Parramatta Eels
| File:Parraeels.jpg | |
| Eel | |
| Club information | |
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| Full name | Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club |
| Colours | Blue and gold |
| Founded | November 1946 |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) |
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| CEO | Denis Fitzgerald AM |
| Coach | Michael Hagan |
| Captain | Nathan Cayless |
| Competition | National Rugby League |
| 2006 | 8th of 15 |
| Records | |
| Premierships | 4 - 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986 (NSWRL) |
| Wooden spoons | 11 - 1947, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1970, 1972 |
The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club, based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta was established in 1946, playing their first game in the NSWRL Premiership (as it was then known) the following year.
The club currently participates in the National Rugby League (NRL), the premier rugby league football competition in Australia. The club also fields sides in the NSWRL Premier League and Jersey Flegg competitions.
History
The Roots of Rugby in Parramatta
Rugby Union in Parramatta
The roots of the playing of Rugby Union and League in Parramatta lie in the 19th century with the formation of the Parramatta Rugby Club (now known as Parramatta Two Blues) in 1879.
With the advent of a Sydney District competition in 1900, the Parramatta club merged with the Western Suburbs club (now West Harbour Pirates), with the club playing some of its matches at Cumberland Oval.
The Emergence of Rugby League in the District
However, no one really cares. The Eels are the biggest chokers in RL history. When the Sydney Rugby League Premiership was formed in 1908, a club made up of Western Suburbs Rugby 'defectors' formed the Central Cumberland club which participated in the first year of competition before the club was absorbed into the Western Suburbs Rugby League club, also formed in 1908.
On a local level, Rugby League began to be played in 1909 with local teams forming a district competition. Other clubs within the Western Suburbs also emerged with clubs being established in suburbs across the district over the ensuing decades.
The Eels Are Born
Push for a First-Grade Club
Agitation in the area for a local club to participate in the NSWRL Premiership began in the mid-1930s with a formal proposal put to the NSWRL in 1936 by local Rugby League identities such as Jack Argent. The proposal was rejected by all clubs except Western Suburbs who, despite having the most to lose from the entrance of a Parramatta side (with much of their territory being lost to Parramatta), voted for the entrance of the new club.
The advent of World War II put the establishment of the club on hold and a Parramatta district club was not proposed again until 1946 when the club was successfully admitted into the Premiership.
The Early Years: 1947 - 1961
Parramatta saw very little success in the early years, rarely avoiding the dreaded wooden spoon, facing the ignominity of finishing last in the competition 6 years in a row between 1956 and 1961. Aside from nearly making the play-off finals in 1948 and 1949 under the guidance of former Western Suburbs and Leeds five-eighth Vic Hey, the early years were largely devoid of success. When Hey retired as a player at the end of 1949 Parramatta slumped back to the tail-end of the competition until 1962.
First Taste of Success: 1962 - 1965
Under the stewarship of coach Ken Kearney, Parramatta finished fourth in the 1962 regular season and made the play-off finals. With new recruits Ken Thornett (known as 'The Mayor') from English club Leeds, Ron Lynch from Forbes in country NSW, and talented half-back Bob Bugden from St George Parramatta had their most successful season since their inception before being knocked out of the finals by Western Suburbs.
Ultimate success would continue to elude Parramatta with the side being knocked out of the 1963 finals by St George.
Having finished second in 1964 Parramatta may have felt confident of making their first Grand Final but were thrashed 42 - 0 by the Dragons in a non-elimination final, before being knocked out by Balmain.
In the 1965 season, with Ken Thornett as coach, the side had finished in 3rd position. However, finals success would continue to elude them and Parramatta would again bow out of the finals, this time at the hands of South Sydney.
Mid-Table Mediocrity and the Seeds of Success: 1966 - 1975
Parramatta saw out the rest of the 1960s in the middle of the Premiership, without any further play-offs appearances. Parramatta finished 7th in 1966, 9th in 1967, 6th in 1968 and 1969, before crashing to another wooden spoon, the club's 10th, in 1970.
Parramatta bounced back from the wooden spoon to finish 4th and again make the play-offs in 1971. However, Parramatta again failed to progress in the finals series being defeated by St George.
