Parramatta Eels head coach Jason Ryles has fired back at questioning over his decision to drop Dylan Brown.
Brown is Parramatta's 18th man on Saturday afternoon for the clash against the Canberra Raiders, with Joash Papalii to play five-eighth.
It follows the decision last weekend where the Eels, playing without Ryley Smith, started Brown at dummy half before he also played some lock forward in the closing stages of the clash against the Penrith Panthers.
But now Brown is out of the 17, and Ryles has come under criticism from both Mark Geyer and Brad Fittler, among others this week, while the club's fan base seem divided on the matter.
The play for Ryles is simple.
Prepare for next year.
After missing out on the signing of Lachlan Galvin to the Canterbury Bulldogs, Ryles has earmarked Joash Papalii as next year's five-eighth, and has immediately thrown him into the role to prepare.
While some argue it's giving away the 2025 season, Ryles said he gave Brown the opportunity to leave the club early - before the June 30 transfer deadline - with this being a possibility.
Ryles said his side hadn't given up on 2025 though.
“That's not true at all. Every time we go to training, we look to get better, and every time we go to play the game, we're competing hard every single play,' Ryles told the media per The Sydney Morning Herald.
The star New Zealand half will now only likely be recalled if injuries strike.
“It was pretty clear for me going forward. The option to use him again is certainly there. If that does come up, and we get an injury or two – and he fits into the picture – we'll do that, definitely," the head coach added.
What it means for Brown remains to be seen, but he may well not play again this year if he sits as 18th man for the Eels throughout the remainder of the campaign.
The pressure will also be on Papalii to deliver, knowing Brown could be recalled at any stage, with the former Bulldog who made the switch at the start of this year now thrown into a role that he needs to learn quickly ahead of becoming the club's number one option in a halves combination alongside Origin player Mitchell Moses next year.
