The Tackle: Dylan Brown hooked by Eels coach Jason Ryles in ‘bizarre’ decision

Dylan Brown spent a large chunk of Parramatta’s loss to Penrith on the bench after starting at hooker - and it could be more of the same for the $13 million five-eighth moving forward.

As the camera panned to Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown on the bench after his 29-minute stint at hooker, Fox League expert Michael Ennis said it best.

“It’s very bizarre,” he said.

The decision to roll out Brown at hooker was to accommodate Joash Papalii in the No.6 jumper, with Dean Hawkins at halfback.

On the face of it, it makes sense.

Coach Jason Ryles is building for the future and Brown, who will join the Knights in 2026, is not part of those plans - Papalii is.

Dylan Brown was hooked during Parramatta’s loss to Penrith. Picture: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

He’s the youngster billed to replace Brown at five-eighth, so building reps at the NRL level - and confidence - in the role will be crucial to his development.

But Ryles’ decision made less sense tactically as the game went on in Sunday’s loss to Penrith.

When Parramatta needed the threat of Brown’s running game, Ryles had his most experienced playmaker feeding the ball from dummy-half, with no runs, for 29 minutes only to then turn him into as a spectator on the bench.

Brown was injected back into the game with six minutes left on the clock but by then the contest was over.

With Ryley Smith and Tallyn Da Silva already options at hooker, it raises questions about Brown’s role moving forward in 2025 for the Eels.

“Dylan Brown’s days at Parramatta may as well be over now,” Andrew Voss suggested.

And Ryles echoed the commentator in the post-match press conference.

“It’s just our future’s now, so we want to get on with it,” Ryles said.

“And I had a really good conversation with Dylan and he was all on board for it and he’s been really receptive of it and obviously the way he played sort of reflected that too and then Joash had an opportunity at No.6.”

With Brown joining the Knights on a 10-year, $13 million deal next year, Ryles explained that the five-eighth is on board with the decision to give other players a chance in the back end of the season.

“He’s been really good right from when he made his decision to move on,” Ryles said.

“He’s been really receptive of anything that we’ve put to him and he’s a really good person and he’s a really selfless person for our footy club, so whilst he’s still here he’s happy to do whatever is best for the team so it’s just a good reflection of his character.”

Dylan Brown started at hooker for Parramatta.

Ryles also explained the decision to take Dylan off and switch him to lock in the second half.

“No, there was no planning around how to get him back on,” Ryles said.

“But we wanted to get Tallyn on at around the time that we did get him on and then I basically Dylan’s really clear with where he stands with it.

“It was when he comes back on, it could be there or it could be No.13 and then we’ll just keep working on where we get him on and when we get him on. It will just be dependent on how the game pans out.

“Ryley’s back next week so come in on Tuesday or Wednesday and we’ll sit down and put the names up and see what it looks like and obviously consult with Mitch and Junior and our leadership group and see what it looks like, the best balance but we’ll just do our best to get our best players on the field all at once.”

The Eels face Canberra on Saturday and Ryles will need his best possible 17 if the Parramatta are a chance of knocking off the ladder leaders.

Where Brown is named on Tuesday will be telling.

ROUND 19 LIKES

HAT-TRICK HERO

Exiled Tiger Taylan May sent a big selection message to coach Benji Marshall ahead of next week’s clash against the Titans.

The explosive outside back ran in a hat-trick at centre in just under 10 minutes for the Magpies in NSW Cup on Sunday.

A full arsenal of May’s talents were on display in his flurry of tries against the Warriors - from tackle breaking runs to his deft hands.

Injecting May, who can play at centre or wing, into the NRL will leave Marshall with a tough decision - who makes way?

Adam Doueihi was again at his threatening best in the loss to the Warriors and his place is safe, so too Sunia Turuva who is deputising for Jahream Bula at fullback.

It leaves Jeral Skelton, Starford To’a and Charlie Staines on the chopping block.

While May alone won’t solve the Tigers’ problems, his inclusion will inject a threat on the right side of the field to complement Doueihi’s efforts on the left edge.

Doueihi, who scored two of the Tigers’ try and set up the first for Skelton, is also an option in the halves or even at lock.

GALVIN PLANNING

After seeing Lachlan Galvin off the bench and then starting in the halves, Canterbury fans got a glimpse of Plan C for the youngster against North Queensland - where is left out of the NRL side entirely.

Cameron Ciraldo’s decision was strategic, he needed four bench forwards with Max King backing up from Origin and Jaeman Salmon returning from injury.

The move raised eyebrows but could be the best one for Galvin’s development as a Bulldog.

The 19-year old sat perched in the coach’s box, watching and learning in Townsville.

Learning how the Bulldogs handle and manage a gritty clash, where victory is built on effort especially in defence.

Lachlan Galvin was a shock absentee from Canterbury’s 17 on the weekend. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Lachlan Galvin was relegated from Canterbury’s side against the Cowboys. Fox League

Galvin was guilty of showing signs of being impatient, pushing passes against the Broncos.

That cohesion and connection takes time to foster, not only in attack but also in defence - a cornerstone of Ciraldo’s outfit.

Where Galvin gets his education on the Bulldogs’ systems will continue to be a hot topic of conversation.

Will it be in the NRL side or in the NSW Cup?

Ciraldo’s call to relegate Galvin from the starting outfit does show the coach is not favouring the talented teen ahead of other spine players.