Parramatta began the 1975 season on a high having won its first-ever trophy when they downed Manly in their first-ever Pre-Season Cup (Wills Cup) final. In the Premiership Parramatta finished equal 5th (6th on percentages) with Balmain and Western Suburbs and were forced into a play-off for 5th position.
Parramatta then began a string of elimination play-off victories, defeating Western Suburbs (18 - 13) and then narrowly defeating Balmain (19 - 18) to win 5th position. Parramatta then met Canterbury-Bankstown in the preliminary final, achieving another narrow victory 6 - 5. However, Parramatta were again stopped from getting to a Grand Final by Manly, losing 22 - 12 in the Semi-Final.
Grand Finals 1976 - 1977
1976
In 1976 a new coach, Terry Fearnley, joined the Eels along with some of Parramatta's most famous players including Rugby Union recruit and 1975 Wallaby tourist (and Parramatta Two Blues player), Ray Price who would go on to become one of Parramatta's favourite sons (and represent both NSW and Australia in Rugby league). Another new recruit was five-eighth John Peard. Called "the Bomber", Peard was encouraged by Terry Fearnley to develop his tactical kicking game ("the bomb") as an attacking technique.
As the 1976 season went on Parramatta emerged as a genuine premiership contender, finishing 2nd in the competition. In the play-off finals Parramatta decisively defeated St George 31 - 6 and met Manly in the major semi final. In a tight match Parramatta edged the Sea-Eagles out with a late try to winger Graeme Atkins (who scored from a Peard bomb) to make the 1976 Grand Final.
In the grand final, against the same Manly side they'd defeated two weeks before, Parramatta were trailing 13 - 10 with 9 minutes to go. Receiving a penalty 5 metres from the goal line, the Eels formed a controversial flying wedge formation (now a banned movement in both Rugby codes) and pushed towards the try line. However, the wedge collapsed before the line and Parramatta's Ron Hilditch, who held the ball at the apex of the wedge, was brought down on the line by Manly's Graham Eadie and with it Parramatta's chances in the game.[1]
1977
Finishing as Minor Premiers in 1977, and bolstered with the recruitment of goal-kicking Australian Representative Centre Michael Cronin Parramatta were once again widely considered to be contenders to break through for their maiden premiership. Meeting St George in a spiteful Grand Final, the scores ended at 9-all after a powerful Ray Price line-break lead to a try. Cronin missed the final conversion that would have broken the deadlock. After extra time could not break the deadlock, the two sides met in a replay the next weekend. In yet another rough match Parramatta could not match St George in the forwards and were compehensively defeated 22 - 0.[2]
1978 - 1980
The next year, 1978, saw the debut of future representative half-back Peter Sterling and barnstorming prop Joe McCarthy; in addition with a controversial minor semi final defeat to Manly. The controversy centred around the refereeing of Greg 'Hollywood' Hartley in the minor semi final which saw Manly score a try on the seventh tackle. After the first final ended in a 13 - 13 draw a replay was required in which Ray Price was sent off and the Eels crumbled to another semi final defeat 17 - 11 and failed to make their third consecutive Grand Final.
In 1979, Parramatta made it to the same stage as in 1978 and were once again defeated at the last hurdle, this time by St George 15 - 11.
In 1980, despite the recruitment of the legendary Arthur Beetson and the emergence of players such as Eric Grothe, Steve Ella and Brett Kenny, Parramatta missed the finals for the first time since 1974.
The Glory Years: 1981 - 1986
1981
Parramatta, under new coach Jack Gibson, finished 3rd in the competition and entered the play-off finals with a first-up match against Newtown Jets who they narrowly defeated 10 - 8. Next up was a tense extra time victory over minor Premiers Eastern Suburbs 12 - 8 and, with 2 Cronin goals making the differnce, Parramatta had qualified for their 3rd Grand Final.
The Grand Final against Newtown Jets was an ill-tempered affair with Ray Price and Jets captain Tommy Raudonikis setting the mood for the match with an early brawl. While Newtown seemed to have the best of the game in the early stages, Parramatta kept pace with them and lead at half time, 7 - 5. Despite the swirling winds at the SCG, Cronin had kept Parramatta in the game with an unerring kicking display.
