Rogers calls for Ryles to “clear the place out” after Barrett decision

FORMER State of Origin player Mat Rogers has called for new Parramatta Eels coach Jason Ryles to “clear the whole place out” as he starts the quest to take the powerhouse club to its first premiership in almost 40 years.

Rogers’ comments come after news current interim coach and former assistant coach under Brad Arthur, Trent Barrett, would not be retained as part of Parramatta’s coaching staff when Ryles takes over.

But the man, who played 200 games for Cronulla and Gold Coast, said it was the right decision from Ryles to let Barrett go.

“He’s got to clear the whole place out,” he said on Sportsday NRL.

“He can’t have one person that was in there from the old regime because it gives a place for players to go and people to go to have a little cry or a whinge if it gets too hard or they’re not liking the way it is.

“This is his first foray into the head coaching role and he needs to take total control.

“It puts a lot of pressure on him because it’s all on his shoulders but that’s the deal when you become a head coach.

“When I read this I was like and people were like ‘oh that’s his mate’ and I’m like who cares, this is business and this is a big deal for Jason Ryles. This is his first opportunity to take over a club as a head coach and he’s got to do it his way.”

As the Eels languish towards the bottom of the NRL ladder this season and are yet to win another premiership since the legendary team in 1986, Rogers said he would be excited by the changes if he was a Parramatta fan.

“He’s going to come in there and make wholesale changes across the board to the coaching staff because they’ve been in what three grand finals in the 2000s,” he said.

“They haven’t won one since ’86 so it’s got to change dramatically. Little bits of change don’t work, it’s got to be radical.

“Radical change to get a radically different result… now is the time to go in and clear the decks.”

Parramatta face another tough test when the host the Melbourne Storm on Friday night.