NRL 2024: Parramatta Eels’ 4500-strong junior nursery beginning to bear first-grade talent

Parramatta’s 4500-strong junior nursery is finally beginning to bear first-grade level talent following years stagnation. These are young Eels closing in on NRL debuts.

The Eels’ long road back to becoming a development club is starting to bear fruit highlighted by the debut of young gun Blaize Talagi.

Parramatta had long considered themselves a place where junior players could prosper. But somewhere along the way the large junior base of players was not translating into a first grade player.

That changed with Talagi, the first of the Eels’ new breed of homegrown talent as he followed in the footsteps of recent local products Sean Russell and Will Pensini to debut, scoring a crucial try in Parramatta’s win over Manly on Sunday.

“It’s great for Blaize, great for our club and our future pathway players to see there is opportunity,” coach Brad Arthur said before Talagi’s debut. “He has worked extremely hard. You don’t know when that time will come for them. He has done the work in the pre-season. He has always been a tough kid. That’s what I really like about him. That’s what the players like about him.”

At 19, Talagi was part of Parramatta’s under-19 SG Ball grand final winning side last year. He is the first to debut from that crop of talented youngsters but he won’t be the last with teammates such as Sam Tuivaiti, Matthew Arthur, Joshua Lynn, Charlie Guymer and Ethan Sanders all set to follow him at some stage.

Parramatta celebrates its win in the SG Ball Cup last year. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Pensini’s brother Richard should play in the NRL too but a season-ending knee injury will rob him of any chance this year.

You don’t have to go back too far when the likes of Tim Mannah was almost single-handedly carrying the flag as a local product.

The last large group of talent produced by the Eels included the likes of Jarryd Hayne, Krisnan Inu, Matt and Kris Keating, Tony Williams and Feleti Mateo.

Part of the change has been led by investment – with quality coaches at the grassroots level according to Parramatta’s head of football Mark O’Neill.

“The guys are getting a greater level of coaching,” O’Neill said. “More consistency with a high performance environment and we have a visible pathway for them to reach to the NRL. That’s inspiring for all our Eels elite players.

“Brad has put a lot of time and effort into them. A lot of the younger players have already experienced what an NRL pre-season looks like. Prior to that they’ve experienced an NRL shed on game day, before the match, halftime and after the match. Brad has provide time, effort and access to these young men and that motivates you.”

Former NRL coach Nathan Brown has come and gone but he cases an eye over the emerging talent at the club.

One-time Cronulla caretaker coach and ex-Knights and Dragons assistant James Shepherd is spearheading the Eels’ revival.

“James Shepherd is a key player in this,” O’Neill said. “He has a lot of experience and has brought great professionalism in everything that he has done. He is a football educator. I’m not embarrassed to single him out.

“We also look at the holistic influence of the athletes and the parents involvement is great. Anything we can do to build the connection with the player and their family with our club so everyone identifies as an Eel. It’s really important that when you make those squads you feel like you belong – if you are in SG Ball or Tasha Gale – you belong to Parramatta.”

The junior league level is in the middle of a three year strategic plan with registrations rising last season. More than 4500 boys play in the Eels district making it one of the largest catchments in the country.

Upcoming Parramatta Eels stars Saxon Pryke, Apa Twidle, Lance Fualema, Richard Penisini, Sam Tuivaiti, Matthew Arthur and Ethan Sanders. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“If you look at the program there are four levels,” O’Neill said. “The senior programs – NRL, NRLW, second-tier competitions. Then you have the junior representative programs, academy development squads and the junior league.

“There is a big pathway. Junior league focus is about opportunity and enjoyment, the academy is about development and improving baseline skill level whereas the junior rep programs is pre-elite where you’re preparing yourself for an NRL or NRLW career. Up the top it’s about sustained success.

“With any development club it’s about retaining the talent we are developing. That can be challenging

“Many years ago there was a strong development mantra under the regimen of (former Eels coach) Brian Smith) who did so much in rugby league but also so much for rugby league in Parramatta. Many great players, coaches and administrators have come out of his philosophies or systems.

“We have to keep working and developing talent. As the game expands there will be more opportunities for more and more players.”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Parramatta Eels’ 4500-strong junior nursery beginning to bear first-grade talent