Inside Parramatta’s rollercoaster ride through the decade

One Dally M winner, three wooden spoons and only two finals appearances — the 2010s was a tough decade for the Eels. How can that be when you see the talent in this team?

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It’s almost criminal that a club with this much talent produced three wooden spoons and just two finals appearances in a decade also tainted by a salary cap scandal.

But that was the tale of the Parramatta Eels’ last decade.

Who else could ‘win’ back-to-back wooden spoons with arguably the best player in the game in their line-up?

There was no room for sentiment in selecting the Eels’ team of the decade, which meant long-term captain Nathan Cayless — who played his last season in 2010, Beau Scott, Blake Ferguson, Nathan Peats, Will Hopoate, Chris Sandow and Kieran Foran all missed out.

While players like Dylan Brown seem destined to feature in the Eels’ team of the next decade, Maika Sivo did enough in his debut NRL season to earn a place.

1. Jarryd Hayne

At his peak, Hayne was unstoppable, the best player in the game. The Hayne Plane won a second Dally M Medal in 2014.

What it didn’t bring was finals appearances. In his six seasons this decade, he didn’t feature in the post season once. That may have been different had he not quit the club in 2014 to chase his NFL dream. He was around, though, for the three wooden spoons of 2012, 2013 and 2018.

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Hayne did not experience team success at the Eels. AAP Image/Brendan Esposito.

2. Semi Radradra

The stats speak for themselves - 82 tries in 94 games is an amazing strike rate.

Fast and strong. His kick returns make up a highlight reel all on their own.

The Semi Trailer was the cult hero the Eels needed as they finally broke through for their first finals appearance of the decade in 2017 before, like Hayne, quitting the club at the peak of his powers.

3. Michael Jennings

It’s almost sacrilege to include a bloke who declared “I don’t hate the Parramatta players, just the team they represent” while playing for Penrith in the same decade.

But Jennings has come a long way since that 2011 statement.

The experience he brought to the Eels is a big reason why they made their maiden finals appearance of the decade in 2017.

Always dangerous in attack and strong on the edge in defence, most recently Jennings has helped integrate Maika Sivo into first grade.

Jennings has spent four good years with the Eels. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images.

4. Clint Gutherson

Eligible for a place a fullback, centre, on the wing and at five-eighth. The Eels’ Mr Reliable has even filled in at dummy half, as his versatility proved invaluable.

Leadership qualities were rewarded with the captaincy and you can’t question his commitment as he’s consistently the fittest bloke at the club.

Gutho’s sicking game takes pressure off the halves and he has the organisational skills to be an extra ballplayer.

Fullback is his ideal position but he’s not pushing Hayne out of that spot in this team.

5. Maika Sivo

One season, 22 tries in 25 games. One of the great debut seasons.

The former Gundagai Tiger is a proven matchwinner and in one year was able to take the wing position from club legend Luke Burt.

While he’s already 26, he’s still learning attacking patterns and how to beat defences, although barging straight over them seems to work just fine.

Evokes memories of Semi Radradra and the “Si-vo, Si-vo” chants are already synonymous with a packed house at Bankwest Stadium.

Sivo was an instant hit in 2019. AAP Image/Brendon Thorne.

6. Corey Norman

Polarising, brilliant and frustrating, but Norman was an easy selection at five-eighth.

At his peak in 2017, he and Mitchell Moses led the Eels to the finals in what looked like a return to the good old days at Parramatta, before that partnership faltered and he was shipped off this season.

7. Mitchell Moses

Joined midway through 2017 and showed flashes of brilliance. Now the Eels’ chief playmaker and is slowly building the consistency needed of a top-quality half. He was a big reason Parramatta went from last to fifth in a year.

8. Tim Mannah (c)

May have finished 2019 in reserve grade, but Mannah was the glue that held the Eels together in a tumultuous 10 years. The hard-hitting prop earned NSW Origin selection early in his career and carried them as captain for a large part of it.

Parra could always rely on Mannah to get them out of trouble and take a hit-up when they were on their heels, deep in their own territory.

Mannah was one of Parramatta’s true warhorses. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

9. Reed Mahoney

It was a tough choice between the current Eels rake and Nathan Peats.

Surprisingly though, both have only played 35 games for the Eels.

While Peats had some strong performances before his Parramatta stint was cut short, Mahoney, who debuted in 2018, has had a tremendous impact on the Eels’ spine. He gets the nod because he helped guide the Eels to the finals, something Peats failed to do.

10. Junior Paulo

The Eels were gutted when they lost the local junior to Canberra for three years, but he returned a better player and gave an often outmuscled pack some much-needed aggression.

Struggled with his judiciary record early in his career but seems to have matured into a real forward leader.

11. Nathan Hindmarsh

While the 2010s version of Hindmarsh wasn’t the barnstorming back-rower who terrified defensive edges earlier in his career, Hindy was the Eels’ new Mr Perpetual Motion. Set NRL records for tackles made and never gave up the chase on a breakaway. One of the Eels’ greatest players and games record holder (330) deserves his place.

Was ever a Parramatta player more beloved than Hindmarsh?

12. Manu Ma’u

Six quality seasons where he was awarded the Ken Thornett Medal in 2016 as the club’s best player. A destructive ball runner and tackler, his 2019 campaign was arguably his finest as he made the Eels’ right edge lethal in attack. Disappointingly, the 31-year-old has departed for Hull FC in the English Super League following 115 first grade games.

13. Nathan Brown

A couple of unfortunate injuries have played havoc with the Eels career of the 2017 Ken Thornett Medallist. But it’s in Brown’s absence that you see how important he is to the team. Hard-running forward with a high work rate who gets Parramatta’s sets rolling along in attack, and bruising tackles are a trademark of his defence.

14. Luke Burt

While Burt’s best days came in the 2000s, he maintained a high level of play up until his retirement in 2012. He finished his career as the Eels’ all-time tryscorer (124), second to only Mick Cronin for most points (1793) in his 264 games. Selflessly switched between fullback, wing and centre to accommodate Jarryd Hayne’s emergence.

Burt is one of Parramatta’s great pointscorers.

15. Brad Taikarangi

Versatile veteran who fits in at centre, back row or even on the wing. Scored his first career hat-trick in 2019 and chalked up 100 games for the Eels. Can be erratic at times but, at his best, Taikarangi has a smooth set of hands, is a constant threat in the air and is a problem for defences with his rangy frame and footwork.

16. Daniel Alvaro

One of the unheralded go-forward men at the Eels over the past five years. He was named the club’s best and fairest and won the fans’ award in 2018. At 26, his best years are ahead of him.

17. Fuifui Moimoi

Another cult hero who excited fans and inspired his teammates with his barnstorming runs — and ever-changing hairstyles. Fui was a wrecking ball and while his aggressive style sometimes earned him a date with the judiciary, he had a tremendous impact at the Eels.

Originally published as Inside Parramatta’s rollercoaster ride through the decade