Tallyn Da Silva joined the club halfway through the 2025 season, but it’s safe to say he’s wasting no time making the Blue and Gold home.
Da Silva joined the Eels in June and two weeks later made his club debut off the bench. He held his spot in the 17 for the remainder of the season, scoring his first try as an Eel in Round 27 and averaging over 30 run meters.
“As soon as I stepped foot in the building, all the boys were just so welcoming and made me feel a part of it right from the get-go,” Da Silva said.
“It was a big change for me but it’s something I think that I needed. I think it's been a good change for me, and I've learnt so much already the six or seven months I've been here, so I've been enjoying it.”
Da Silva quickly found his place in the team, bringing the energy and running game through the middle that Head Coach Jason Ryles was looking for.
When reflecting on last season, Da Silva reminisced some highs, but also shared key learnings which he’s excited to showcase to the Blue and Gold army in 2026.
“Obviously (my) first try in the colours was pretty special. I think it was the second last try of our season,” he said.
“I think the last few weeks and the way we ended the season was pretty strong and you can see the direction in where we're trying to get to.
“So, it's pretty exciting to see what we can dish up against the top teams and hopefully we can carry that on into this year.
While Ryles has had the biggest impact on Da Silva, he also credited Captain Mitchell Moses and senior squad member Dylan Walker for his improvement at the back end of the season.
“Mitch runs the team and gets us around the park but Walker has been really good for me and the middles,” Da Silva said.
He was one of the first ones to pull me aside for a chat and he's been so good to me. We have good banter and even around the other middles and things like that, he's just been awesome.
Tallyn Da Silva
Looking ahead to 2026, Da Silva is focussed on playing his best football – every week - and bringing success to the club.
“I want to be playing good consistent footy. I've sort of struggled to find a bit of form the last few years because I've been up and down between teams and weeks off,” he said.
“I just want to establish myself in the 17, and bring my best footy towards this team. I think if I'm playing my best footy in and around the middle and especially with the way we play now, I think we'd be a very successful team.”
Da Silva is in the thick of his first pre-season with the Eels and is enjoying working closely with fellow hooker Ryley Smith.
“Pre-season has been tough to say the least but it's been really enjoyable… It's probably my favourite pre-season so far,” he said.
“We both have very different games - and I think that's the best part about us. He's teaching me a lot of things and hopefully I'm teaching him some things too.
“Every single day at training we're pushing each other to be better and constantly working harder.
