Parramatta Eels’ NRL finals push after 2018 disaster

Things were so bad at Parramatta this time last year, captain Clint Gutherson admitted his wooden spoon-bound Eels were wishing their season over. But 2019 has a different vibe.

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This time last year Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson said his side were wishing the season to end.

How quickly things can change in 12 months. Parramatta learnt the hardway how fast premiership hopes can come to an end.

They backed up a top four finish with a wooden spoon in 2018 but now the Eels are on the verge of returning to finals football with a four-point break between the sixth-placed Parramatta and the rest of the top eight.

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Clint Gutherson during Eels training at Parramatta. Picture: Brett Costello

Gutherson said there was a whole new vibe at the Eels this year.

“It’s very different,” Gutherson said. “Last year we were counting down the weeks until we could get away, start fresh and look forward to next year

“This year we are taking every game as hard as we can and preparing as much as possible to make sure we are in that final eight and play finals footy in the back end.

“I learnt a lot last year. To be where we are now is super exciting. It gives an opportunity to make up for what we did last year.

“We need to make sure we play good footy leading into the back end and cement our spot in the top eight.”

Despite looking destined for a top eight spot, the Eels have been far from polished. They were scratchy against St George Illawarra on Sunday and will play a desperate Newcastle side on Saturday.

The last time the two sides met, the Eels were flying high after thrashing Wests Tigers 51-6 in their sold-out Bankwest Stadium opening, while the Knights had lost five straight.

The Mitchell Pearce-led Knights blew the Eels off the park in the opening 30 minutes on their way to a 28-14 win that kickstarted their season.

Fast forward to round 21, Newcastle have again dropped five in a row to fall out of the top eight, leaving Gutherson and the Eels to brace themselves for a fired-up Knights.

“We are expecting them to come out firing,” Gutherson said. “They will cop a spray for their performances in the last couple of weeks but we have to be ready to go. They are a good team and beat us earlier in the year.

“We are travelling all right. It was an ugly win last week.”

Originally published as Parramatta Eels’ NRL finals push after 2018 disaster