Since joining Australia’s premier Rugby League competition in 1946, the Eels have enjoyed great success, but also large periods of failure. To say that Parramatta’s early years were disappointing would be an understatement, with the blue and gold picking up 11 of their 13 wooden spoons in the first 30 seasons after entering the comp.
However, these poor performances are in stark contrast with the glory days of the early 1980s, where the Eels were a force to be reckoned with. Under ‘Supercoach’ Jack Gibson, and with a list of players including Peter Sterling, Steve Ella and Mick Cronin, the Eels picked up triple premiership glory from 1981-1983, and then secured their fourth title in 1986. This 1986 triumph against the Bulldogs remains the lowest-scoring Grand Final ever (Eels 4 Bulldogs 2) and kick-started the heated rivalry between Parramatta and the team from Belmore.
Despite making the Grand Final in 2001, and then again in 2009, this fourth premiership in 1986 remains Parramatta’s most recent triumph, something that the current crop of players will be hoping to rectify. The 2009 Grand Final in particular was a tough pill to swallow for Eels fans, with Parramatta defeated by the Storm who later had the premiership stripped from them for Salary Cap cheating. The 2009 premiership was not awarded to the Eels retrospectively.
Considered the club with the biggest supporter-base in Sydney, the Parramatta faithful will be on hand to spur their beloved Eels on to greater heights this year. After being regularly disappointed with poor performances, as well as Salary Cap breaches of their own in recent years, Parramatta look to be on an upward curve under Brad Arthur, who has the potential to become one of the league’s great coaches.
The upcoming move into the redeveloped Western Sydney Stadium in 2019 shapes as the beginning of a prosperous and successful era for the Parramatta Eels.
