Parramatta Eels’ 30-year wait for an NRL premiership spans 10 coaches and 162 imports

YOU reckon Phil Gould’s five-year plan at Penrith is overdue — what about the Eels? It’s been 30 years, 10 coaches and a staggering 162 imports since Parramatta raised the trophy. CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST.

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GARY Freeman isn’t talking about ­Parramatta.

Not the ’96 Eels, anyway.

And why?

“Because,” the old halfback shrugs, “I’m not sure anyone gives a rat’s arse.”

And yet Whiz, we do.

Big time.

For this is what makes ­Parramatta the hottest story in rugby league, right now.

The wait.

Gary Freeman runs the ball during his one season for Parramatta in 1996.

That unfilled premiership gap stretching through 30 years, 10 coaches and a staggering list of 161 imports — or 162 if you include Gareth Hock, the English international who signed four years ago and never turned up.

Which, again, is why all the Eels hype is now.

For without the wait, Parramatta are just another team hopeful of beating Melbourne on grand final day.

You know, like the Roosters. Or Brisbane.

But with it?

Well, suddenly you’re talking about the biggest, longest, most convoluted premiership blueprint ever conceived.

You reckon Phil Gould’s five-year plan at Penrith is overdue?

Please.

Parramatta’s last premiership-winning squad from 1986.

Parramatta’s ongoing push to NRL success includes the signatures of Bob Lindner, Mark Bugden and Matt Goodwin. Throw in, too, Shane Whereat, Mark Tookey, even Chook Herron.

Fellas like Freeman.

Plucked them from everywhere, too.

Like Stu Galbraith, the Rochdale Hornet. Or Andrew Leeds, that ’88 ­Wallaby.

And who could forget the trumpets sounding when halfback Chris ­Sandow quit South Sydney for $1.6 million. Or as then-Souths CEO Shane Richardson put it: “Meeting his Alan Bond.”

Yet the biggest splurge of all, those Eels of ’96.

When during the famed Super League war, Parramatta not only shelled out for Freeman, Rod Maybon and rising Cronulla forward Adam Ritson, but that megastar mob ­famously dubbed The Canterbury Four — Jason Smith, Dean Pay, Jim Dymock and Jarrod McCracken.

Truly, the Eels have known nothing like it before or since.

Parramatta’s star-studded 1996 recruiting class (left to right): Dean Pay, Jason Smith, Adam Ritson, Peter Johnston, Jim Dymock, Jarrod McCracken, Aaron Raper, Gary Freeman and Nathan Barnes.

“So there was expectation, definitely,’’ Freeman recounts of a side that would go on to win just nine of 21 games to finish 13th. “And looking back, should we have gone better? Absolutely.

“But, geez, that’s footy, isn’t it?”

Yep.

And Parramatta.

Which again is what makes them the biggest story in rugby league right now.

For what if the Eels have finally got it right?

Take Mitchell Moses, the halfback whose switch from Wests Tigers is ­already some story.

But when you then toss in the years that have gone into finding him, when you throw in Parramatta’s churn through playmakers like Tulsen Tollett, Troy Pezet, Ben Kusto, Adam Dykes, Chris Thorman, even $5 million man Foran ... well, that’s what really makes the story something.

Tulsen Tollett couldn’t escape the clutches of Nathan Brown in 1994.

For, yes, Parramatta now sit fourth thanks largely to a group of star recruits who, in the past 18 months alone, include Moses, Corey Norman, Michael Jennings, Nathan Brown, Beau Scott, even the injured Clint Gutherson.

Which is wonderful.

But how many clubs have a story like that? Star signings looking to win the club a premiership somebody else also won not so long ago.

But Parramatta?

Theirs is the longest premiership drought in the NRL. A wait stretching all the way back to 1986.

Not even Eels legend Michael Cronin (centre) could bring Parramatta a premiership as coach.

A torturous run which hasn’t only resulted in them winning consecutive wooden spoons from 2012, or bust the salary cap in 2016, but smash through almost an entire NRL starting side of coaches — among them the likes of Brian Smith, Ricky ­Stuart, Michael Hagan, even club great Mick Cronin.

All of which makes this ­current mob so special.

A team which may be defined by history, says Freeman, yet not weighed down by it.

“Moses and Norman, they’re so different to most of the other halves,’’ the former New Zealand international says. “They go out and play whatever is in front of them.

