The Parramatta Eels tough season start continued Thursday, copping their seventh loss of the season at the hands of the Dolphins.
In what was a close game, goal-kicking proved the difference for the Eels, with Sean Russell's two missed conversions providing the Dolphins their four-point margin of victory.
But despite winning just two of his first nine games as head coach, Jason Ryles has preached patience around the direction of the team, as they look to return to their premiership-contending best.
Eels coach pleads for patience as tough start continues
It wasn't an ideal start to the season for the Parramatta Eels under new coach Jason Ryles - they lost their first four games including a 56 point thrashing to open their campaign.
After a mini-stretch of two wins from three, they have now dropped back-to-back efforts against the Sharks and Dolphins, leading to Ryles calling for patience regarding his squad.
"You’ve got to look at the experience of some of the boys out there in the first part of their NRL careers, and it’s a tough business, the NRL," Ryles told media after the game Thursday.
"So they are learning on the job and they are doing an outstanding job for long periods, but there’s little moments in the game.
"It’s not any one person, it’s spread out across the team. So we will go back, review and continue to look to get better each week.
"An old bloke told me once the scoreboard is the last thing to change so there’s a lot of things improving out there. The young players are getting better each week.
"We are getting better as a footy team and a footy club and that’s all I can ask."
They now have a week to reflect on this loss, before they face off against the Newcastle Knights next Friday.