It’s been a mix of emotions for the Parramatta Eels and supporters over the past couple of weeks.

The joy of victory over the old foe in Manly was soon followed by the news that the Eels were close to signing Jarome Luai.

Fans reacted as we expected to a polarising identity like Luai, and the mainstream media has fed off that as usual.

There was joy and positivity at both ends of the age spectrum with the success of the old boys day and the selection of six Eels Academy players in the Australian Schools teams.

Then we had sorrow with the passing of Bob Jay and Karl Lovell.

Throw in the usual Moses debate, disappointing losses, and it’s just another couple of weeks in PARRAdise.

Bumpers Up!

 

 

Who’s Your Sugar Daddy?

 

It hasn’t been confirmed as a done deal, but the mail is strong that four time Premiership winner Jarome Luai will be linking with the Eels on a one year deal after being told by the Tigers that he is welcome to leave at the end of 2026.

TCT went live with an Instant Reaction podcast on Thursday night and the viewers flocked to our YouTube channel despite the lack of notice for the pod.

And the opinions were certainly mixed, with the live chat room alight with conflicting takes on the possibility of another “gap year” signing.

Both John and I were primarily in favour of the signing. One year contracts are far from ideal. However, they are becoming more prevalent in a range of overseas professional sports, and we are starting to see a sprinkling of them in the NRL.

Furthermore, the prospect of fielding an Origin level halves pairing, even just for one season, is tough to knock back. I described it as a much needed “sugar hit” – a signing which might assist in getting a couple of other recruits across the line for 2027, not to mention the likelihood of an improved season which in itself would help to make the club a more attractive destination.

There should also be the benefit of an additional year of development for the Eels younger halves, such as Joash Papalii, Lorenzo Talataina, Lincoln Fletcher and Cam Bamblett.

A take from supporters is that adding someone like Luai for just one season might cost the club a younger player or two, especially Volkman. And a departure might occur.

My attitude is this. The club cannot walk the path of being afraid to sign quality players that might put other noses out of joint. We need younger talent to back themselves to succeed. After all, adding elite players to the roster helps them to learn from the best, both on the field and on the training track.

The other point on that is to look at how many players are listed above as rising halves players at the Eels. Despite the fact that Papalii and Bamblett have greater versatility, long term competition already exists, and we need the players who will back themselves to succeed both Mitch Moses and Luai (should he sign).

And that need also extends to our rising middles or outside backs for recruits that the Eels add in those positions.

I get the negativity. There is history with Luai against the Eels, especially from the 2022 season. But if James Fisher Harris was suddenly available and willing to come to Parra, I bet many would forgive his mug lair, “who’s your daddy” antics around the grand final.

Then there’s some logic to the negativity. There was always the risk that Parra would sign a very good player, but one that might not fit their needs. That could arguably be the case. It would certainly align with not meeting a long term need.

Without question, the acquisition of Luai must not be the only significant addition for 2027. Jaydn Su’A is already locked in, but an intimidating middle and an outside back are essential holes to fill.

All Eels supporters feel the frustration of another year without success, and the off-field “wins” are slow to arrive, but judgement on the 2027 roster should be made when the recruitment process is complete.

 

It’s The Hope…

 

I struggled in the Instant Reaction podcast following the Eels loss to the Roosters.

On reflection, I may have been too negative in some of my takes.

Frustration about another loss emanating from errors after the team put themselves into a winning position felt like an all too familiar outcome. Reporting on a sub 70% completion rate has become a weekly ritual.

Easts were raging favourites for a reason, but it’s the hope that kills you, and on many occasions this year the Eels have given cause for such hope well into the second half, only to see their errors determine their fate.

The reality is, it’s difficult to expect seasoned performances from inexperienced players. It’s not an excuse, as some of the errors and poor attention to detail just shouldn’t be seen as often as they are. But the lack of experience is an unavoidable fact.

I’m not going to praise the effort. Over the last decade, John and I have been fortunate enough to interview and speak with Bernie Gurr on many occasions. The former Roosters and Eels CEO has always reminded us that at the first grade or NRL level, effort is a non-negotiable.

