With the recent acquisition of Ryan Matterson alongside Shaun Lane’s breakout season, the Parramatta Eels have two genuinely unique difference makers in both edge backrow slots in 2020. Physically the backrow, and indeed the entire roster, is in its most competitive…
Eels Pre-Season Training – November 22 & 25: All Together Now (Almost)
Hello old friend. It’s good to be back. Returning to the normal training report schedule feels like climbing back into the comfortable chair, beer on the table beside me and remote control where it belongs – in my hand. With…
Broken Pathways – Have The Eels Dropped The Development Club Ball?
Around this time every year, The Cumberland Throw keeps you up to date with junior system players to follow. We try do this with a little bit of knowledge and from a place of passion. It’s never been an onerous…
Instant Reaction – Eels Sign Ryan Matterson
Ryan Matterson has agreed to terms for a three year deal with the Parramatta Eels commencing in 2020, which includes an option in the third year. The second rower is a Parramatta Eels junior, and played three years in…
The Spotlight – Mutually Beneficial Recruitment
It’s the eve of November 1, and right now the silly season is big on recruitment speculation and small on confirmation. We are learning all about “war chests” and little about rosters. That’s probably fair enough, given that there are…
Draw & Pass – Breaking Down The Eels’ 2020 Draw
Image courtesy of NRL.com The 2020 NRL Draw has officially dropped and it has delivered a mixed bag for the Parramatta Eels. There is plenty to dive into so let’s get right into the meat and potatoes of the…
The Spotlight – The Evolution Of Leadership
What constitutes good leadership? In the world of the NRL, it’s historically been a metric commonly associated with the team captain. “Strong” captains were celebrated as being important components of successful teams. Leaders like Arthur Beetson, Steve Mortimer and Wally…
Reaction And Feedback – Potential Eels Signings
Even at the height of finals footy, it seems that the media and the public can’t get enough of player market speculation. In the wonderful soap opera of the NRL, the all too frequent “early release” seems to be dominating…
The Spotlight – Selling The Eels To The Player Market
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the silly season. That first day in November, when players contracted until the end of the following season are suddenly permitted to negotiate with clubs twelve months in advance, is soon to arrive. Of course,…
Whisky Musings – Finals Week 2: Now Comes The Dark Before The Dawn
Finals Week 2 Drink Of Choice – Yamazaki Single Malt And thus the curtain draws on the Parramatta Eels in 2019. Not with a thunderous crescendo but with the slightest of whimpers as the Melbourne Storm romped to a 32-0…