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What a difference a year makes in the life of an NRL club. This time last year the Parramatta Eels were staring down the barrel of a second wooden spoon in as many years.
More than 10 players were told that they were not part of the club’s future and were told to move on and the club and its management were in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Flash forward one year and the Eels as a club are almost unrecognisable. No matter where Parramatta finish this year, whether they just scrape in or whether they just miss out on the top eight, it is undeniable that there has been a tremendous turnaround in the last 12 months.
The stats don’t lie. The Eels have posted 12 wins for this year, which is more victories than their 2012 and 2013 seasons combined. The smiles on the field don’t lie either… or perhaps that’s just Chris Sandow normally.
However, as an Eels fan, the most positive thing about the 2014 season is the change in perception about our club. Parramatta is no longer seen as a club where players come to die (or where players come and then plateau).
For the last couple of years, Parramatta has been stuck at the bottom of the table. Combined with issues at a management level, having very few representative players and constant instability when it came to coaching staff, Parramatta was seen as a side that killed careers.
To lure any sort of talent to the club, they had to pay massive overs, which had an influence on squad depth and resulted in players being signed to deals which saw them overstay their welcome.
Neither Stephen Kearney or Ricky Stuart had much success on the recruitment front and Stuart will be remembered for letting players go rather than attracting them.
Now, Parramatta are seen as a club on the rise. While you have to be very careful about rumours, the fact that players like Anthony Watmough have expressed an interest in the club is a big step forward.
The Eels have recently announced the signing of Beau Champion and, while he may not be considered to be at the peak of his career, he meets the Eels’ needs and will be a valuable signing. Beau will also be looking to make a comeback following some difficulties with injury and it’s very positive that he has chosen Parramatta as the club to do this.
It is positive that Parramatta no longer have to beg players to come to the team and for the club to be seen as one.
Clubs like Parramatta need to be successful for the NRL to be successful. Clubs like the Eels, Bulldogs, Tigers and Dragons are crowd pleasers and crowd drawers. Because they are traditional clubs with large followings, clashes between them are often steeped in both tradition and rivalry.
You only need to look at Pirtek Stadium on Friday night – a full house to watch the Parramatta Eels take on the Manly Sea Eagles – to see what happens when Parramatta are doing well. If the Eels make the finals this year, expect the fans to turn out in droves to watch their team compete for the first time since 2009, particularly if they make it far enough to play a team like the Bulldogs.
The turnaround at the Eels has been dramatic, and for the first time in a long time, I can genuinely get excited about the years ahead.
@Ladieswholeague