This might surprise you, but From The Stands was really challenging to write this week.
Seriously, how can I, how can anyone, accurately sum up what it was like being in those BankWest Stadium stands on Easter Monday?
The roar as Moses was running for the corner was simply amazing. I will never forget it. To sit amongst supporters from all over the country who spent many dollars and travelled many hours because they simply had to be there was heart warming.
Sport has that magical ability to bring people together and this first event staged at our new home saw this club, our club come together absolutely as one. In truth, it’s been a while since I have been able to say that.
Two moments stood out for me on Monday to sum up what the day meant.
The first was seeing Shaun Lane coming over to the fence on the eastern side during the warm up and stirring up the crowd. In reality, no fan needed much invitation but watching the boys connecting with the fans during the warm up and after each try is something this club has that many others don’t.
My second moment was Oregon Kaufusi’s try.
It may not have been the most spectacular try but it exemplifies all the attributes I love about my club.
The pass to Oregon was delivered by our number 7. We all know wearing the number 7 at Parra is not easy and that weight of expectation has killed many young careers. From the stands, at the end of last year Moses was on the canvas and like many supporters, I really questioned if he had the composure to lead this team around the park.
Well Moses stood up. He’s picked himself up from the despair of last year and kept going. With all the pressure and expectation that came with the game, Moses and all his team mates stood up, embraced the excitement and delivered.
Oregon’s try also highlighted what BA and his coaching staff have built at Parra. A young man was given his opportunity in an absolute pressure cooker and he handled it. In fact, he did more than handle it, he totally did his job.
Yeah! Oregon scores his first NRL try.
Big Oggy is obviously a talented and dedicated athlete but he has also been coached and guided through our juniors so that he could produce what he did under pressure yesterday. Importantly, as seen on League Life, he’s a caring young man and a wonderful ambassador for the club. He has come through a development system delivering an education in both football and life. In today’s society being a valuable community member is as much an imperative as being a professional athlete.
Is last season a fading memory?
It was really hard to stay strong last year and turn up to the grounds to support the team. At times I lost some faith in the team. But the last two games have exemplified why that faith is restored.
Against the Raiders they played poorly but kept going. I respect effort as it is the cornerstone of any great team.
Against the Tigers they played brilliantly and kept going. At its core it is what the Parra fans from the stands want. If we see players giving their all they will get our support, our very vocal passionate support.
It’s clear we have a team and a group of players who have shown us all in the past 6 weeks and especially on Monday why they deserve our support. Well done to our players and coaches. It’s been a tough, painful path but our team and fans are back as one – you only had to be in the stands on Monday to see that.
My last word has to go to my grandfather who had a truly magnificent couple of days in and around Parramatta. He said in jest to a good spirited Tigers supporter seated near us at BankWest that he thinks the Tigers got lost in the jungle.
That they did.
The Eels came home to a party and the Tigers got lost. Well done boys, well played and thank you for making our return to Parramatta a most wonderful experience.
Shelley
Well said Shelley, I was at Bankwest on Monday as I was at Parra Stadium in 1986 when it opened 1986 was wonderful but on Monday the atmosphere was euphoric. That was before the game, there was an air of expectation. One thing our beloved Eels have this year that was absent last year was a never give in attitude. In the 2 games we lost they still had that never say die attitude, just like the team of the eighties. All I ever ask of my team is 100% effort, if they give that I don’t go home too disappointed. Don’t get me wrong I hate losing but it’s much easier to bear when the effort is there.
So true June. If they have a go, and the other side is too good, there is nothing you can do about it
Agreed ladies – attitude and effort was not consistent last year. This yr it has been very good so far. Is last yr a memory ? Yes however a couple of injuries etc and we could struggle but as long as we have the effort and attitude I am good with that.
I just hope we can come back to earth and get up for this wkend as it’s another game we should win! But we don’t often win these ones. It’s important to keep the focus and team going forward as we are coming into a tough run of games before our bye in June.
I also hope the club is on the front with the off field signings soon.
Agree all round. This week is a good test. My views on the contracts is known. I think I will riot if they do not sign Gutherson and BA very soon. I feel for the players and management who get asked the same questions time after time by the same brain dead journalists.
You’d think they’d learn Shelley, the journos obviously have nothing if they keep going with the contract crap. For all we know they could have already signed . Their not about to tell them what has happened , the same as the amounts on contracts. They usually overstate that as well.
One week at a time is a truism to be followed. Last week done. Re-set.
Love your articles Shelley. Thank you..THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW IT UP WITH A WIN OVER THE KNIGHTS….along with the Titans, the Knights are a bogey team for the Eels…
Really tough game this week for the boys. Tough mentally for them. If they turn up with the right attitude they will win. Big test for them.
Good point about the Raiders game, Shelley. Many were slitting their wrists afterwards, thinking it was a return to the bad old days. But we were on the back foot with bad bounces and bad calls from the very start, but never gave up. I thought it was encouraging. The only thing we did wrong was lack patience with the ball.
So true. I obviously did not like the defeat but sometimes you learn most about a team when they are loosing. The raiders had more possession and better field position then we did against the Tigers in the first half and look at the difference.
What a game, I drove 6hrs for the game and made a weekend of it having Easter with family as well.
The noise in the stadium was amazing, I was overcome with emotion as the players came on to the field and could barely sing the anthem I was so choked up.
As a boy I used to go to Parra stadium with my nan and uncle and watch all 3 grades, since moving away 15 years I don’t get to more than 1or 2 games a year but this year got a ticketed membership just to get to the opening game and know I had a seat.
Those couple of years at ANZ were horrible, I went to the he game there last year when Newcastle touched us up and the there was no atmosphere with only 7000 in attendance.
No wonder our performances last year were poor with no were poor last year the 2nd season with no real home.
We are home now, parramatta is our home and the bank west stadium is it.
I took my nearly 12 yr old son who can now say in 20 years time to his kids that he was there the day it opened and saw Parra win 51-6.
I’m still buzzing from Monday and most likely will be for the rest of the season.
I’ll be going to Suncorp for the Saturday Of the magic round to see us play the Storm and hopefully back to bankwest to see us play the broncos in June.
Well done. The Parra fan base goes well beyond those that can make the game each week. I would love to go to Suncorp but can not make it this year. It will be interesting to see how it goes, especially if the Broncos keep playing so badly. My son Jack is seven, almost eight and loved it. He went to every game at ANZ last year, but he realised on Monday what a true home ground feels like.
Thanks for sharing this Parra-matters. I choked up too mate.
Well said Shelley. Easter weekend was certainly special for me and my family in more ways than one. I was so blessed to enjoy another generation of our family demonstrating an understanding of what it means to be a genuine Parra fan.
I bought a family pack membership for my best friend who also happens to double as wife, chief supporter and critic and our two eldest grandsons aged 13 and 10. They were outstanding company for the day and my prayers were answered when the 10 year old donned all his Parra gear, T shirt, 2019 member cap, scarf etc to declare, “for the first time I feel like a real Parra fan Poppy”! He has been attending games for about 5 years with his older brother, Nana, uncles, aunties, mummy and poppy.
It reminded me of a favourite Bible passage of mine which I have held dear to my heart over the past 30 odd years of raising children. “Bring up your children in the way that they should go, and when they are older it will not depart from”! I’m not sure Jesus was referring specifically to ones footy convictions but it certainly proved to be correct last weekend.
Great stuff mate. What a day for the young bloke to be wearing his gear.