How Parramatta rebuilt from wooden spoon to premiership contenders
After their wooden-spoon season last year, Parramatta have been reborn as a blue and gold brotherhood and the Eels are primed for a finals charge.
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Parramatta’s resurrection from wooden spooners to finals outfit started in a NSW country town in November and reached full circle after their 32-16 win against Manly at Bankwest Stadium.
Forward Manu Ma’u labelled 2018’s last place finish, where his side only managed six wins, as ‘embarrassing’.
But the wounds from such humiliation started to heal while Brad Arthur’s men were on a week long pre-season training camp in Armidale last November.
In and among the hard yards and gruelling training was a heart to heart bonding session. But there was no finger pointing or picking apart how and why season 2018 went so horribly wrong.
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Instead, players opened up about their lives, their motivations and even the personal struggles they were experiencing.
Ma’u told The Daily Telegraph it forged a brotherhood that planted the seed which would grow into a finals berth.
“We formed a brotherhood during the pre-season. We went away on camp and got to know each other a bit more. That’s what changed for us,” Ma’u revealed.
“We went to Armidale, we were there for a week. A lot of boys opened up about things they weren’t comfortable talking about before.
“Some of the boys shared their stories and it gave us an insight into who they are and who they represent.
“Sometimes you see your teammates almost everyday and you go through so much together on the field but you don’t really know what is really going on in their lives.
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“I reckon that was a really important moment for us and our season.”
The ‘brotherhood’ was in full display in the lead-up to Clint Gutherson’s try early in the first half. As Waqa Blake made a break, Eels players lined up five wide in support ready to take the centre’s pass.
The ‘brotherhood’ was evidenced in the way they out enthused the Sea Eagles and defended their own line with 12 men.
Also on show was Arthur’s work to bring the best out of almost the same roster that struggled so badly in 2018.
Fijian flyer Maika Sivo, the competition’s leading tryscorer, has enjoyed a breakout season and is only getting better with every game he plays scored a hat trick down the left edge.
Mitchell Moses, who leads the competition for try assists, was in full control of his game and was able to come up with the right kick on the right occasion just about every time.
His relationship with Arthur, which deteriorated in 2018, is now flourishing and the halfback is enjoying his best season since making his debut back in 2014.
It’s a similar story for the Sea Eagles, despite the defeat. Des Hasler returned to Manly to take control of a side of mostly ragtag outfit, one very few predicted could make a dent in this year’s competition.
But thankfully for Hasler, effort wins football games and you don’t need a roster of superstars to win on that effort.
In a matter of a pre-season, Hasler’s approach has spawned a gritty side who might not have the star power and experience to really challenge the likes of Melbourne and the Roosters but will no down go down trying.
Just like they did in this one when the Eels threw a barrage of possession and Manly managed to hold the home side out.
But there is one area of their game Hasler only has seven days to fine tune. The loss of fullback Tom Trbojevic to a pectoral tear has taken one dimension out of the Sea Eagles attack.
Hasler will also need to find a way to win next week without enforcer Martin Taupau, who looks destined to spend time on the sidelines after an ugly looking tackle on the Eels’ Ray Stone.
Originally published as How Parramatta rebuilt from wooden spoon to premiership contenders