NRL 2018 season review: Hyped Parramatta Eels crash into cellar
PARRAMATTA started the year with high hopes after finishing fourth in 2017. They then fired nothing but blanks until a season defined by poor recruitment and missing-in-action stars was all but over.
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THE Parramatta Eels entered the season as genuine title contenders off the back of a fourth-place finish in 2017. The blue and golds played a pre-season trial against Newcastle and were mesmerising, with the backline looking as fluent as any top side entering a finals campaign. Full of confidence and with aspirations of reaching the summit of the competition for the first time since 1986, Parramatta went on to claim the wooden spoon. The attack, led by a rejuvenated Mitchell Moses, promised plenty but ultimately went on to produce the fewest points in the competition. The Eels went 0 from 6 to start the year, finishing with a paltry six wins from 24 matches.
WHERE THEY FINISHED
16th
WHAT WENT WRONG?
Hindsight is a great thing, but you can’t help but sneer at the club’s four signings for the season in Jarryd Hayne, Kane Evans, Tony Williams and Jaeman Salmon. Recruitment hasn’t been a strong point for the Eels in recent years, and they failed to add anything beneficial to their well-established roster from the prior season. It’s hard to ignore that Hayne’s late surge of form came around the period he began contract negotiations. While niggling injuries are believed to have restricted him early on, the prized signing offered little when it mattered after promising so much on his return home. Evans spent most of his time in reserve grade, while Williams hardly set the competition alight before suffering an ACL injury early in the season. Granted the promising Kaysa Pritchard was harshly impacted by injuries, Parramatta lacked spark from dummy half all season. Pritchard, Cameron King, Reed Mahoney and Will Smith all had opportunities to impress at hooker, but none failed to offer any serious attacking threat to take pressure off Mitchell Moses and Corey Norman. Bevan French had a disappointing year that saw him dumped to reserve grade after entering with great expectations.
WHAT WENT RIGHT
The emergence of 22-year-old back-rower Marata Niukore on an edge was a rare silver lining for the club this season. While he was blooded into the NRL via an underperforming side, Niukore made gradual progression in the top grade and is a bright prospect going forward. Blessed with a strong worth ethic, George Jennings was a rare consistent performer in a clunky backline, while Peni Terepo and Daniel Alvaro arguably had their strongest seasons for the club.
STATS THAT SUM UP THE SEASON
Away record of 0/12. Fewest points scored with 374.
KEY MAIN AREA THEY NEED TO IMPROVE
Parramatta have a Semi Radradra-sized gap in their backline. Their lack of go-forward coming out of their own half through lightweights Bevan French and Clint Gutherson failed to build any momentum at the beginning of sets. The back three of most NRL clubs in the modern-day game are characterised by size and strength, the Eels had none of this and it proved extremely detrimental to the entire side. The engine room, outside of Nathan Brown, also lacked power forwards and aggression. Blake Ferguson and Junior Paulo are tremendous signings that will go a long way to mending numerous woes they faced in 2018.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE SEASON
The season was well past the Eels, but in Round 22 they gave fans a glimpse of what everyone knew they were capable of in a 40-4 rout of the St George Illawarra Dragons. Key recruit and beloved hometown boy Jarryd Hayne starred with three tries, Mitchell Moses hit his straps in a stellar performance and the lone try conceded proved they could contest for the entire 80 minutes. Unfortunately the performance came at a meaningless stage of the year for the side, but it was a rare highlight that could be savoured by loyal supporters.
LOWLIGHT OF THE SEASON
It’s impossible to go past the 54-0 shellacking at the hands of Manly at Brookvale Oval in Round 2. Intensifying the horror of the loss for fans was the hype coming into the season, with the club having such high ambitions in 2018. Manly scored nine unanswered tries to record their biggest-ever win over the amateurish Eels. It was a scorching afternoon on the Northern Beaches and Parramatta were made to look like an under-20s outfit by a side that narrowly avoided the wooden spoon themselves. It really set the tone for the season that was for Parramatta.
BIG-NAME RECRUITS
Blake Ferguson (Roosters), Shaun Lane (Sea Eagles), Junior Paulo (Raiders)
BIG-NAME LOSSES
Nil
2019: BEST POSSIBLE SCENARIO
Parramatta’s side is extremely similar to the one that triumphed in nine of their final 10 regular season games to end 2017. Add in a rejuvenated and fully fit Jarryd Hayne, Shaun Lane, Blake Ferguson and Junior Paulo and you have a squad capable of plenty. While it may seem a world away, the Eels can make a run to the upper end of the top eight, with the form of halves Mitchell Moses and Corey Norman the key to unlocking the potential out west.
2019: WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO
Parramatta’s high-profile recruits fail to inject life into the embattled side and the Eels claim back-to-back wooden spoons.
COACH SAFETY RATING 4/10
Twelve months ago Brad Arthur’s safety rating was through the roof. But when you take genuine title contenders from fourth place one year, to a wooden spoon the next, your head is bound to be on the chopping block. Another finish in the latter half of the table could be the end of Brad Arthur at Parramatta.