Parramatta coach Jason Ryles, while addressing a recent members’ forum, was asked to reflect on his first year with the clipboard in the NRL.

“What was I surprised about? I’ll give you something to laugh at, but it wasn’t funny at the time,” Ryles told the 100 fans in attendance. “The first half in Melbourne. I was surprised at that.

“We can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t funny at the time.”

It’s even less funny the second time around. Few saw last year’s 56-18 opening-round capitulation to the Storm coming. Fewer still could have guessed that worse was to come, Friday night’s 52-4 surrender at AAMI Park.

What makes Parramatta’s performance - or lack thereof - most shocking is what preceded it. You could mount a case that Parramatta had the best off season of any club. They rolled into their summer training after winning five of their last seven matches in 2025, including wins over the Broncos and Roosters.

Then they won the NRL’s pre-season challenge, and the $100,000 that goes with it, after impressing against the Sharks and Roosters. And then they inflicted a rare off-field defeat on the Storm, thwarting their hopes of signing Zac Lomax in a move that appeared to unite the club and earn the respect of rivals.

But standing up to Melbourne on the field proved beyond them. The latest loss was heavier than the one in the corresponding game last year and will raise even more red flags. On paper, Melbourne fielded what appeared to be a weakened team. They were missing Ryan Papenhuyzen, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Eli Katoa. Ex-Storm half Jonah Pezet was now playing for the opposition. And to make matters worse, Melbourne lock Alec MacDonald’s night lasted less than a minute after suffering a concussion.

And yet, save for the opening 10 minutes, Parramatta never looked in it.

© The Age