Today for me was disappointing from the point of view that the spirit wasn’t there. Last week (against the Tigers) I saw some fight that I’d never seen before, and then this week I didn’t see it.
“Some individuals made some decisions that hopefully they wouldn’t make again, so that’s something that we need to get to the bottom of really quickly.
“Whoever does come in for those guys that are injured, it’s really important they understand that NRL is a tough business, and if you’re not ready to go right from the start, today happens.
“I’m not going to blame the injuries (for what happened). They’re there, and teams go through those periods in seasons, but when you get your opportunity, you need to take it.
“Right across the board, we just need to get to the bottom of why we lacked that desire today, which I’ve not seen at all from this group in the 18 months that I’ve been here. Not for one second. So that was probably the most disappointing part.”
Veteran prop Junior Paulo is also nursing a knee injury but Ryles says he won’t throw youngsters in just for the sake of it to potentially “jeopardise their future” when they’re not ready for first grade.
Skipper Mitch Moses was lost for words as they look to bounce back from the demoralising defeat against Canterbury.
“I don’t really have many answers for you, to be honest,” he said.
“We haven’t really started well pretty much the whole year, so our start is a big reason for it. We’ve been losing our start every single game probably this year, and then when you look up at the scoreboard you’re down by 18, 20 and chasing your tail. It doesn’t make it easy there.
“I don’t think our attack was really good today either, so it didn’t really help.”
Originally published as ‘I’ve not seen at all from this group’: Jason Ryles says fans were entitled to boo his team after their defence fell apart at home