Dylan Brown is no fan of the hype around the ‘Spoon Bowl’ and the dubious prize of finishing second bottom of the league.
But the Parramatta five eighth knows the only thing worse will be sitting in the sheds after Friday night’s showdown against Wests Tigers having lost.
The Tigers have declared an official sellout at Campbelltown Sports Ground for the final-round shootout against their western Sydney neighbours to decide who finishes last. The Eels have not played at the venue since 2012.
Lachie Galvin is the Tigers’ star rookie who was cut loose by Parramatta for being too small – despite now standing at 193cm – while Brown’s only two trips to Campbelltown were losses in the 2016 and 2017 GIO Cup schoolboys finals.
Parramatta collected the spoon in 2012, 2013 and 2018, while the Tigers are looking to avoid the dreaded booby prize for a third straight season.
“Parramatta’s already got enough wooden spoons, Brown said. “We don’t need another one. Everyone remembers first, everyone remembers second, and everyone remembers the wooden spoon – nobody remembers second-last. Everyone remembers last. And we don’t want that.
Eels playmaker Dylan BrownCredit: Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos
“It’s a bit of piss-take, really. We didn’t expect to be last. I don’t think any team expects to be last. You have a great pre-season, string together a few good games, but when you’re just not winning games, it’s very frustrating. We’re going to go out there and do our best to win.”
The Eels have been hit hard by injuries this year, including a season-ending biceps injury to their best player Mitchell Moses, and sacked their coach Brad Arthur after Magic Round.
There is also speculation around the immediate future of Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Clint Gutherson, as well as Brown, who has an exit clause in his contract at the end of next year.
Brown himself has met with incoming coach Jason Ryles, but continued to stop short of guaranteeing he would remain the club’s long-term No. 6.
“I love Parra, that’s all I’m going to say,” Brown said. “I look at it one year at a time. I’ve seen Rylsey and heard what he’s got to say about next year. Honestly, he gave me goosebumps listening to what he was talking about.”
The Tigers will be attempting to win three games in a row for the first time since 2018. CEO Shane Richardson said of the Eels clash: “I hate the term ‘Spoon Bowl’. All we want to do is try and finish the year with a third straight win.
“We want to deliver a result to the 17,000 fans we’ll have there on Friday night. It’s a local derby, and both want to win. It’s good for the game.”