Why Shaun Lane left Manly for greener pastures at Parramatta

He is now a proud Eel but towering second-rower Shaun Lane can still remember the dark and dim days at Brookvale last season.

Parramatta Eels players Dylan Brown and Shaun Lane take part in a team training session at the Old Saleyards Reserve, in Sydney, Tuesday, February 5, 2019. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING

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He is now a proud Eel but towering second-rower Shaun Lane can still remember the dark and dim days at Brookvale last season.

Lane quit Manly for Parramatta after the Sea Eagles endured a horror 2018 which included the Gladstone affair involving skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, the demise of Jackson Hastings, the exit of coach Trent Barrett and the side finishing 15th.

Speaking with The Daily Telegraph, Lane claimed he joined Parramatta for more game time but conceded last season at Brookvale “wasn’t the best.”

While looking forward to Sunday’s big local derby against Penrith, Lane also recalled some tense times at Manly last season.

“It doesn’t help when things like that (Gladstone) are happening around a club. It was a little bit messy,” Lane said.

“Sometimes the feel around the club wasn’t the best.

“You don’t want to see your teammates, and your mates in general, being in the paper and seeing all the bad headlines.

Lane was one of Manly’s best last season. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.

“Just being in the news all the time, it just wasn’t a good feel. It wasn’t a good look. To his (Cherry-Evans) credit, he handled it very well. He didn’t let of it disturb him or anything like that.

“We still got on with our job. The playing group was still very tight. I had a good bunch of mates over there. It wasn’t because of any resentment towards the staff or players (that I left). It was a tough decision. At the end of the day it was pretty much a selfish decision but that’s the way the game is.

“You have to look after yourself and you only play for a certain amount of years so you have to make the best decision for your career. I’m sure Manly will bounce back this season.”

It was suggested Lane left, in part, due to Manly’s disastrous season.

Lane was allegedly the man who physically held Cherry-Evans back to prevent a possible scuffle with Hastings at Gladstone.

Lane mainly played prop for the Sea Eagles. Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images.

The 198cms forward said though he left Brookvale after a meeting with Eels coach Brad Arthur.

“It was mainly around opportunity. I have always seen myself as an edge backrower and always wanted to play 80 minutes on the edge,” Lane said.

“With Manly last year, I started in the front-row and then came off the bench. They have two quality middles – Marty Taupau and Addin Fonua-Blake – and Joel Thompson and Curtis Sironen on the edges. And then obviously Jake Trbojevic.

“It was going to be a hard job for me to break into that pack. After speaking to Brad, he promised there was a place here for me. He made me feel quite wanted, which is always a good feeling. It’s now time to see what I can do in this team.

Lane says Parramatta made him feel wanted. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.

“I’m feeling good, like I belong, everyone has made me feel welcome. No complaints here. I’m loving it. I’m expecting big minutes, a full-time role on the edge. It’s what I wanted and it’s what Brad (Arthur) has given me to start the year.”

Parramatta start the season with renewed vigour despite collecting last year’s spoon.

Bookies and critics still won’t rate the Eels, most feeling Parramatta will claim one of the last few spots on the 2019 competition table.

“I wasn’t here last year but in my time here, it’s been completely positive; the players, the staff, the feeling around the place, training, the trials,” Lane said. “We’re feeling fit and we’re feeling strong. Last year is behind us now.”

Originally published as Why Shaun Lane left Manly for greener pastures at Parramatta