“Inconsistent. That’s where we fit – middle of the road with the competition…..We take a couple of steps forward then we take a big step backwards.” With these words, Parramatta coach Brad Arthur succinctly summarised the Eels 2017 season to…
The Spotlight – The Territory Eels
This Saturday night, the Parramatta Eels will be taking the field in what will be their fourth premiership game in Darwin. It also marks the final year of the four year sponsorship provided by the Northern Territory Government. With decisions…
The Spotlight – Arthur’s Youth Policy
One of the greatest misconceptions about the Parramatta Eels under Brad Arthur’s stewardship has been the belief that he is reluctant to give young players a shot. This week I’m placing that theory under “The Spotlight” to test its validity.…
NRL Indigenous Round – Recognising Eels Aboriginal Heritage
Parramatta – is there an NRL club name as readily recognised for its link to Aboriginal people? Taken as an anglicised version of Burramatta, its meaning refers to either “Place of the eels” or “place where the eels lie”. The…
Respecting The Jersey – Respecting The Game
What value do the governors of rugby league in Australia place on the traditions of our great game? How much do they care about the massive football nursery outside of metropolitan Sydney? There are legitimate questions to be asked of…
Cowboys Analysis – Competitive Advantage
Townsville. If ever there’s a place the Eels hate to play, it’s Townsville. In fact it weren’t for a game played almost 7 years ago to the day (Round 7, Friday 23rd April, 2010) the Blue and Gold of Parramatta…
Navigating The Unexpected – The Folly Of Being An NRL Coach
The theatre that is rugby league. The NRL is blessed with wall to wall drama and as we all know, the best drama results from the unexpected. In our great game, it’s rare for a week to ever pass without…
An Eels Easter – A Supporter’s Four Day Odyssey
“You unlock this door with the key of loyalty. Beyond it is another dimension – a dimension of hope, a dimension of resilience, a dimension of faith. You’re moving into a land of both joy and challenges, of good times…
Whiskey Musings – Round 7: Easter Monday drought breaker; Eels stumble, teeter on the abyss before resurrecting their Top 8 aspirations
Round 7 Drink of Choice – Bundaberg Rum Master Distillers’ Collection (Limited Release – 2014) Like today’s game; raw and crude at first, probably not worth the price of entry – but with a surprisingly pleasant finish. Double shots all…
First Quarter Review – Round 1 Through To 6
Welcome to the first of four regular season installments (and hopefully a post-season edition!) where I will break down the respective seasons of our NRL, ISP and NYC squads across the course of 6-game brackets (following the bye schedule in the…