In an unexpected move, Melbourne Storm stops Jason Ryles from taking players to Parramatta.
As part of his release deal with the Storm, newly appointed Parramatta coach Jason Ryles will have to turn his attention away from Melbourne in search of fresh hires. Ryles was informed by the Storm that he may depart at the end of the week to start working with the struggling NRL team, nine days after he was named the Eels coach on a four-year contract beginning in 2025.
Trent Barrett will continue to serve as the Eels’ temporary coach through the end of the current season, but Ryles may quietly oversee all of the preparations for the following one. The former assistant coach for Melbourne will surely now focus on the players of other clubs in an attempt to turn around Parramatta’s results. Anticipating that the coach would steal any of Melbourne’s gifted young players, he pledged not to bring in any Storm players during his first season as head coach of the Eels in exchange for being allowed to leave early.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the agreement is in paper and is comparable to what other teams have made with other coaches in the league. It is not just verbal. Former teammates Bob Fulton and Phil Gould have an agreement not to steal each other’s players without consent.
Furthermore, it will stop Ryles from taking advantage of Melbourne’s abundance of talented backs as he looks for Parramatta’s long-term fullback replacement for Clint Gutherson. As a result, he will be unable to attempt to entice Sua Fa’alogo or Ryan Papenhuyzen to join the club.
Earlier this week, Storm CEO Justin Rodski remarked, “On behalf of everyone at the Melbourne Storm, we congratulate Jason on his appointment to senior coach at the Eels.” “Considering the importance of this chance for Jason, we have decided that an early release is in everyone’s best interests.
“Jason is a quality person and coach, we thank him for his contribution in 2024 and wish him, his wife Alana and his family all the best for the future.”
The first thing Jason Ryles needs to do is get Blaize Talagi’s services.