A try to Tommy Raudonikis from a scrum win after half-time put Newtown back in the lead 11 - 7 and, with a quickly tiring forward pack, Parramatta seemed to be looking at another lost opportunity. However, the combination of veteran Bob O'Reilly and rookie Peter Sterling put winger Graeme Atkins in space to score in the corner putting Parramatta only 1 point behind, giving Michael Cronin a difficult kick to put the Eels in front. Cronin was able to convert the try and in the final 5 minutes of the match the Eels scored twice more to seal a 20 - 11 victory and their first-ever Premiership.
In Parramatta, 100,000 supporters greeted the team as they arrived back at the Leagues Club (next door to Cumberland Oval) and they and the supporters celebrated long into the night. The already condemned grandstand and scoreboard at the Oval were destroyed during the celebration as supporters revelled in the final fulfilment of Parramatta's premiership ambitions.[3]
1982
The next year, despite the distractions of needing to play home matches at Canterbury-Bankstown's Belmore Oval Parramatta finished the season as Minor Premiers, 8 points clear at the top of the table. Parramatta's ability to score was shown spectacularly with the team having scored a remarkable 619 points in their 21 victories. Statistically, 1982 had been Parramatta's most successful season.
However, Parramatta received a significant jolt to their confidence when they were comprehensively outplayed by Manly in a shocking 20 - 0 defeat in the Semi-final for Manly to win through to the Premiership decider. With a second chance as Minor Premiers Parramatta returned in the preliminary final to thrash Eastern Suburbs 33 - 0.
Parramatta had therefore qualified and would face Manly in yet another Grand Final, continuing the intense rivalry the two teams had built.[4] On Grand Final day, despite conceding the first try, Parramatta responded with 4 tries before the half-time break. Coming from behind, Manly were keen to score first in the half to stay in the game and did so through Les Boyd. However, it was their last for the match and with Brett Kenny scoring in the 60th minute Parramatta had recorded a convincing 21 - 8 win and back-to-back Premierships for the Eels.
1983
Parramatta's 1983 season was less spectacular than the previous year but the Eels still finished 2nd in the Premiership. In that year's play-off finals Parramatta opened the series with a 30 - 22 win over Canterbury which included an Eric Grothe try scored from a devastating run down the wing; the try is widely considered to be one of the most spectacular tries in Rugby League history.
Parramatta were temporarily halted in their march to a 3rd straight Premiership after being defeated by Manly-Warringah in the Semi Final, however the Eels came back into form in the Preliminary Final defeating Canterbury to qualify for yet another Grand Final against the Sea-Eagles.
In the Grand Final, devastating ball-running from both Eric Grothe and Brett Kenny, alongside the tactical nous of Peter Sterling and Michael Cronin, had Manly struggling from the outset. Unlitmately, the Sea-Eagles would be unable to recover from the 12 - 0 half-time deficit. Brett Kenny extended the lead after half-time and, with Cronin's conversion, the Eels lead 18 - 0. Despite answering Kenny's try with one of their own, Manly could not go on and bridge the gap and Parramatta saw out the rest of the match to win 18 - 6.
Parramatta's third Premiership in a row was the first treble in the NSWRL Premiership since St George's domination of the 1950s and 1960s.
1984 - 1985
Parramatta qualified for their fourth Grand Final in a row in 1984 after a last minute try to Eric Grothe put Parramatta 8 - 7 ahead of St George in the final. Parramatta would take on Minor Premiers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the Grand Final who had defeated the Eels the week before, 16 - 8, to qualify for the decider.
The Grand Final was a low-scoring affair, with the Bulldogs holding a slim 2-point advantage late in the game. Parramatta had a chance to level the game through a penalty kick, but Michael Cronin's kick missed and the Eels missed the opportunity to add a fourth Premiership in a row.
Parramatta finished fourth in 1985 and, with large wins over Penrith and Balmain in the final series, progressed to the Preliminary Final against Canterbury-Bankstown with a chance to qualify for a fifth straight Grand Final. However, this was not to be and Parramatta were soundly defeated 26 - 0 by the eventual Premiers.
