Hallelujah!
The reboot of the 2020 Premiership on May 28 means that this week’s team list will be the last of the special editions.
Not that it hasn’t been enjoyable coming up with the themes.
However, the business of every season is about winning games of football. And given that it’s back to business in a big way next week, the team lists from here on in will be the 2020 Parramatta Eels.
But there is still this week – so how did we decide to finish the themes?
It’s Blue and Gold forever baby!
This is the top 17 longest serving Eels.
Each player made the list by virtue of the number of first grade games played. A spot in the team was then found for them – it was as simple as that.
Should I have selected the longest serving player for each position? Perhaps.
Nonetheless, at a time when many rugby league supporters have remained loyal to their club by maintaining their memberships, it seems only fitting to honour our club stalwarts.
Fullback Jarryd Hayne
Hayne in full flight
2006 – 2014, 2018.
191 games
The freak!
The champ.
The Hayne Plane.
The most talented player I’ve ever seen in Blue and Gold.
Wing Daniel Wagon
Wags pulls through the tackle
1999 – 2008
204 games
We called him Superglue because he liked to latch onto that ball and hit it up.
He came to the Eels as a winger.
He finished as a reliable Mr Fixit.
Centre Mick Cronin
The legendary Mick Cronin
1977 – 1986
216 games
1971 points
Imagine travelling from Geringong to Parramatta to train and play for ten seasons!
Champion bloke.
Champion player.
Helped nurture those around him to become champions too.
Centre Mark Laurie
Pebbles takes on the defence
1982 – 1992
205 games
Pebbles – the younger brother of Rocky Laurie.
Alongside Paul Taylor, Laurie was one of Parra’s best utility players with the ability to cover backline and forward roles.
His selection at centre is on the basis of 25 senior games in that position.
Wing Luke Burt
Few had the loyalty of Luke Burt.
1999 – 2012
264 games
1793 points
When Brian Smith rushed Luke Burt into first grade I was dumbfounded. He seemed so lightly framed and inexperienced.
Burt proved me wrong and played 24 games that year.
The Eels tried to release him a couple of times. He wouldn’t leave.
He was one of Parra’s best in that amazing 2009 season.
Five-Eighth Brett Kenny
The natural – Brett Kenny
1980 – 1993
264 games
Poetry in motion.
A player who deserves immortal status.
Two tries in three consecutive grand finals.
Bettered Wally Lewis when he faced him at five-eighth in Origin with 8 wins, four losses.
Halfback Peter Sterling
Sterlo – few compare
1978 – 1992
227 games
Another who deserves immortal status.
The Eels have searched for 30 years for someone to own the halfback jersey the way Sterlo did.
Comparisons with this bloke aren’t fair to anyone.
Arguably one of the smartest players to ever grace the footy field.
Prop Nathan Cayless
Leadership bestowed at a young age.
1997 – 2010
259 games
Captained Parra while still only 21!
A star local junior who also went on to captain the New Zealand Kiwis to a World Cup win.
Two grand final appearances.
And what about that field goal vs Newcastle in 2008!
Hooker Billy Rayner
Earned an Aussie jersey from the spoon team.
1956 -1966
195 games
Here’s a stalwart from some of Parra’s leanest years!
Across the six seasons from 1956 to 1961 the Eels only won 16 games in total. Naturally they collected the spoon in each year.
Incredibly, Billy was selected for Australia in 1960. Parra won two games that year!
He finished his career in better times with the Eels featuring in finals footy from 1962 to 1965.
Prop Bob O’Reilly
The Bear – Parra’s first locally bred Kangaroo
1967 – 1975, 1980 – 1982
216 games
You had to be a special player, and tough, to play in the front row in the 1960s. To do so at only 18 was next level tough.
The Bear was Parra’s first player to come through the local juniors into first grade and then play for Australia.
It was only appropriate that Bob returned to Parra to be a part of the club’s first title.
Second Row Nathan Hindmarsh
Hindy
1998 – 2012
330 games
The most capped Eel of all time.
Two grand final appearances should have resulted in at least one Premiership.
Hindy had an amazing motor and the ability to bob up when needed, especially in defence.
Genuine warhorse player.
Second Row Ron Lynch
Thirst Lynch
1961 -1971
194 games
Parra had one of the most feared packs during the 1960s and Thirsty Lynch was a huge part of it.
He gained Australian selection during his first year at Parra, the wooden spoon year of 1961, but he would go on to earn 12 Green and Gold jerseys.
