The Parramatta Eels season is over, missing out on the finals despite finishing equal eighth on for and against.
The Eels went down 33-20 against the Canberra Raiders. A second half blitz from Jarryd Hayne wasn’t enough to drag them over the line.
With the curtain now drawn on Parramatta’s season, it’s time to look back over just what happened this season.
Throughout the pre-season there was a lot of talk about whether Brad Arthur had what it takes to coach in the NRL. He’d served apprenticeships under both Craig Bellamy and Geoff Toovey and came to the Eels via Manly.
In March, Parramatta faced an uphill battle early on. Inside the first six rounds they were asked to face defending premiers, the Roosters twice and grand finalists Manly.
After the first six rounds though, the Eels had surprised everyone and had won four from six, their only defeats came in their away match against the Roosters and against Manly at Brookvale.
Parramatta appeared to be turning the corner. New recruits, Manu Ma’u, Nathan Peats, David Gower and Ken Edwards were running amok against more fancied opponents.
Chris Sandow had returned from a stint with Wentworthville and Jarryd Hayne appeared to be playing consistently good football.
The Eels had also broken their away win drought when they defeated the Broncos in Brisbane.
Parramatta then had their momentum halted by the Tigers in controversial circumstances. Admittedly, it was a match that Parramatta let slip from their fingers.
The Eels however, continued to surprise and remained in the top eight with two crushing wins over Cronulla and St George-Illawarra.
Then, perhaps the biggest impact of Parramatta’s season hit. Nathan Peats went down against Penrith with a knee injury.
It later turned out that the hooker had been carrying a knee injury all season and he now required a full reconstruction, ending his 2014 season.
The Eels quickly recruited Isaac De Gois from Cronulla, who quickly repaid the faith with a fantastic performance against the Bulldogs that saw the Eels win without Jarryd Hayne, who was on Origin duty.
It was in that match though that Parramatta received their second big blow of the season. Manu Ma’u broke his arm and although his return was slated for Round 24, he never came back to the side.
The injury toll quickly began to mount for Parramatta, and while they always gave themselves a chance, it was beginning to tell.
Will Hopoate went down with a shoulder injury playing for New South Wales with Tim Mannah also ruled out for three weeks after the match against Newcastle.
Injuries to Willie Tonga and Ken Sio quickly saw almost half of Parramatta’s starting 13 sitting on the sideline.
The Eels then lost four matches in a row. The first time in the season that they really looked like collapsing in a heap.
Luckily for Parramatta, their strong start to the season ensured they were never too far away from the top eight.
A run of three consecutive victories coincided with the returns of Mannah and Hopoate with Sio returning later on.
The Eels put in a massive effort against front runners Manly in Round 24 to keep their finals destiny in their own hands.
However, it appeared that Parramatta had played their grand final against Manly and failed to capitalise on their opportunities against Newcastle and Canberra.
The 2014 season will be seen as one that got away. Parramatta had the chance to make the finals but were unable to do it.
However, at the start of the season, many pundits were tipping a bottom four finish with the team narrowly avoiding the wooden spoon. To finish tenth with the team still alive come Round 26 is a terrific achievement for a young side.
The season saw the rise of a number of impressive players including Peats, Ma’u, Edwards, Gower, Junior Paulo, Tepai Moeroa and Pauli Pauli.
Those players will be better for the experience.
The Eels this season had an in-form Jarryd Hayne. He was the difference in many of the games and he topped the NRL try-scoring tally with 20. He also became the third Eel to pass 100 tries at the club and will hope to surpass Brett Kenny’s tally next year.
There is plenty of potential for Brad Arthur to work with for next season. His challenge will be to have his side playing consistently good football.
Arthur is still learning his trade and it will definitely be a long wait until the 2015 season.
Supporting Parramatta is like being on the world’s craziest rollercoaster. So strap yourselves in, 2015 is going to be a big year.
