Parramatta Eels 2020 NRL preview: Team list, burning questions
Parramatta are on the verge of a blue and golden era, but star hooker Reed Mahoney and a dozen other Eels remain unsigned beyond 2020 as the fight for places intensifies. SEE THE LIST.
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With the luxury of spine continuity and Immortal Andrew Johns on their side there is a premiership winning vibe around Parramatta and the players can feel it too.
The Eels head into season 2020 as potentially the only team in the competition to field the same first choice spine combination – 1, 6, 7 and 9 – as in season 2019. It’s instilled a confidence in Brad Arthur’s men that has them believing a 34-year title drought can be broken in October.
“You try and win it every year but you know you only have a short time in the game so when you have the team there and the players you have to try and get the results,” skipper Clint Gutherson said.
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“So we are going in this year wanting to win more games than last year and go a bit longer but that’s everyone’s goal who plays rugby league. If you’re not thinking that you shouldn’t be playing.”
The playmaking combination of Gutherson, Dylan Brown, Mitchell Moses and Reed Mahoney has also received a massive boost over the course of the pre-season with former Newcastle great and title winner Andrew Johns joining the coaching staff.
LISTEN! Phil “Buzz” Rothfield chats with Adam Mobbs about his Top 50 NRL players list
Also in their favour is the hunger and exuberance of youth.
“Dyl [Brown] is still only 19 and Reedy just turned 21 last year and Mitch and I are still only 25 so we have youth on our side which is good. Another year, another pre-season, every session out there you’re getting better. We’ve had Joey [Andrew Johns] in there this year as well which is helping, he’s been great for us as players. He has been there and done that and anything we learn off him will help us so it’s exciting” Gutherson said.
THE EELS’ ROSTER:
Who’s in: Ryan Matterson (Tigers), Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Panthers), Haze Dunster, Ethan Parry (upgraded from development contracts)
Unsigned/Losses
Who’s out: Tim Mannah, Matt McIlwrick (retired), Manu Ma’u (Hull FC), Tepai Moeroa (Super Rugby), Greg Leleisiuao (Titans), Josh Hoffman
Coach Brad Arthur has bolstered his forward pack, a point of weakness in the past for the Eels, with the additions of Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Ryan Matterson. It’s created depth and competition for spots among younger players like Oregon Kaufusi and Stefano Utoikamanu.
Off-contract: Andrew Davey, Rhys Davies, Haze Dunster, Kane Evans, David Gower, Watson Heleta, George Jennings, Reed Mahoney, Ethan Parry, Jaeman Salmon, Will Smith, Ray Stone, Brad Takairangi, Peni Terepo
Rising hooker Reed Mahoney is the only player in the spine that is yet to be re-signed but the club have identified him as a ‘recruitment’ priority’.
“Dyl signed before Christmas, Mitch and Gutho re-signed for a few years so I want to stay here in this spine and I think we can create something really special,” Mahoney told The Daily Telegraph.
The burning question: Can RCG bounce back?
New recruit Reagan Campbell-Gillard has signed a five-year deal until the end of season 2024. The former Panthers forward admitted he struggled for form last season but also revealed he had been playing with an elbow injury – which he had repaired in the pre-season.
But in an era where a contract is hardly worth the paper on which it is written, it remains to be seen whether a long term deal will pay dividends or prove to be a costly recruitment decision.
“The way that they played last year I liked seeing that. It’s one of the reasons that made my decision to come here a lot easier. The way they play, the way the boys handle themselves, I want to be a part of that. But we need to do the work first and see what happens come October I reckon,” Reagan Campbell-Gillard told The Daily Telegraph.
It’s a big year for: Dylan Brown
The young five-eighth will be looking to avoid the dreaded ‘second year syndrome’. After making his debut in round one in 2019, the 19-year old suffered a lower back injury which kept him sidelined for 10 weeks. Skipper Gutherson believes Brown will only improve this season.
“Dyl’s come [along] miles since last year and he was one of our best last year. It’s exciting for us to be able to watch him grow as a player and as a person off the field. It’s exciting and you’d like to think it keeps going up,” Gutherson said.
Can Brown shake injury woes to land new deal?
Back-rower Nathan Brown is off-contract at the end of 2020 and, despite struggling with injury over the last couple of seasons, coach Arthur has backed the feisty forward to return to his best form this year after a big pre-season.
“Injuries are sometimes out of the player’s control and he’s had a couple of injuries where he has just been caught in awkward situations in tackles and there is nothing he can do about it,” Arthur said.
“It’s probably been his best pre-season [at the club]. For Nathan, I hope for his sake he can be consistent week to week with his time on the field.”
Pre-season hero: Boom forward Oregon Kaufusi is desperate to win a spot on the bench. Arthur revealed he is all but settled on his starting 13 but spots on the bench were up for grabs and Kaufusi is in the running to snare one of them. He dropped a massive 10 kilograms in five weeks over the summer in a bid to cement his spot in the top 17.
“He’s been excellent in the pre-season, he has come back with a real drive and determination right from day one. You can see when you come back on day one who is ready to go and who is willing to roll up their sleeves and put their best foot forward, Oregon has done that all pre-season. The key now is making sure he transfers what he does on the training field to the playing field. The four bench spots are [up for grabs] at the moment but he’s close,” Arthur said.
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The best player you’ve never heard of: Stefano Utoikamanu
Stefano Utoikamanu might be on his way out in 2021 after he agreed to join the Wests Tigers but that doesn’t change the fact the giant forward is still one of the brightest prop prospects in the game. Arthur insists if he’s ready, Utoikamanu will get to debut in 2020.
“It’s hard to put a round or number on that but he’s really close and there are still some things he has to work on. He’s had a hit out in the Nines, got an opportunity against Souths but there are still some things… we have to make sure he is really confident in what he’s doing to put him on the field,” Arthur said.
Stats that matter: The Eels will be looking to rein in the errors in 2020 after making 313 last season, the most of any side in the competition. Softening the undesirable stat is the fact the premiers, the Sydney Roosters were second worst with 310 errors. They excelled in second-phase play and getting the ball alive, the Eels finished with the most offloads with 321.