Paul Kent: Venomous internal politics undermine Eels amid premiership drought

Few clubs have the ability to cannibalise themselves like Parramatta. PAUL KENT reveals how internal infighting and media leaks have taken a toll for decades. 

Parramatta Eels have been torn apart by internal politics for a long time. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

No club blows the dust off old premiership blazers quite like Parramatta Eels, although it must be said the practice is becoming something of a choke hazard in recent winters.

Right on time, Parra’s old warhorse Ray Price climbed out of bed this week with a certain kind of fractured elegance, taped his knees up for the new day and tilted slightly to the left with his open arms spread wide, “guaranteeing” the Eels would beat Penrith for the title.

Some unreliable witnesses thought Price was praying to the footy gods.

Others thought the battle-scarred warrior was merely finding it hard to kick old habits and that he was simply waiting for a rebound off the goalposts.

Former club legend Ray Price has been vocal recently.

All the same, his enthusiasm was the Pricey of old, blunt and uncompromising.

His confidence was fuelled by Parramatta’s advancement to Friday’s preliminary final, the first date the Eels have had for a grand final berth since 2009 when Jarryd Hayne almost carried them home.

Yet, as happens at Parramatta, it won’t come without its own share of problems.

Few clubs have the ability to cannibalise themselves like Parramatta.

Frustration and internal politics are as much a sport within the club as block plays and kick high and follow on, although rarely as much fun.

The latest version began last week when the results of a poorly timed review were leaked to reveal nepotism was a destabilising problem at the club.

To some, it explained the mysterious absence of backrower Nathan Brown, whose fall from grace has been stark. Brown was an Origin-class backrower but has gone unspotted at Parramatta for much of this season, and parts of others, the street whisper suggesting it happened about the same time Brown questioned coach Brad Arthur about his use of son Jake in the Parramatta team.

Eels coach Brad Arthur and his son Jake have been at the cnetre of rumours. Picture: Gregg Porteous/NRL Imagery

The Eels tried their best to spin the review to say the nepotism was a problem identified within its junior rep squads, and not the NRL team, but few were buying it.

It was a brief glimpse into venomous internal politics that often get played within NRL clubs, and at Parramatta in particular.

It took an even more sinister turn given the information was first leaked to 2GB’s Ray Hadley, whose relationship with Arthur is less than stellar and who knew best how to utilise it.

In the swampy world of footy politics, this one was a beauty.

Arthur was naturally disappointed at the leaked reports but he should not be entirely surprised.

As a club, Parramatta has been turning on its own since Denis Fitzgerald was ousted as club boss back when the Eels were still in the early years of a contender hangover.

Former Parramatta CEO Denis Fitzgerald was a long-term presence. Picture: Brett Costello

Last week seemed perfectly timed for maximum damage.

The topic dominated much of last week’s conversation and was quietened only by Parramatta’s comprehensive victory over Canberra, who finally ran out of legs, but the snipers still lurk in the background given Parramatta’s push for a premiership.

The Eels currently have the longest premiership drought in the NRL and while there has been some joy around them making it to Friday’s preliminary final, it is destined to be short lived.

One problem will merely be replaced by another.

What constitutes a successful season for Parramatta, and more importantly, Arthur?

The frustration at not being able to make it past week two of the finals under Arthur’s reign is being replaced by the frustration at their premiership drought.

How fair it is remains irrelevant, despite the enthusiasm of Price and others.

Only about half the pre-season experts tipped Parramatta for a top four finish and a fading memory recalls nobody tipped Parramatta to win the premiership this season.

Nobody would argue Parramatta has the strongest roster in the NRL.

Parramatta Eels have been torn apart by internal politics for a long time. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Against those predictions Parramatta’s advancement to Friday’s preliminary final could not be considered anything less than a success.

But as South Sydney fans can relate, a preliminary final offers no guarantees for drought-breaking premierships.

The Rabbitohs have made the past five preliminary finals but have only one grand final and exactly no premierships to show for it.

It underlines the difficulty of winning the big one.

Yet there is a calmness within South Sydney fans that does not exist within Parramatta fans.

After more than 40 years of misery, some say, and waiting for Souths to even show a glimpse of being competitive most Souths fans are still satisfied with their 2014 premiership, even though it is ticking along up to eight years now.

Parramatta fans are waiting 36 years and counting.

Many remain expectant after the success of the 1980s, almost like it is a right, when Price oversaw one of the great dynasties of the game.

That all said, in his 11 seasons at the club he played in seven grand finals, winning four premierships.

The Eels haven’t won even one outside of that, so he knows what winning looks like, even if it is becoming a familiar call.

Originally published as Paul Kent: Venomous internal politics undermine Eels amid premiership drought