Rookie coach Jason Ryles’s risky call vindicated as Eels come out on top in NRL thriller

Parramatta Eels coach Jason Ryles had to wait for his first win but it came against his former team in dramatic fashion.

Eels coach Jason Ryles spent all week being questioned about whether he was playing superstar signing Zac Lomax out of position and if he regrets letting Clint Gutherson go, but on Saturday his calls were vindicated in a dramatic 23-22 golden point win.

In the end it was Lomax’s field goal that sealed the dramatic comeback win for the Eels, in what marked their first win of the season.

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It was also the first win as a head coach for Ryles, which ironically came against his old club where he played nine seasons and made 156 appearances.

However, it was far from easy viewing for Ryles, who watched Gutherson score two tries and lead from the front for the Dragons.

Ryles controversially let veteran fullback go ahead of this season, to prioritise Isaiah Iongi, with the move questioned in the lead-up to Saturday afternoon’s clash.

You can watch Zac Lomax’s match-winning field goal in the player above.

Zac Lomax stole the show on Saturday. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

The 46-year-old said he was “bullish” he made the right call and while Gutherson was a standout, so was Iongi.

The young fullback put on a clinic in attack, scoring one try, setting up another and proving too much to handle for the Dragons defenders.

The 21-year-old finished the game with a whopping 22 runs for 200m, outdoing his rival No. 1 in run metres.

While for Lomax – the Eels’ big-money acquisition from the Dragons – he was superb throughout.

Despite being named at centre, Lomax floated across the park in attack and looked threatening every time he touched the ball.

And when crunch time came he nailed a long-range penalty goal to level the match and send it to golden point, before icing the game with a field goal that never looked like missing.

In the end, bragging rights go to the Eels, after what was an enthralling contest.

Tempers flare in fiery clash

There was always going to be plenty of feeling in a match where two teams shared so much history.

And just before halftime, tensions bubbled over.

With the Dragons up 14-6 at the break, Gutherson let Eels winger Sean Russel know the score and potentially also had some other choice words for his former teammate.

A push and shove between the pair ensued before teammates got involved.

Gutherson played down the interaction telling Fox Sports’ Lara Pitt: “They’re desperate, we’re desperate. Win’s are hard to get, this game’s no different.”

Originally published as Rookie coach Jason Ryles’s risky call vindicated as Eels come out on top in NRL thriller