Penrith wooed him to the foot of the mountains to captain them for the last two years of his career.
Lock Ray Price
One of a kind
1976 – 1986
258 games
The
Greatest
Eel
Ever
End of discussion.
Bench Fuifui Moimoi
Fuuuuuiiiii
2004 – 2014
201 games
I was one of the thousands to say “who?” when Brian Smith signed Fui.
I was one of the thousands to call “Fuuuuiiiii!” every time he charged onto the ball.
His 2009 Grand Final try was something special.
Bench Tim Mannah
Tim busts the line & looks to offload
2009 – 2019
233 games
Parramatta junior, team captain, NSW Origin player, club ambassador, community worker.
Tim should feel proud of his accomplishments.
Eels supporters should be proud that he pulled on the Blue and Gold.
Bench John McMartin
John McMartin (Photo Getty Images).
1966 – 1975
167 games
A genuine ball winner in the era of competitive scrums and demonstrably one of the fastest forwards of his generation.
He earned a NSW jersey but should have played for Australia.
Bench Steve Sharp
Sharp crosses for a try.
1979 – 1990
164 games
Sharpie was one of the most underrated Eels forwards during the golden era. Check out his role in Atkins try in the 1981 grand final.
The mobile forward made 73 top grade appearances over the 1981-1983 seasons – an average of better than 24 games per season. Jack Gibson didn’t select mugs.
Anybody who pulls on a first grade jersey is part of an elite group of players. Only just over 800 players have done so for the Eels, so to play such a massive number of games in the Blue and Gold jersey is something each of these players and their families can be justifiably proud of.
A few of these blokes spent brief periods at other clubs. Should I have restricted qualification to one club players? Perhaps that something that readers could debate.
When all is said and done, these footballers have played the most games for the mighty Eels. Twelve on this list notched up over 200 matches for our club.
That is definitely worthy of acknowledgement.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Hard to disagree with that side sixties but, equally hard to not see the zip zip man in it either
He was about 11 games away from qualifying Colin. Each spot was earned by those on the top 17 most games played.
Was that the case with Peter Winn who had to have played more games than Steve Sharp I would have thought?
Love it!
Sterling, Kenny and Cronin. Champions beyond belief and then there was Ray Price. Totally agree 60s. Well said.
Cheers
Gaz
Thanks Gazza. Little wonder we had such success with blokes like Cronin and Price as mainstays.
Well done Sixties – very good read. I also would have loved to have seen Paul Taylor in there but from memory he played about 150-160 games. Ticker to burn and superb defender.
When we read about Thirsty and Bear it makes you realise how tough they were and Billy Rayner, what an amazing feat making the Australian team from wooden spooners.
Cheers Milo. Yes, Taylor fell just short of making the top 17 cut with 157 games.
I wish blokes like Lynch and the Bear had been one club players. They were great servants anyway, but it would have been extra special. Then again, the Bear probably benefitted from his time at the Roosters.
Yeah everyone loves a brown paper bag
When Walsh was the coach, & IIRC it was before Bob left the eels, he was appointed captain, & I believe that he was too young for that role at the time.
There was a photo showing Walsh escorting Bob off the field during a game in which we lost again IIRC, one could readily see the hurt on Bob’s face, along with Walsh trying to console him. I’m pretty sure the pic was front page in the Rugby League Week newspaper.
Certainly when he returned to the eels he was a much better and stronger player, and for me would have loved to have seen him as a one club player.
Penrith offered him stupid money he couldn’t refuse
From recollection he regretted jumping the gun with that decision, as the Eels hit consecutive grand finals in the next two seasons.
It’s a strong forward pack and an excellent spine. Enjoy the virtual memories of the ball going through the hands: Sterling, Kenny, Cronin, Hayne…
Cheers Achilles. Our backline in the 80s was superb, but imagine slotting Hayne in there somewhere…
Sixties, a hypothetical question. Would Big Jack in your view have coped with Hayne?
Interesting hypothetical. I’d reverse it and ask whether Hayne would have adjusted to Jack’s style. I’d suggest that certain senior players would help that to happen.
I think that Big Jack would have marvelled at Hayne’s brilliance, while Hayne would have cherished Big Jack’s wisdom. How would I know (Whitney Houston almost sang), so why not look on it through rose-coloured glasses? Monty Python implored that one should always look on the bright side of life.
Achilles he may have looked at it like that, and no doubt his brilliance would have stood out. Sterling / Kenny also had that brilliance.
