Parramatta’s off-season plan has pivoted toward the backline after Zac Lomax’s exit, with Josh Addo-Carr, a former teammate of Lomax, urging the Eels’ rising outside backs to step up as the club builds for the year ahead. The focus is on translating under-23 potential into first-grade readiness, with the season drawing closer and pre-season fixtures highlighting where the backline depth stands.
In the lead-up to the campaign, coaches emphasise that the challenge is less about a single star leaving and more about cultivating a new wave of wingers and centres who can maintain Parramatta’s attacking tempo. Addo-Carr’s stance, while not a formal plan, underscores the sense that opportunity is now for players who have been on the cusp of breaking into the side.
What we know
- Lomax’s departure has left a clear gap on the edge of the attack, prompting a push for youth to fill the role.
- Josh Addo-Carr, a former teammate of Lomax, has flagged the need for the next generation of outside backs to seize the chance.
- The coaching group is emphasising pathways for academy players and the evaluation of their readiness through trial matches and training time.
- Pre-season training camps and early practice games are shaping early backline combinations and how soon they might be fielded in competitive fixtures.
- There is an expectation that the backline will need to show cohesion quickly to maintain the club’s attacking identity in 2026.
What we don’t know
- Which players will secure the starting outside back roles in round one and how rotations will be managed across the early part of the season.
- How rapidly the rookies will adapt to the NRL’s pace and the Eels’ structure under pressure from opponents.
- Whether Addo-Carr’s role will shift if Lomax’s void persists for longer or if the club pursues late off-season adjustments.
- How injuries, form dips or suspensions might influence backline selection during the year.
- What style tweaks, if any, emerge as new combinations learn to gel in the weekend schedule.
What this means for Parramatta’s season
The outcome hinges on how well the next generation of outside backs translates potential into consistency against the competition’s best. If the young players adapt quickly, Parramatta could sustain a potent edge attack even as other teams recalibrate their defensive plans. The dynamic stretch of the backline will be a barometer for how the Eels balance risk and reward in a league that rewards speed and elasticity on the wings.
While the broader squad remains anchored by experienced forwards and a coaching staff that values structure, the backline’s development will likely influence selection decisions, late-season form, and possibly the club’s tactical identity for 2026. The coming months will test whether the Eels can cultivate depth without compromising the cohesion that has underpinned their recent grind in the competition.