“They kick well, too.

“But what I really like is the way they switch around, go left side, right side, short side — whenever they see something they go there.

Mitchell Moses. Picture: Getty Images

Corey Norman. Picture: AAP

“Right now, I only see a couple of teams that can beat Melbourne for the premiership. And Parramatta are definitely one of them.”

Which again, returns us to that list.

And 30 years of waiting.

Which isn’t to say those on there aren’t capable of premiership success.

They are.

Just not with Parramatta.

Take Brett Finch, who after being allowed to leave the Eels midway through 2009, then won the title against them with Melbourne, albeit a cheating one. Todd Lowrie, too, won in 2012 with the Storm.

Brett Finch farewelled the Eels before claiming a premiership with Melbourne Storm.

Said list even boasts three of the past four NRL premiership coaches in Shane Flanagan, Paul Green and Trent Robinson.

Still, there is also plenty of hurt. That, and unfulfilled promise.

For if you think 1996 sounds bad, how about 2011?

When with more than a little hype, the Eels signed Carl Webb, Chris Hicks, Paul Whatuira and Chris Walker.

Four NRL veterans who between them boasted Test caps, Origin jerseys, premiership rings, all of it. A quartet which, combined, would play just 20 games for the Eels.

But still Robinson Crusoe they ain’t.

And for proof, take your own look through that list.

Lee Mossop monsters Ben Roberts in the last of his three games for the Eels. Picture: Colleen Petch

An infamous roll call which, in more recent years, includes Anthony Watmough’s dodgy knees. Or Englishman Lee Mossop, who arrived in 2013 with a shoulder so badly busted he not only required major surgery before even taking the field but played just three games in two years.

And then, he went home.

With Parramatta still paying his contract.

And still, that was better than fellow Pommy international Hock, who signed on with Hopkins but never showed.

Quit before even playing a game.

Count him, and the Eels’ list rises to 162 signings in 30 years.

Which is some wait.

Parramatta Rugby League Club Recruits 1987-2017

1987: Bob Lindner (Castleford), Ken Wolffe (Penrith), Earnie Garland (Sydney Roosters)

1988: Craig Izzard (Penrith), Glen Liddiard (Oldham), Brett Atkins (Canberra), Mark Robinson Penrith)

1989: Mark Bugden (Canterbury), Andrew Fitzhenry (Penrith), Jeremy Ticehurst (Manly),

Peter Martin (North Sydney), Andrew Leeds (Australian Wallabies)

1990: Ian Gately (Manly), Matt Goodwin (Penrith), Mark Horo (Salford)

1992: Cameron Blair (Wests), Pat O’Doherty (Gold Coast), Stu Galbraith (Rochdale Hornets),

Phil Tiernan (Illawarra), Shane Flanagan (Wests)

Shane Flanagan (centre) shares a laugh with Brett Kenny.

1993: Michael Speechley (Cronulla), Peter McPhail (North Sydney), Paul Dunn (Penrith), Tulsen Tollett (Penrith)

1994: Phil Howlett (Penrith), Iva Ropati (Oldham), Darrell Williams (Manly), Paul Clarke (Penrith), James Hinchey (South Sydney), Brett Plowman (Brisbane), Andrew Patmore (Canterbury), Wayne Simonds (Wests)

1995: Michael Appleby (Sydney Roosters), Dean Sampson (Gold Coast), Russell Wyer (Newcastle)

1996: Jim Dymock (Canterbury), Aaron Raper (Cronulla), Nathan Barnes (Newcastle), Stuart Kelly (Gold Coast), Jason Smith (Canterbury), Dean Pay (Canterbury), Rod Maybon (St George), Shane Russell (Balmain), Jarrod McCracken (Canterbury), Adam Ritson (Cronulla), Gary Freeman (Penrith)

1997: John Simon (Sydney Roosters), Shane Whereat (Sydney Roosters), Paul Carige (Illawarra), Brett Horsnell (South Queensland), Ian Herron (Balmain), Steve Collins (Canberra), David Riolo (Illawarra)

Cult hero Mark Tookey on the charge against the Canberra Raiders in 1999.