We also bid farewell to Ben Smith (retired), Fuifui Moimoi (Super League), Ken Sio (Super League) and Willie Tonga (Super League) who all leave the Eels this season.
For more from SuperEel22 regarding the Parramatta Eels, check out www.bluegoldglory.com.au
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
Care to re-think any of that stuff now Scott? All coaches handed extensions and Watmough signed for 2015. Like I said, I have contact with the club.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I don't think it's a rough look at all. Except for the Smith years, Parramatta have been a joke as an institution. Nothing before the glory years and precious few after. As I suggested, it's about time they started taking the right steps anywhere near towards their potential. And good luck to them too.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
SuperEels You need to lift your head out of the Parramatta River sand. The current coaches did NOT know about Watmough. Furthermore your coaches are NOT signed for 2016 yet players are being signed for 2016 and beyond.
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
That's a pretty rough look on a club that was the pride of Western Sydney at the start of the new millennium. Under Brian Smith the Eels were a constant powerhouse. It was no massive surprise that when Smith left the side only made 2 finals series from the following eight years. The board that was deposed at the end of last season was causing a lot of problems. They were leaking things to the media, the players were unhappy with the way Daniel Anderson had been treated and they were meddling in the coaching affairs. The club is currently undergoing an internal review with a shakeup of it's communications department. Former Chairman Roy Spagnolo has been banned from contesting future elections and both himself and Mario Libertini are under investigation for alleged vote rigging and membership stacking. It has been a fantastic relief to see Spagnolo and his cronies ousted from the Leagues Club boardroom.
Andrew
Guest
I'm proud with my team. They nearly made the finals, but, next year with Brad Arthur at the helm and a few young players had the experience this year - I reckon we'll get in 4th place after 26 rounds 2015.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Living off of a few glory years in the early eighties, the Parramatta Eels have been an institutional laughing stock. If what you say about their stability is true, then it's about time. The club ought to be a powerhouse of the NRL, not some basket case staring at its 1983 team poster. Welcome to modernity Parramatta. A lot of people have been waiting for you.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Balmain, Easts and Auckland?
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
A couple of things Scott. Firstly, I'm in contact with the club and have a decent understanding of what's happening at board room level. Steve Sharp's board now has stability. The club has Peter Sharp as a recruitment manager, Daniel Anderson as Head of Football and Scott Seward as CEO. The coaching staff was hand picked by Arthur. Everyone at the club is on the same page. In terms of Watmough's contract, I'd imagine that if he does arrive it will be for next season. I can't see Manly keeping hold of a player who has no desires to stay at the club. Furthermore, Watmough will be recruited to add a hard edge to a young and inexperienced forward pack. The team needs a real hard headed forward who knows what it takes to win. Watmough can fulfil that role. Signed on a 2 year deal with a 1 year extension, he'd be worth it. A player with over 250 games of experience is invaluable to a club with such a young side. Parramatta's average number of games across the squad is less than 100 with an average age of 22. That will drop next season without Fuifui, Ben Smith and Willie Tonga.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
SuperEel, Your club's problem this century and beyond has been power politics and the appointment of Board Members, CEO, Recruitment Managers and Coaches who were either incompetent or the wrong fit for the Eels. Brad Arthur and his coaching staff has been a positive step, but he had inherited a rabble and an "unbalanced" list that will take years to right. It matters not how well Arthur does his job if the admin above do not provide the working environment for him to be successful in. We have read this week that the Eels have recruited Watmough for 2016. I find that bemusing given they have no coaches signed for 2016 as yet and if they did I would doubt that they would want an aging expensive forward.
Dean William Sullivan
Guest
Looking back it was a good year. The Anti Parramatta brigade wrote the whole club off before the year began. In the end that controversial loss to Balmain where it was a try but they said no, and the stadium nearly burned down. The heavy losses against Easts and Auckland and the 2 final games, losing against teams near the drop zone. If you look at it the other way, we could have finished 5th or 6th.