When I was in year three at primary school, the class was given a map of Sydney Harbour. There were the usual Sydney icons marked on the sheet: Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Opera House – and then a strange one right in the middle of the water labelled ‘Fort Denison’.
“That can’t be a fort,” I remarked to my friend Angelo (the token Italian kid in our grade at Guildford West).
“Why not?” he replied. “It’s marked on the map.”
“It’s in the middle of the harbour!” I said, incredulous. “A fort is like a castle. It has to be made of timber or stone – they can’t just put one right there.”
“Well I’m just going to leave it – we’ll colour blue around it.”
Indignant, with self-belief bordering on hubris, I declared I wouldn’t leave it as it was.
“There must be mistake on the sheet. I’m going to fix it. Since there can’t possibly be a fort in the middle of the harbour, they must have meant to type a ‘P’ for ‘port’… or maybe it hasn’t photocopied properly.
“Either way it’s wrong, because it clearly should be ‘Port Denison’ – now that makes sense! Give me your sheet, I’ll fix yours too.”
And with that both Angelo’s page and mine were ‘corrected’ to read ‘Port Denison’.
How those wretched prisoners housed on ‘Pinchgut’ almost two centuries previously must have been rolling in their graves at the sight of a know-it-all eight-year-old changing the name of the island.
The teacher rightly hauled me over the coals, but what if she had known what was to happen to Parramatta’s first-grade team in 2016 when their own ‘F’ became a ‘P’?
Kieran Foran is a fort of his own. Since his debut in 2009, the he has built a reputation in the Manly and New Zealand teams as being tough, cool-headed and professional.
When Parramatta signed him in mid-2015 for this year and 2017, with an additional two-year option, the Eels were signing not just a champion half, but a brand. He’s a brand with whom the club can rise, like a swollen Parramatta River above the weir during flood.
Yet the question for me was always whether Foran could maintain his standards after he moved out of the northern peninsula.
Plenty of high-class players have signed with Parramatta over the last decade only to lower their standards to those around them. Chris Sandow, William Hopoate and Anthony Watmough were in career-best form before they landed at O’Connell Street.
I can’t blame them – eight coaches from 2006 to 2014, constant boardroom upheavals, and the more recent salary cap accusations have made life for new recruits far from settled.
For the outsider looking in, it seemed to be easier for the new players to accept what was around them and conform to what they saw. Instead of raising the standards, the status quo was maintained.
Enter Keiran Foran.
Round 4 showed the first sign that he is not prepared to accept what Parramatta has been displaying on the playing field in recent years.
Late in the second half of the Easter Monday game against the Wests Tigers, Parramatta found themselves in the Tigers’ half after the fifth play-the-ball. Eels hooker Isaac de Gois took the ball out of dummy half and ran away from his markers before passing to Foran, giving him little time to kick or set up a shift play to the edge.
Foran blew up at his teammate and the moment was not lost on the Triple M NRL team of Peter Sterling, Andrew Johns and Dan Ginane.
“That’s exactly what you don’t want on the last tackle,” Johns described. “You need a crisp pass from dummy half, not any time wasted.”
In the post-match interview, Foran was asked about the exchange and typically laughed it off. He talked about how important the metres are out of the ruck and how de Gois so often provides them.
Except not this time – not when Foran needed the ball. This is the standard expected at the Foran-led Parramatta, not any less.
That is a professional rugby league attitude. That is a player carved out of the remorseless Manly-Warringah system created by Des Hasler and chiselled by Geoff Toovey.
Foran has shown to me in three games – culminating in the Round 4 spray – that he is prepared to lift the Eels to where he stands and not slump to where they sit. He is uncompromising and if that professionalism can somehow permeate the rest of the organisation, from the board to the junior league, Parramatta might be looking around the corner to new levels that haven’t been achieved since 2001.
Through its history, Fort Denison has seen plenty come and go, from the indigenous Eora people to the British settlers and now today’s international tourists.
Could it now witness a New Zealander’s ultimate influence on rugby league from the Harbour’s northern point to its far reaches in the west?
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
He is also New Zealand's number six. You know, the world number ones... :) My only fear for Eels fans is that Foran will have a clause in his contract like Ricky Stuart's that allows him to leave the club if the administration are useless and that he enacts that clause.
The Barry
Roar Guru
He's been playing first grade for six or seven years. He's done a bit more to earn a wrap than three games at Parra...
Dan Eastwood
Expert
Ah yes - those were the days! Danny Crnkovic, Lee Oudenryn, Matt Goodwin ...
Patrick
Guest
I seem to recall a young Dan Eastwood, circa 1990's, sitting on the South Hill at Parramatta Stadium watching some of the Parramatta greats such as Stu Galbraith, Michael Erickson and Scott Mahon go around. ☺
Tom Rock
Expert
Totally agree that he is a quality on-field organiser and an excellent signing for Parra. Just wish people would wait until he is 100% healthy and played more than 3 games before lauding him with praise. He has shown positive signs and encouraging promise of what is to come. Nothing more.
