Parrramatta Eels

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

One of the game's most popular clubs of the modern era, the Parramatta Eels have produced just four premiership titles since entering the premiership in 1947. Those four wins all occurred in a rush for the club between 1981 and 1986, during which time the Eels only once missed out on playing in the Grand Final.

The 1980s Parramatta side will arguably be remembered as the last ever ‘golden era' team of Australian rugby league - the introduction of salary caps and ‘talent equalisation' policies meaning sustained success is unlikely to be ever seen again.

The game of rugby arrived in Parramatta in the late 19th century, with the nearby King's School very much involved in the early days of the Parramatta rugby club (formed in 1879). The first two New Zealand touring sides played in Parramatta against a ‘Cumberland County' representative team in 1884 and 1893.

When the district competition began in 1900, the Wests rugby club (formed from a merger of Parramatta and Wests) played its home games at three grounds - Parramatta (Cumberland) Oval, St. Lukes (Concord Oval) and Pratten Park.

The Cumberland rugby league club that was a founding member of the Sydney competition in 1908 is often referred to as the original Parramatta team. However, while it was formed by Wests rugby club players - some of whom may well have come from the Parramatta district - the Cumberland team began with a meeting at Homebush and played all of its games in the inner city.

Around the time of World War One, rugby league began to take hold in all the major towns of western Sydney. Under the control of the Western Suburbs club, local teams from Burwood to Penrith, including Parramatta, Wentworthville and to the south in Fairfield and Liverpool took up rugby league. The Parramatta district started to push for its own club in the mid-1930s as the township and surrounding suburbs began to grow.

One player to emerge at this time from what would become the Eels junior nursery was Vic Hey. An undisputed champion player in Australia and England, Hey began his playing career at Granville Technical School before progressing to first grade at Wests via the Guildford and Fairfield junior clubs.

In 1936 a proposal was put to the NSWRL for entry of the Parramatta club into the Sydney premiership. While supported by Wests - even though they would lose a vast junior area that stretched from east of Parramatta all the way to Penrith, and south to Liverpool - the other clubs rejected the proposal.

World War Two brought a hold to any thoughts of a club, but the cessation of hostilities quickly saw Parramatta and Manly both seeking admission. In November 1946 the NSWRL granted Parramatta entry for the following season.

The club apparently adopted the blue and gold colours from a local high school. Parramatta gained the services of Wests players residing inside the new boundaries, and supplemented this with local juniors - though it seems many of these ‘locals' were former Rabbitohs who still spent most of their time living and working in South Sydney.

The ‘blue and golds' first captain was former Parramatta RU player Bob Andrews who been playing League with Wests during the War years. Vic Hey had wanted to return to Australia to captain and play for the newly promoted club but was stuck in England unable to secure sea passage until late 1947.

With Hey on the field in 1948 and 1949 Parramatta rose from the bottom of the table and almost made the semi-finals - four draws during the 1949 season proving costly. Former Newcastle five-eighth Ian Johnstone became Parramatta's first Australian Test player when he was selected against New Zealand in 1951.

Parramatta endured a long period without any success in its early years. Between 1954 and 1961 the club avoided a last placed finish only once. Most seasons saw the club win few matches - 1959 and '60 each produced just two wins for Parramatta.

Under new coach Ken Kearney from St George, the club signed Bob Bugden from Saints and Ken Thornett from Leeds. Thornett though only played seven matches in 1962 before having to return for the English season. However during his stay the Eels were unbeaten and managed to hold onto fourth position for the play-offs. Wests beat the inexperienced Parramatta side 6-0 to end the Eels' season, though both tries were against the run of play.

Parramatta remained a Top Four team over the next three years with the highlight being the 1964 side that finished the regular season only two points behind minor premiers St George. The Eels, captained by Ron Lynch, also defeated South Africa during their 1963 tour of Australia.

In the 1970s the club took on the Eels name after it was suggested by Sydney sports reporter Peter Frilingos. He had pointed out that the aboriginal meaning of the word ‘parramatta' was ‘the place where the eels lie down' with an obvious reference to the Parramatta River.

After playing in the 1975 semi-finals Parramatta mounted their first serious challenge for the premiership crown in 1976. Under coach Terry Fearnley the Eels proved a formidable opponent, entering the play-offs in second position.