1998: Troy Pezet (South Queensland), Clinton Schifcofske (South Queensland), Mark Tookey (South Queensland), Julian Troy (Sydney Roosters), Andrew Carige (Hunter Mariners)

1999: Daniel Wagon (St George), Chris Quinn (Adelaide), Ben Kusto (St George), Dean Schifilliti (Adelaide), David Kidwell (Adelaide)

2000: Brett Hodgson (Wests), Gary Larson (North Sydney), Jason Moodie (Newcastle), Troy Wozniak (Balmain), David Westley (Canberra)

2001: Adrian Rainey (Wests), Scott Donald (North Queensland), Ben Duckworth (Wests Tigers), Jason Taylor (Northern Eagles), David Solomona (Sydney Roosters), Alex Chan (Northern Eagles), Brad Drew (Penrith)

2002: Trent Robinson (Wests Tigers), James Webster (Balmain), Dean Widders (Sydney Roosters), Adam Dykes (Cronulla), Andrew McFadden (Canberra), Daniel Heckenberg (St George Illawarra), Andrew Meads (Balmain)

Lee Hopkins lasted just two years with the eels after a six-season stint at Penrith. Picture: Mark Evans

2003: Kylie Leuluai (Sydney Roosters), Paul Green (Sydney Roosters), Lee Hopkins (Penrith), Adam Peek (South Sydney), John Morris (Newcastle), Ronald Prince (Cronulla), Willie Leyshon (Melbourne), Shayne Dunley (Northern Eagles), Darren Treacy (St George Illawarra)

2004: Corey Pearson (Wests Tigers), Chris Muckert (North Queensland), Aaron Cannings (Manly), Mal Kaufusi (Northern Eagles), Junior Langi (Melbourne), Chris Thorman (London Broncos), Shane Muspratt (North Queensland), Wise Kativerata (South Sydney), Fuifui Moimoi (South Sydney), Craig Stapleton (St George Illawarra), Wade McKinnon (South Sydney)

2005: Mark Riddell (St George Illawarra), Timana Tahu (Newcastle), Glenn Morrison (North Queensland), Henry Perenara (St George Illawarra), Paul Stringer (South Sydney), Ian Henderson (Sydney Roosters)

Parramatta’s 2005 recruits Stringer, Perenara, Riddell, Tahu and Robinson Picture: Sam Ruttyn

2006: Jeremy Smith (St George Dragons), Peter Lewis (Penrith)

2007: Brett Finch (Sydney Roosters), Todd Lowrie (Newcastle), Richard Fa’aoso (Sydney Roosters)

2008: Joe Galuvao South Sydney

2009: Jeremy Latimore (Cronulla), Kevin Kingston (Cronulla), Jeff Robson (Manly)

2010: Manase Manuokafoa (North Queensland), Shane Shackleton (Sydney Roosters), Lee Te Maari (Canterbury), Justin Poore (St George Illawarra)

2011: Joseph Paulo (Penrith), Reni Maitua (Cronulla), Chris Hicks (Manly), Chris Walker (Gold Coast Titans), Jordan Atkins (Gold Coast Titans), Carl Webb (North Queensland), Paul Whatuira (Wests Tigers)

2012: Luke Kelly (Melbourne), Chris Sandow (South Sydney), Cheyse Blair (Roosters), Esikeli Tonga (Gold Coast Titans), Ben Roberts (Canterbury)

Chris Sandow ‘met his Alan Bond’ at Parramatta. Picture: Phil Hillyard

2013: Kenny Edwards (St George Illawarra), Darcy Lussick (Manly), Daniel Harrison (Manly)

2014: Nathan Peats (South Sydney), Lee Mossop (Wigan), William Hopoate (Manly), Corey Norman (Brisbane), David Gower (Manly), Isaac De Gois (Cronulla), Justin Hunt (South Sydney)

2015: Anthony Watmough (Manly), Beau Champion (South Sydney), Reece Robinson (Canberra), Danny Wicks (Newcastle), Brad Takairangi (Gold Coast Titans)

2016: Clinton Gutherson (Manly), Michael Jennings (Sydney Roosters), Michael Gordon (Cronulla), Beau Scott (Newcastle), Kieran Foran (Manly)

2017: Frank Pritchard (Canterbury), Suaia Matagi (Penrith), Will Smith (Penrith), Kirisome Auva’a (South Sydney), Nathan Brown (South Sydney), Josh Hoffman (Gold Coast Titans), Mitchell Moses (Wests Tigers)