Steve
Guest
Very true. It looks like Parra have finally got the balance right with their side after years of trying......unfortunately it may all be for nothing as they have probably managed to do so via cheating. The NRL need to sort that issue out ASAP before we get to much further into the 2016 comp.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I'm getting over the daily Parra articles but I can't speak highly enough of Foran. I've always really rated Foran but I had doubts over whether he is the style of player to steer a team around the park but I shouldn't have doubted him for a second. Parra have a new 1 & 7 and a revolving 9. They have a new left centre and last year's left centre is playing on the right. The attack will take a little while to gel but the way Foran has taken charge of the team, driving them around the paddock and his kicking game have been excellent. Points aren't the only barometer of that. A couple of times I've noticed him get into holes but only be able to run at about 70%. If / when his hammy improves he'll add another threat to his attack.
MAX
Guest
Nicely linked Dan. The Eels biggest problem is keeping their champion on the paddock. There may also be a few journeymen in the team who are incapable of playing to his high standards as indicated in the de Gois incident. Parra need Foran like Souths need Sam. In the old days Parra v Balmain produced some great Rugby League. Last Monday did not reach that standard but indicated neither side can be taken lightly.
spruce moose
Guest
Until they lose their points for salary cap cheating.
Kaks
Roar Guru
It was one game. You said yourself that the Foran is being judged favourably after three games - which I agree with, yet you're making a bigger issue than it needs to be about one game against the Tigers. Obviously Foran and Norman were a contributing factor to the Eels scoring 8 points against the Tigers, however as I said before - it was one game.
Tom Rock
Expert
By 'piloted', I am referring to him being the halfback steering the team around the park, which is true. While I do not think the Eels failure to score more than 8 points against a weak Tigers defense is completely Foran's fault, he certainly contributed. Any team which does not hold their halves accountable for a lack of points is kidding themselves.
Kaks
Roar Guru
"Despite being hailed as the next Peter Sterling, Foran piloted his team to a grand total of 8 points against a porous Tigers defense." That seems to imply that you think its Foran's fault
Tom Rock
Expert
Kaks, not once did I judge his attacking play. I stated that he has not been heavily involved in the three contests in which he has played, which I think is correct. Corey Norman has been the dominant half for the Eels this season. I also mentioned that the Eels didn't post many points against the Tigers. I did not say this was Foran's fault, only that I would expect a little more in the way of attacking play from a halfback getting paid one of the top salaries in the NRL.
Dan Eastwood
Expert
I'm not an Eels supporter myself, but I come across them every day! My little bloke is also a Knights supporter and I have to keep reminding him his team are in front of the Roosters on the ladder. His response to Monday's game was: "Why do we keep changing the coach?" I can't give him an answer
Kaks
Roar Guru
It's funny, you talk about people giving Foran platitudes after three games this season, yet then you go and judge his attacking play based on one game against the Tigers - where both teams had a high error count - and conveniently miss out the Bulldogs game.
slurpy
Roar Rookie
I don't agree with your summation. you buy a million dollar halfback for results. No point in another Chris Sandow who will let in as many or more points than he creates. The Eels are 3-1, knocking off last years premiers, my dogs (a top 8 team last year, and currently the ladder leaders) and held the tigers to 0. Foran will never be the next Sterlo, but when he's hung up his boots I think that Parra fans will be looking for the next Foran.
Tom Rock
Expert
Fair enough Dan. I am a Knights supporter, so I feel your pain. I keep hearing the next Joey is just around the corner....
Dan Eastwood
Expert
I live in the Parramatta district and their supporters have been waiting for some good news for a long time. You make a good point about it being early days but I have seen enough to give the fans some hope.
Tom Rock
Expert
I am finding this constant stream of Kieran Foran platitudes more difficult to swallow by the day. The bloke is a quality player, no doubt about it, and he certainly brings leadership qualities and a sense of accountability missing from previous Parramatta squads. But he has featured in three games! And not featured heavily in these three contests. His defensive displays have been impressive, which is a key component to his play, but lets be honest - you do not spend close to 1 million dollars a season on a halfback for his defense. You wants points, and lots of them. Despite being hailed as the next Peter Sterling, Foran piloted his team to a grand total of 8 points against a porous Tigers defense. Foran may well prove an inspired signing and lead the Eels back to the finals. But let the man play more than a handful of early season games before handing him the keys to Pirtek Stadium.
Andrew
Guest
Dan, don't count the eggs until they hatch. I've a been a eels supporter for 40 yrs, but with Foran we have a chance to make the top 8. Though that hammy is sensitive...knock on wood! He will be alright.