Bailey Simonsson’s Season in Jeopardy
Parramatta Eels’ head coach, Jason Ryles, has confirmed that Bailey Simonsson’s 2026 season is likely over after sustaining a severe ankle injury during a golden point loss to the Wests Tigers. The incident occurred in the second half of the match when Simonsson was involved in an aerial contest and was taken illegally by Wests Tigers’ winger Luke Laulilii. Simonsson’s ankle landed in an unnatural position, leading to significant pain and a long stoppage.
Laulilii was sin-binned for the foul, while Simonsson was removed from the field via medicab. It was later revealed that he had been taken to the hospital with a dislocated ankle, an injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the 2026 season. This development adds to a growing list of long-term injuries for the Eels, many of which have resulted from foul play in recent weeks.
Injuries Take a Toll on the Team
Several key players are currently sidelined due to serious injuries. J’maine Hopgood and Matt Doorey are both out for the season after hip drop tackles, while Jordan Samrani is also unlikely to return before Round 10. Ryles expressed frustration over the impact these injuries are having on the team, although he emphasized that the actions were not intentional.
“It just happens that it’s foul play that is injuring the guys. There are two season-enders and an eight-weekers, and now another one,” Ryles said during the post-match press conference. “Those contests happen every week. The players don’t mean to do it, we understand that, but there is a reason those actions are outlawed – because of what we are going now.”
Ryles acknowledged the challenges the team faces, stating, “I’m not sure what you want me to say or do, but that’s what we sign up for each week. It’s another opportunity for our next player up.”
Additional Injuries and Player Availability
The Eels are also dealing with other injuries at the moment. Will Penisini and Isaiah Iongi are currently unavailable, while Jonah Pezet suffered a hamstring problem during the game against the Tigers. The team is stretched to its limits, with Sean Russell also being removed from the game due to a head injury assessment. Russell will be unavailable next week under the NRL’s 11-day mandatory stand-down policy, although Ryles confirmed he is fine.
“Sean is fine. He is absolutely fine. It was just a head clash, but he has pulled up absolutely fine,” Ryles said.
Looking Ahead
Parramatta’s next match is against the Gold Coast Titans at home on Sunday afternoon, providing a six-day turnaround for the club to regroup and recover. With none of the injured players expected to return for Round 6, try-scoring weapon Api Twidle, who scored twice in his first three touches on debut, is almost certain to start on the wing.
The Eels may need to rely on players like Jake Tago or Richard Penisini to fill the back seven, while Ronald Volkman could be considered for the halves if Pezet is unable to take the field. The team will need to adapt quickly as they look to bounce back from this challenging period.