It also shows the coach isn’t willing to compromise a game plan simply to make room for Galvin.

TRY JULY

Victor Radley’s try celebration in Saturday’s win over the Dragons left plenty of scratching their heads.

The Roosters forward ran over to the nearest camera and yelled, ‘there’s more from where that came from’.

It turns out, Radley was mimicking a scene from Adam Sander’s cult classic Happy Gilmore.

NRL and NRLW players have embraced Sportsbet’s Try July, where $5,000 will be donated to the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation (ASCF) and the Player Hardship Fund for every celebration this month.

BRAVE HASTINGS

Cameron Munster wasn’t the only star to bravely overcome personal heartache in the past week.

Newcastle’s Jackson Hastings courageously also took this field against Melbourne a little over a week after the shock passing of his mother Megan.

“It was a big shock to all of us when we got the news,” coach Adam O’Brien said.

“We thought we’d give him some space and it was a bigger shock to see him through the doors a couple of days later.

“He wanted to be around his teammates, he was clear he wanted to play.”

Jackson Hastings wears a beautiful jersey tribute to his mother. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

ROUND 19 DISLIKES

FLANNO’S FRUSTRATIONS

Self-sabotage comes to mind at times regarding the Dragons in 2025.

The side’s inability to deal with errors and untimely penalties has been an issue all year.

Clinging onto a six-point lead against the Roosters, and with a one man advantage, Dragons forward Jaydn Su’A gave away a ruck penalty late in the first half.

It led to a Robert Toia try, to level the scores, in the following set. It’s been a trend all season.

Winger Tyrell Sloan crossed for a try but defensively was no match for Daniel Tupou, who beat him convincingly for a double.

Defensive minded coaches will tell you that a try saved is better than one scored.

The Dragons were tackled 25 times in the attacking red zone but only came away with a single try.

It only puts the halves under further pressure.

Flanagan’s men have played with effort over the last couple of weeks but can quickly come undone on the back of errors and penalties.

It doesn’t get any easier with a five-week run that includes clashes against the Bulldogs, Cowboys, Raiders, Sharks and the Warriors.

THIRD MAN IN

The NRL loathes any reference to a refereeing crackdown.

In Round 16, Roosters backrower Suia Wong suffered a knee injury after a low third-man tackle by Cowboys utility Karl Lawton. At the time, the ugly looking tackle went unpunished. Lawton was eventually hit with a two-week ban over the incident.

Naturally, the sinbinning of Roosters halfback Sam Walker on Saturday night for being the third man in on a tackle against David Klemmer had shades of reactionary refereeing about it.

Walker escaped any punishment from the judiciary for his version of the tackle.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson argued the lack of force did not warrant a Walker sin bin, clearly the judiciary agreed.

The low third-man tackle is dangerous and should be stamped out of the game - a sin bin is a fair punishment.

But Walker’s sin bin is just another example of an unnecessary over correction.

EXPOSED PHIN

Isaiya Katoa’s talent is undeniable and his form is keeping the Dolphins in the finals hunt.

But just as the 21-year-old is being lauded as a must for NSW in next year’s Origin series, Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon has rolled out the blueprint to stop the talented halfback in his tracks.

Katoa flourishes when given time and space. His deft hands, footwork and vision is a nightmare for defences to read, predict and shutdown.

Fitzgibbon’s plan to take every possible second away from Katoa worked a treat.

For the best part of 60 minutes, Cronulla’s rushing defence was all over the like a rash.

His opposite back rower Teig Wilton was up in his face all night long.

Katoa was caught on numerous occasions on the last tackle, which not only blunted the Dolphins attack but his ability to manage the game.

Isaiya Katoa is stopped by Teig Wilton

Isaiya Katoa is rushed upon quickly by Teig Wilton

Isaiya Katoa is shut down by the Sharks defence

To his credit, Katoa took ownership of his ineffectiveness on Friday night.

“I take ownership of that, just to relieve a bit of pressure for my outside guys,” he said.

“I got caught a couple of times there on last tackle, stuck with the ball.

“I was a little off there … we took a while to connect as a spine. I thought at times I wasn’t dominant enough. My calls were probably not as dominant, in being that seven, just making sure I’m dominant in that department.”

Isaiya Katoa was contained by the Sharks. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Before Friday night’s loss, the Dolphins averaged almost 46 points in their last five games. Katoa went into the Cronulla clash as the competition’s leader for try assists and third for linebreak assists.

While Kristian Woolf has strike across the park in the likes of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Herbie Farnworth and Jake Averillo, Katoa will be the guy who determines the Dolphins’ finals fate in 2025.

The attention, and expectation, comes with the pressure to deliver.

After opting to rest Tabuai-Fidow following the Origin decider, Woolf played Averillo at fullback.

Five-eighth Kodi Nikorima, who had formed a formidable combination with Katoa, is out with a hamstring injury until at least Round 24, and shifting Averillo into the halves could give Katoa the perfect foil.

Averillo, despite finding a home at centre, is a capable playmaker with a genuine running threat. His move into the halves could ease pressure off Katoa, especially now that he has a huge target on his back.

The Dolphins have slipped to 10th on the ladder and face a difficult month with clashes against the Cowboys, Warriors, Roosters and Brisbane.

Fitzgibbon’s blueprint will be on top of the tip sheet of each coach’s clipboard.