What I will praise is more specific. The fight and resilience in the Eels goal line defence, especially during that first half, deserved special mention.

Furthermore, the narrative around the match was all about Daniel Tupou’s milestone and the presence of Tongan royalty at the game. This was backed up by the broadcasters pointing out the Roosters players on the sideline, whilst completely ignoring the Eels casualty ward.

To rub salt into the wound, it felt like every 50/50 call fell to the Roosters and was quickly followed by the bounce of the ball. Was that pass from Mark Nawaqanitawase a case of his brilliance, incredible good fortune or heavy lashings of both?

In all honesty, the Eels had done remarkably well after losing Mitch Moses to an Origin injury, then Ronny Volkman during the first half to concussion.

Reinforcements will begin to arrive after the bye, and after huge assignment next up against the Panthers, it’s possible that Parra could achieve a similar finish to 2025.

Again, the hope remains strong.

 

Mitch Moses

 

I don’t want to dive into it too deeply because I’ve addressed it before, but the narrative around Mitch Moses from supporters and the media continues to be a hot topic.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, in my opinion it is not the fault of Mitch Moses that he is Parra’s only Origin rep. Other clubs have multiple rep players so there is less of a focus on any individual if they are injured or stood down after Origin games.

His injuries are not his fault. Unfortunately there is a history of his Origin duties costing him appearances for our Eels. But that’s footy. His hamstring injury also cost him an Origin jersey, whilst the cork he suffered in Origin Three was there for all to see.

Mitch was on the sidelines at the Eels Captains Run last week and was limping. After the session was over he joined other players who spoke with a few supporters in attendance, then went and grabbed a pair of his boots to sign and give away to a young fan.

Should Mitch stand down from rep duties? I don’t believe that he should be judged as not committing to the Eels just because he accepts the honour of a NSW jersey. Nobody should. Again he is the only Eels current rep star.

It’s frustrating to lose him around Origin, but if we had more elite players missing games around the rep season, we probably wouldn’t be telling them all to stand down. We’d be grateful to have them.

NRLW Disappointment

 

To use the term “disappointing” to describe the Eels first two games of the NRLW season is a massive understatement.

It can’t be sugar coated. Given a dream draw of the Tigers and the Dragons across the opening rounds, the Eels have looked more like Wooden Spoon contenders in performances that were eerily similar to each other.

Starting each game with poor intensity, and zero line speed in defence, each match was effectively over by half time as the Eels conceded an avalanche of points.

Improved second half efforts meant little in the aftermath of each opening stanza, and coach Steve Georgallis might have to make some tough selection calls across the next couple of weeks. Perhaps a player or two might need a rest, because an injection of energy and intensity looks essential.

The first two rounds have been nothing like the lopsided trial win against the Dogs where the forwards physically dominated their opponents before unleashing the strike out wide. Of course it was only a trial, and the Dogs themselves are also struggling, but there was intent in their effort that has been sadly lacking since.

Keilee Joseph has been a significant loss from the pack, but would she have made a difference on her own? She will no doubt be rushed back in following her return from injury.

It’s only a short season, so things will either have to rapidly turn around or it will be over before it has begun.

 

Vale Bob Jay And Karl Lovell

 

In recent years, it seems like the Eels club and its supporters have farewelled far too many former players.

Unfortunately, the sad news continued in the past week with the passing of both Bob Jay (player 300) and Karl Lovell (player 577).

Bob Jay was a great club man in rugby league’s era of the club man. A local junior he played over 200 grade games for the Eels in various forward positions. He was a tough man, he was skilled, and he was a leader.

Back in 2018, I included Bob in a TCT team list I titled “The Unheralded”. It was a tribute to those players who contributed greatly to the Eels but never received the accolades that maybe should have come their way.  I will write a more detailed post on him in the coming days.

A Central Coast junior, Karl Lovell was a member of the Eels team which returned to finals football in 1997 under the coaching of Brian Smith. A regular first grade team member, Karl’s versatility saw him play 37 first grade games across two seasons across positions in the backline and the pack.

He left the Eels to play in the Super League in 1999 and 2000, before finishing his NRL career with the Northern Eagles and the Sharks.