Achilles and Milo, there’s no doubt that the more recent generation has presented different challenges for coaches to manage. I think Parra was a prime example because blokes who came through into first grade with Brian Smith didn’t always see eye to eye with Hayne and his peers when it came to training etc. But that’s the thing with the past. We’re trying to not just transport differently trained and prepared athletes (eg the bigger gym honed players) but we’re also looking at players who deal with social media, media and mobile phone technology today, and shoving them back to yesteryear and imagining how they’d go. We just don’t know, because the players back then may have got into just as much trouble if not more with similar technology and media coverage. And the players back then may have been bigger athletes with more intense training.
Still, it’s fun to hypothesise.
Agreed on that one. I also think the current crop have plenty of training in these areas and many should realise they could stay off it….B Smith – superb.
Yes it is an interesting one, and i am 50/50 either way.
I just don’t know, Milo. The past is a foreign country. The current situation with Covid-19 should teach us how easily our circumstances can change.
Has anyone noticed the Mitch Moses has not trained in any contact sessions since the resumption of training. Do we know if there is any issue with him? Injuries etc.
It’s the first I’ve heard of this. Maybe I’ve missed a report on it. Where has this info come from?
Just based on pictures released from contact sessions. Have not seen him once running with the team. Pics of him with joggers on standing next to BA during contact sessions ie.
Ok. I haven’t been able to attend training (obviously) but my experience is that too much can be made from pictures. Sometimes I’ve straight out laughed about the conclusions that people have drawn from training photos.Eg. There are times when various players don’t participate in certain sessions – everything from minor rehab to workload, to illness, to personal leave. I have watched players doing opposed then sitting out the running component and instead, hopping on bikes, then vice versa. Mid season, I’ve seen players do rehab training all week, then join caps run and play later in the week. Basically, everyone trains as they need to train.
Now, I could be quite blasé about the matter, but I’ll still give people a tip that applies to most situations. If Parra or any club wanted to keep something under wraps, they would be highly unlikely to publish photos.
Fair enough mate – hope we are right 🙂
I’ll back them in to be sweet to go Jack. Thanks for letting me know about the rumour.
Steve Sharp was actually the player who made the most first grade appearances in the Jack Gibson era
It would have been tough to top 73 games. Nice highlighting PT&T.
Stop it, Geoff. You genuinely humble “Parra knowall” It’s been an entertaining bunch of recent years and a real blessing getting to know you mate. Please keep it up.
Great Team List Tuesday Sixties, and wonderfully appropriate as we look forward to this current team emulating some of those most outstanding performances which you have documented above.
As I read your personal thoughts about each of the selected members in Parra Stalwarts. It was difficult to argue with any of them. It was also hard to not to feel the emotion you generated in your selections and the very often mutual admiration which I had for the same players and the joy they gave me to be a Parra fan. Win, lose or draw. In fact I miss the DRAW, which never resembled kissing my sister! I recall some of our greatest victories being played out to equal points on the scoreboard. Lidcome Oval mid 1970’s 22 all v Wests after being down 20 to 2 at halftime. A similar score against Manly in the last game we played against them on the old Cumberland Oval 1981. I think we played an 18 all draw against the Balmain Tigers at Cumbo during the late 1960’s or early 70’s. Moby Dick knocked over a field goal from inside our own half to either draw the game or give us a win.
AS I am not much chop at using the sites with all the stats of past games my recollections are just that. Recollections of a man approaching 70. So forgive my errors if they are.
And while we’re at it getting rid of one of the previous 2 points of post game scorn or praise, why don’t we get rid of that horrible Golden Farce, I mean Golden Point of conjecture. If it wasn’t for the draw we would not have made the semi’s in 2009! There’s another recollection that might only be close, but I’ll keep it as a memory because that’s mine!
I hate some aspects of this getting old caper Rowdy – like having to wear a pressure sock just to go for my daily walk, or having older football memories begin to get dimmer with specifics like you were recalling. But generally, the players who made an impression remain firmly implanted in the brain.
Golden point has rarely been kind to Parra. I enjoy watching other teams in other matches fight it out, but not the Eels.
Agreed about Golden Point Rowdy; my view is simple, they have had 80 mins to win the game.
good old Daniel wagon. what a great all round solid player. awesome defender n could play many position. centre, wing, 5/8, lock, second row. was my favorite player i even thought he was better then nathan hindmarsh. mind you i thought ian hindmasrh was better then nathan hindmarsh.