1986
Parramatta, playing out of their new Stadium, finished Minor Premiers and qualified for the Grand Final with a 28 - 6 victory over the Bulldogs in the Finals. The Bulldogs came back the next week to defeat Balmain and progress to another Grand Final against the Eels.
The Grand Final was a closely fought match and would end without either side scoring a try. In the end it was goal-kicking that made the difference and Michael Cronin gave the Eels a 6 - 4 victory. Both Michael Cronin and Ray Price chose to make the Grand Final victory their last game in Rugby League and both retired from the game.
The Struggle Years: 1987 - 1996
After the euphoria of the 'glory years' the Eels fell away in the second half of the 1980s and would fail to make the semi-finals for the rest of the decade. Parramatta finished 7th in 1987, 11th in 1988, and 8th in 1989.
The first half of the 1990s were no better with a succession of Parramatta's star players, such as Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling, succumbing to injury or retiring. Despite the strong backing of a large, successful Leagues Club, Parramatta struggled to recruit players to replace their retiring stars and the Club struggled on the field during these years with few highlights.
In 1990, Parramatta finished 8th, but in 1991 and 1992 the club descended in the rankings, only narrowly missing the 'wooden spoon'. In 1993, the Eels finished 11th and then in 1994, 12th. In 1995 only a marginally better 'for and against' (than North Queensland Cowboys) saved the Eels from winning their first wooden spoon since 1972, with the club only winning 3 games.
Players from this era included current Hull Kingston Rovers coach Justin Morgan, City-Country representative David Woods, Lee Oudenryn (who beat Martin Offiah in a half-time footrace in Great Britain's 1992 tour match with Parramatta [5]) and former Australian representative Paul Dunn. Other players of this era who would go on to have careers at other clubs included utility back Chris Lawler (who went to the Gold Coast Chargers), Garen Casey (Penrith Panthers), and Scott Mahon (North Queensland Cowboys).
Super League
Paradoxically, it was the 'Super League war' that broke out in 1995 that proved to be the circuit-breaker for Parramatta. As players and clubs signed with either the ARL or Rupert Murdoch's break-away Super League various players became dislodged from their clubs. Parramatta, pledging their loyalty to the ARL, found themselves being able to bid for ARL-signed players from Super League-alinged clubs. Through this window of opportunity Parramatta were able to sign high-profile players, Dean Pay, Jason Smith, Jim Dymock and Jarrod McCracken, from 1995 Premiers Canterbury Bulldogs. These players would form the nucleus of the Parramatta Eels' revival.
1996
Parramatta entered the 1996 season with an largely different squad to previous years. Aside from the high profile Canterbury Bulldogs players, the Eels had also recruited New Zealand international half-back Gary Freeman, as well as Cronulla's Aaron Raper and Adam Ritson. However, despite their high-profile recruits, the Eels failed to make the finals. Spending most of the season both in the lower reaches of, or just outside, the top 8, the Eels suffered from inconsistency which saw them gradually fall to 12th position. The Eels recovered sufficiently to make a late charge at the finals, which included a narrow Round 19 victory over Newcastle Knights in front of a home crowd of 21,191, one of the largest Parramatta Stadium crowds in a decade. However, the late charge faded and Parramatta slumped to three consecutive loses to end the season in 13th position.
Club Culture
Colours
When a Parramatta District Club was first proposed in 1936, the colours put forward to the NSWRL by the District were emerald green and white as these were the colours worn by the Western Districts Presidents' Cup side.[6]
However, when the proposal was next put to the NSWRL, in 1946, the proposed colours for the new District side were blue and gold. These colours are said to have been selected based on the Navy, Sky-blue and Gold colours used by Parramatta High School (which had been founded in 1913).[7] These colours were also adopted by the Parramatta District Rugby Union club in 1936. The colours were also suggested by Parramatta City Council's livery of blue and golden-orange.
While this colour scheme has remained consistent throughout the history of the club, the shades of blue and gold have changed several times.