We extend our sympathies to the families and loved ones of both Bob and Karl.

 

Australian Schoolboys and Schoolgirls Selections

 

Congratulations are extended to the Eels Academy players who earned selection in the Australian Schoolboys and Schoolgirls teams following the recent school championships series.

Liam Martin, Cyrus Bloomfield, Steven Nunn, Hayden Bell, and Jirah-Trey Stewart backed up impressive Junior Rep seasons with strong championship performances to earn the Green and Gold jersey. Likewise, Hayden’s sister Isabella has added to a remarkable 2026 with her Australian honours.

It’s a mix of local and imported talent in the list, so Eels talent identification has done well.

Whilst the journey to the top grade remains a long way from fruition for all of these rising players, they are continuing to tick the boxes on their individual development.

And the Academy Program and its staff rightly deserve some accolades for their achievements so far.

 

Supporters Group Alliance – SGA

 

It’s probably time to address or qualify what the Parramatta SGA is or does because there have been a few misconceptions or barbs thrown, plus there are probably thousands of supporters who have never heard about it.

The SGA effectively replaced the old Members Council. Unfortunately there had been some tough hurdles for Members Council in its final years, primarily relating to COVID and the inability to stage in-person meetings over a couple of seasons.

In mid 2023, after what was ultimately the final Council meeting, I immediately began to communicate with the club regarding my opinion on the form, and the scope, of any future group. Having Eels supporter representation in meetings with the club was vitally important, but fine tuning was essential.

Fast forward to late 2024, and the Eels finalised that form and scope, and they established a group of ten supporters/members, some with strong social media presence, to begin the SGA.

That membership has since evolved, and at our most recent meeting in June we welcomed three new members who had been selected by the club via an application process.

The focus of the group is essentially the Eels supporter experience, be it though game day, Eels media, fan events, membership inclusions, and merchandise. Please note, everybody, from the club management to the SGA understand that winning games is the best thing that the club can deliver for fans. We ask questions and offer opinions about what’s happening on that front, but it’s not our remit.

Meetings are held roughly every two months and at each meeting we provide feedback to the club about the sentiments of supporters concerning the above. Our feedback is the priority point at each agenda.

We also present and work on ideas to improve the supporter experience. As an example, a current focus is ideas for the 80th anniversary of the Eels in 2027.

The club provides the SGA with information concerning some of their supporter initiative plans, and with a football update. But again, it is important to note that the primary remit of the group is the various components of the supporter experience.

Let me be very clear on a misconception amongst some fans. The club did not formulate this group to assemble a collection of “yes people”. Nobody in the SGA would want to be involved in that capacity, and it would be a complete waste of the Club’s time to do so. In fact, before I agreed to be involved I clarified that I intended to comment critically on club decisions should I feel it was warranted.

The club has a very clear intent. They want to improve the Parramatta fan experience and they want supporters to contribute and drive some of the initiatives.

 

TCT Live At Parra Leagues

 

It was a very busy Sunday for John and I at Parra Leagues when the Eels faced Manly at CommBank Stadium.

John was involved as official photographer for the BGA at the player reunion luncheon, capturing images of the event and the walk to the Stadium.

As always it was a special day, made even more special by the win and by the appearance of a number of first time attendees at the event, in addition to Steve Edge interviewing the oldest former Eel, player 82, Jerry Clancy.

Jerry was a centre or winger in the 1953 team and celebrated his 94th birthday at the reunion.

Whilst all of that was unfolding in Jacks, I remained on duty at Sterlo’s. But due to the reunion no legend ambassadors were available.

 

Instead, rising Eels forward Will Latu was my guest, and he was outstanding as we chatted about his journey to Parra, his young career, his current rehab and for a bit of fun, his behind the scenes commentary on some of his team mates. Will joins the Eels NRL top 30 next year, so 2027 looms as a huge season for him.

The punters then lined up for photos, autographs and a chat and the response from the full house was tremendous.

We will be back in Sterlo’s on Thursday week when we will once again be joined by an Eels ambassador legend.

More on who that will be in the lead up.

See you then!

Eels Forever!

Sixties