With the ‘bomber' John Peard in control, the Eels side featured tough forwards Ray Higgs, Ray Price, Geoff Gerard, Ron Hilditch, Denis Fitzgerald and Graham Olling. Parramatta easily accounted for St George (31-6) and Manly (23-17) to reach their first ever Grand Final.

‘Grand Final fever' hit the streets of Parramatta in the week leading up to the match and the Eels may have lost some focus. Despite scoring two tries to one - and cruelling a certain try on the wing late in the game - Parramatta lost the decider to the experienced Sea Eagles 13-10.

Minor premiers in 1977, the Eels made a return to the Grand Final but couldn't shake off a determined St George side to take the title. Defeated by the Dragons 10-5 in the Major Semi-Final, in the Grand Final the two sides finished the day equal with a 9-9 draw. A last minute conversion attempt by Michael Cronin sailed wide of the posts to the utter dismay of Parramatta fans.

In the Grand Final replay the Dragons took a heavy-handed approach to the match and found the latitude they were given enough to belt the Eels into submission, St George winning 22-0.

Parramatta continued through the following seasons as a powerful club but were unable to again reach the Grand Final until 1981. Under coach Jack Gibson the Eels of 1981 had few players from the 1976 and ‘77 Grand Final sides.

Only Cronin, Atkins, Price and Hilditch remained as the side featured new stars of the game including Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny, Steve Ella and Eric Grothe. A few ‘older heads' up front in the shape of Bob O'Reilly, Kevin Stevens and Steve Edge rounded off the team.

Finishing in third place, the Eels beat Newtown and minor premiers Easts in very tight matches to reach the Grand Final. The Jets won through to play the Eels and with only fifteen minutes left in the Grand Final Newtown held an 11-7 lead.

Fortunately for Parramatta the Newtown side had only managed to convert one of their three tries, leaving the Eels within striking distance. After Bob O'Reilly siezed the initiative by running to the blindside deep in his own half, a breath-taking 65 metre Eels attack culminated in a converted try to winger Atkins.

Once they hit the front the Eels were unstoppable with Ella and Kenny scoring tries to seal the club's first ever premiership. Wild scenes ensued back in Parramatta and the soon to be demolished grandstand at Cumberland Oval was torched by ‘enthusiastic' fans eager to herald in the new era for the Eels.

In 1982 Parramatta secured the minor premiership a massive four wins in front of second placed Manly. The Sea Eagles surprised the favoured Eels with a 20-0 drubbing in the Major Semi-Final. Parramatta though were sparked into action as they cleaned up Eastern Suburbs 33-0 in the Final and Manly 21-8 in the Grand Final to take the premiership they had led all season.

The Sea Eagles turned the tables on the Eels in 1983 when they took the minor premiership eight points ahead of Parramatta. Manly were again first into the Grand Final after beating Parramatta 19-10 in the Major Semi. The improving Canterbury side were no match for Parramatta in the Final with the Eels winning 18-4.

Brett Kenny scored a try just after half-time in the Grand Final to take Parramatta to an unassailable lead of 18-0 over the lack-lustre Sea Eagles. The 18-6 win was Parramatta's third premiership in a row, leaving the Eels and the mighty St George side of 1950s/60s as the only two clubs to record the ‘three-peat' achievement in the ‘Mandatory Grand Final' era.

In 1984 Parramatta reached their fourth Grand Final in succession after escaping the clutches of St George 8-7 in the Final with a last ditch try to winger Eric Grothe.

A similarly tight battle ensued in the decider with Parramatta again behind in the last minutes of the game. With Canterbury holding a 6-4 lead, Parramatta took a penalty shot at goal to square the match. Hopes of achieving a fourth premiership in a row were ended when Cronin's kick sailed wide of the posts, ending Parramatta's reign at the top.

It had been a heady period for a club that had gone for so long without any premiership glory - but it was far from over. While the Eels fell out of the Top 3 clubs in 1985, the side was still strong enough to fight all the way to the Final before bowing out.

Parramatta claimed the 1986 minor premiership after the front-running South Sydney side faltered in the last round of the season. The opening left by the Rabbitohs was seized upon by Parramatta. Given an automatic place in the Major Semi, the Eels didn't waste the opportunity. They crushed Canterbury 28-6 to immediately gain a Grand Final place while Souths quickly exited the play-offs.