Crests
The club has used five different crests throughout its history originally wearing two versions of the Parramatta City Council crest and, later, three different crests featuring the Club's Eel mascot.
City Crest
Parramatta has used two separate crests based on Parramatta City's crest. The first was a highly detailed scene showing a typical scene on the foreshore of the Parramatta River in the early days of European settlement. It is an apparent tribute to the District's original occupants, the Barramattagal tribe.
In the foreground of the original crest a male Aboriginal is preparing to spear a fish while a woman in a canoe watches. In the background a paddle steamer is visible as well as the tree-lined banks of the Parramatta River.[8]
This crest was used by the Club until the 1970s when a more stylised version showing only the hunter, and the club's name on a scroll, was used. This crest is still used in 2006 by the Parramatta District Junior Rugby League Football Club.
Eel Crest
Like most clubs established prior to the 1908s Parramatta was established with no official nickname or mascot. The only nickname Parramatta had ever been known by was the 'Fruitpickers', a reference to the many orchards that were spread throughout the District and surrounding suburbs in the first half of the 20th century. As the competition and the clubs themselves became more focused on marketing in the 1970s the clubs adopted official club mascots.
In the mid-1960s, a Sydney Rugby league journalist, Peter Frilingos suggested that the club should be known as the 'Eels'. This reasoning was based on the name of the District ('Barramattagal', which had been anglicised to 'Parramatta') which meant, in Aboriginal dialect, "place where the Eels dwell". After this the team was commonly referred to as "The Eels" and it became an official nickname in the late 1970s.
As a result the club's crest was changed, in 1980, to a design featuring an Eel. This crest remained, despite several changes in jersey design, until a new Eel logo was introduced in 1999. In 2005, the club mascot featured on the crest reverted to an Eel drawing similar to that featured on the original crest.
Club Songs
Sung to the tune of Australian folk song Click go the Shears, this Club song was written in 1974:
- We Are The Eels
- You'll hear a tremendous roar go up as Parra take the field
- Just look at the blue and gold of the mighty Eels
- They’re running out the victors strong and kicking up their heels
- If you want to see how football's played then go and see the Eels.
- Quick goes the ball from man to man
- They're strong in the tackle and sure with their hands
- They play it hard and fast, that's the only way to win
- And when they boast a try you should hear the fans all sing.
- Good onya Parra you're brave and bold
- You're fighting fit, true blue and worth your weight in gold
- And when we see the other side slowly start to yield
- We raise our voices to the sky and glorify the Eels.
- In the 1980s another song was recorded by Australian singer and Eels fan Jon English and We are the Eels fell into disuse. However, the original song was revived in the late 1990s and is now used as a victory song after home matches.
2007 Official Player Roster
The following players make up the squad from which the Parramatta Eels first-grade team will be chosen each week in 2007.[9]
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Players of note
International Representatives
The following former and current Parramatta players have been selected to represent their respective countries in international competition.
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Australia
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New Zealand Tonga United States
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Officials of note
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Coaches
The first grade Parramatta Eels team has been coached by 24 different coaches since foundation.
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Footnotes
- ^ Sean Fagan, Fearnley's Flying Wedge And The '76 Eels Retrieved on 5 September 2006; Alan Whiticker, Grand Finals of the NSWRL (2e), Gary Allen, 1994
- ^ 1977 Tied Rugby League Grand Final Era of the Biff Retrieved on 5 September 2006; Alan Whiticker, Grand Finals of the NSWRL (2e), Gary Allen 1994
- ^ Grantlee Kieza, 'Ding dong the witch is dead', Daily Telegraph 24 September, 2004
- ^ Ray Chesterton, 'The Ghosts of Greatness', Daily Telegraph, 1 May 2006
- ^ David Middleton (ed.), Rugby League 1992-93, Iron Bark Press, 1993
- ^ History of Parramatta District Junior Rugby league Retrieved on 6 September 2006
- ^ RL1908.com article;Parramatta High School badge information Retrieved on 6 September 2006
- ^ History of the Parramatta City Crest Retrieved on 6 September 2006
- ^ [1] 2007 Official Player Roster rleague.com Retrieved on 27 December 2006
- ^ Resigned 15 May 2006