The inevitable has happened and Ricky Stuart has walked out on the Eels, to return to his spiritual home in the nation’s capital and coach the Canberra Raiders.
It’s hardly surprising that the man they call ‘Sticky’ walked, given the multitude of board-level issues the Eels have been experiencing since the movement against Denis Fitzgerald in 2009.
That, coupled with an atrocious season by the Eels which saw them ‘win’ their second consecutive wooden spoon, this time even more convincingly than in 2012.
In his single season with the Eels, Stuart at least managed to do some much overdue spring-cleaning, having told many players their services would not be required for the 2014 season.
A clearing-out of the dead wood was seen by many Parramatta supporters as an aggressive yet necessary move; however with a relative lack of signings to the club for next season, will we be witnessing a group of park-footy players pulling on the iconic blue and gold strip next year, with the likes of Jarryd Hayne needing to shoulder an even greater burden as part of the senior player group?
So, Ricky has gone; where now for the (very) long-suffering Parramatta faithful?
If the club’s recent coaching portfolio is anything to go by, it must be realised that a coach does not make a team (well, this team specifically).
Stuart was not the one missing tackles, dropping the ball or giving away penalties.
Granted, this is not a hard and fast rule (as we saw with Des Hasler’s move to Canterbury, which produced immediate results) – but surely after a long succession of very capable coaches failing to make any real impact on the Eels, it must be time for a change in rationale?
Maybe the answer is closer to home than we think.
We need to stop shelling out fortunes for established coaches, and instead turn to a person with blue and gold blood running through their veins?
Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny, Nathan Hindmash, Luke Burt… The list goes on.
True, they may not have coaching experience beyond their nephews’ under-12s teams, but you can certainly count on them all having the passion to see their team bounce back from the depths in which they’re currently wallowing.
That passion may just be what is required to lure some big-name signings to the club, alongside the prospect of playing for a team with as much pride as any other in the National Rugby League.
Surely a club great will help boost morale among the players?
Surely their passion for Parra will ignite a fire within?
Surely it is worth the punt?
Above all, surely things at this once-proud rugby league club cannot get any worse?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Brad Arthur believed Tom Trbojevic was offside before Will Penisini was binned for a professional foul. Brad Fittler confirmed Penisini was unlucky
Clint Gutherson showed his frustration at the press conference, shaking his head when asked about Sivo's brain explosion.
This can't have been a lot of fun for Brad and Gutho!
Maika Sivo scored a hat-trick in his return to first-grade footy but a brain fade in the second half saw the Eels winger sent…
Nathan Brown has a new nickname. His Manly teammates were full of praise after igniting his side off the bench.
Tom Trbojevic admitted he might have overdone the sitcky spray after trying to plant the ball and getting the shock of his life when…
