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01-05-2025

Don't get it confused. Ryley Smith isn't another Reed Mahoney.
Parramatta's No.9 hasn't been able to escape the comparisons to former Eels hooker Mahoney perhaps due to his size and choice of headgear.
'Reed's a great player but I'm just happy to be playing my game. If comparisons come though then that's great, but I'm just Ryley,' Smith said.
But in a tough start to Parramatta's season, Smith's performances since his Round 1 debut have been a shining light for the club.
He stands out among the pack, quite literally with his bright ice-blue headgear.
That's always been the point he says.
'I had another one up until I was probably 14 and then mum bought me the one that I wear now, just so she could see me better on the field,' Smith explained.
'It's just stuck and is something that's a part of me now. I've seen someone was wearing the blue headgear on TV the other day, someone in the crowd was wearing one so if it's something I can start, that could be pretty cool.
'I get a bit of stick off the boys for having a light blue one, but no, it won't be going anywhere.'
The NRL crowds are much bigger compared to the junior ones, but still mum Cathy can always spot her son in the Steeden when she comes to watch him play.
'Definitely mum and dad, they're my biggest supporters so I do it all for them. They've always kept me in line, they've disciplined me when they've needed to and they've let me have fun and just enjoy the rollercoaster that The NRL is so far.'
Smith was just as recognisable as a junior for his athletic ability. Also an impressive representative cricketer in his youth, Smith found himself in the Australian under-18 cricket team.
The morning after finishing his HSC Smith found out he'd also made the Australian Schoolboys Rugby League team, becoming just the second person in St Dominic's history to do both after South Sydney footballer Bronko Djura from the 1980s.
At a crossroads, Smith made the decision to commit to league.
'When I was 19 it was just getting in the way of footy. It wasn't fair on either so I feel I had to put all my eggs in one basket,' he said.
'At the time, I thought that footy was the best decision so that was sort of what I went with at the end of the day. I feel that's turned out alright.'
His Parramatta teammates certainly don't let him live his past down. Without provocation, at Smith's name, Junior Paulo laughed.
'Ah, the cricket player,' he joked.
'He's going really well for us. For someone so young, he is definitely mature and coming into first grade he has certainly shown that he belongs here.
'There's a reason why he's in our team, he just competes on everything, so he's going good.'
Smith's strong performances should come as no surprise to fans given he came through rivals Penrith's system in SG Ball and Jersey Flegg alongside his teammate fullback Isiah Iongi.
He says the two can build a formidable partnership in the spine off the back of Dylan Brown and Mitchell Moses.
'We played in the 2022 Flegg season and then have always been mates since. I think we're building really nicely us two rookies with Dyl and Mitch we're finding a really good connection and building something really good,' Smith said.
'For me and Izzy at the moment it's just about learning off them two. They've done it for so long now and we're just trying to pick their brains and then be the best players we can.'
After three starting hookers to start the year for Parramatta in Brendan Hands, Joey Lussick and Charlie Guymer, coach Jason Ryles seems to have found his man in Smith.
The hooker played a strong role in his first full 80-minute stint for his sides famous Easter Monday win against a Galvin-less Tigers, but won't in a rush to come up against Sunia Turuva again.
'The biggest thing I learnt is how fast momentum can change in an NRL game, how ruthless it is and how good the opposition is as well. So I think just for me, it's about picking my moments and nailing them.
'There was a lot of tension last week and a lot of competitiveness in the game and when we went down to 11 it was definitely tough, but it was awesome. It was really good to get a win with Mitch back.'
Fresh off the bye, the hooker will once again make up part of the Eels' starting 13 to open Magic Round on Friday against a battling Sharks outfit.
Smith, whether down to his performance or his bright blue cap, will be as noticeable as always.