The Bulldogs fought back to reach the Grand Final and the ‘teams of the Eighties' met to decide the premiership. A tryless match eventuated, with the Eels' Brett Kenny having two tries disallowed that were extremely close calls for the referee.

Two goals to Mick Cronin were enough to see Parramatta win 4-2 to take their fourth title in just six seasons. Cronin and Ray Price retired after the match, while Peter Sterling was the winner of the inaugural Clive Churchill Medal for best and fairest in the Grand Final.

Over the following seasons the great Parramatta players fell away to injury or retirement. Sterling battled on until 1992 as he tried to return the Eels back to the Top Five. However, by the mid-1990s the halycon days of a decade earlier seemed unlikely to ever return.

With the backing of a powerful Leagues Club the Eels survived relatively unscathed through the financial drain of the Super League era. While Parramatta received almost none of the ARL ‘handouts' seen elsewhere, the Eels did benefit from the addition of the talented Canterbury quartet of Jim Dymock, Dean Pay, Jarrod McCracken and Jason Smith.

The presence of the star Bulldogs players allowed coach Brian Smith to build a team capable of rising back up the table. In 1997 Parramatta returned to the play-offs for the first time since 1986.

The Eels lost two semi-finals in 1997 after holding handy leads in both. The first was against eventual premiers Newcastle when an 18-0 advantage was lost 28-20. Injuries took their toll the following week as North Sydney fought back from 14-6 down to end Parramatta's season 24-14. The Eels continued their impressive form through the next three seasons, but couldn't progress beyond the Final on each occassion.

In the 1998 Final against Canterbury just about everbody had the Eels in the Grand Final as they held an 18-2 lead with ten minutes remaining. The Bulldogs somehow conjured enough points to draw level at fulltime and eventually win 32-20 in extra-time.

Agonisingly for Parra fans the 1999 season produced another heartbreaker in the Final. At the SFS the Eels led Melbourne 16-6 and dominated until late in the game. The Storm fought back with two late tries to reach the Grand Final after a 18-16 win.

In 2000 the Eels finished the regular season in 7th place and quickly sent shock waves through the premiership race after they smashed the 2nd place Sydney Roosters 32-8 in the opening semi-final. Parramatta followed it up with a 28-10 demolition of Penrith to reach the Final against Brisbane.

While the Eels again lost the Final - the Broncos winning 16-10 - most judges thought the new look Parramatta side had over-achieved in 2000 and the next season would provide the long sought after success. The impressive form of Nathan Hindmarsh, Daniel Wagon, Brett Hodgson, Nathan Cayless, Jamie Lyon and Pat Richards made the Eels the envy of most clubs.

The hopes were well founded as 2001 produced the club's best season since 1986. With Jason Taylor added to the side, the Eels took the minor premiership five points ahead of Canterbury and reached the Grand Final. Along the way they set countless records including the most points by a club in the premiership rounds (839) and overall (953).

Parramatta opened their finals campaign with a record 56-12 win over New Zealand Warriors and followed it up with a 24-16 disposal of Brisbane in the Final to reach the Grand Final against Newcastle.

The vagaries of the game in 2001 often saw one team completely dominate for long periods without any hope of relief for their opponents. Coupled with the Eels' lack of Grand Final experienced players, the Knights quickly gained the momentum in the decider and didn't let go.

Newcastle raced to an 18-0 lead inside the first twenty minutes, before posting a 24-0 lead at the break. Parramatta fought back in the second half and a late try got them to within six points of the Knights at 30-24, but time was up.

While Parramatta were the best team of 2001, the loss in the Grand Final was obviously a major disappointment to the club as it reflected upon its achievements. Most pundits predicted that the Eels would learn from 2001 and would be back in the Grand Final before too long.

However, the Eels were initially unable to again build a credible challenge. In 2005 the club reached the Final, and appeared destined to play in the decider. Frustratingly for Parramatta fans, the team delivered a very poor performance and the 2005 campaign came to an abrupt end.

Copyright © 2006 - Sean Fagan. All rights reserved - the article above may not be reproduced (in full or part) in any form without written permission.