NRL 2022: Punters backing Parramatta Eels in $3million plunge
Punters have three million reasons to hope 2022 is finally the year the Eels can end their premiership drought, as the money continues to pour in for Parramatta.
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In an extraordinary nationwide betting plunge, rugby league punters have outlaid $3m on Parramatta to shock the NRL by winning this year’s premiership.
It is a multimillion dollars pre-finals vote of confidence in Parramatta; Eels fans, it’s time to get excited.
“The money is pouring in for Parramatta,” said TAB’s Rohan Welsh. “The Eels are clearly the flavour of the month.”
Former Eels champion Nathan Hindmarsh added: “Punters get it right most of the time. They know what they’re doing – they don’t just throw their money away, they have an idea of what they’re doing.”
The investment in Parramatta comes ahead of Friday night’s sellout qualifying final against western Sydney rivals Penrith.
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The Daily Telegraph contracted multiple bookmakers and can reveal the five major Australian betting agencies are holding around $3m on Parramatta winning the 2022 grand final.
Each agency would take a significant hit through an Eels premiership win.
Parramatta has now overtaken Melbourne as the second-best backed side and kicked away from the Sydney Roosters, according to TAB.
Hindmarsh was unsurprised at the betting plunge.
“I’m feeling some momentum on the streets as well. Leading into Friday night’s match, there is a quiet confidence around Parramatta. It’s looking good without being over confident but I’m kind of excited and am looking forward to this Friday night,” Hindmarsh said.
“The Eels have a good mix with the big boppers doing well up the middle while the key playmakers are doing a good job as well.
“’Gutho’ (Clint Gutherson), Mitch (Moses) and ‘Browny’ (Dylan Brown) are playing with a fair bit of confidence. We have Origin forwards who know what they’re going to do.
“Parramatta has won the last two matches although I know Nathan Cleary was off the field for a fair while in the last game (through a send-off).
“Regardless of who wins, I think it’s going to be a belter and whoever has to play either side the following weeks will be licking their lips – it will be a bash up I’d say.”
The Eels have also taken a chunk out of Penrith’s premiership hold. The TAB has cut Parramatta’s premiership odds from $7 to $6.50, the Eels now second favourites behind Penrith.
Parramatta have more than 55 per cent of the head-to-head money against Penrith while the Eels have tightened from $3.25 into $2.90 for the big game. Penrith has drifted from $1.30 to $1.45.
Welsh gave reasons why Parramatta had become such a betting force heading into the finals.
“Parramatta have always been a favourite with TAB punters, just the hint of encouraging form brings the faithful out the woodwork,” he said.
“But since the weekend win over Melbourne the money has been pouring in with multiple $1000 outlays.
“They were holding around 11 per cent of the premiership market with the Roosters but they’ve now kicked well clear of them, overhauled the Storm and taken a fair chunk out of Penrith’s dominance too.
“They went from the fifth line of betting to second favourite after beating Melbourne and have tightened from $7 to $6.50 on top of that with some big outlays.
“While TAB punters think they can upstage the Panthers in week one of the finals, they also think they could meet again in the decider with an Eels versus Penrith grand final the second best backed quinella with TAB.”
RABS WILL WATCH FINALS FROM A NEW VANTAGE POINT
The anticipation is building beautifully for this season’s NRL finals – but it won’t quite be the same without the man who brought the game alive
or the first time in 45 years, the finals will start without the doyen of television commentators, Ray ‘Rabbits’ Warren.
Warren officially retired on June 1 this year – ending a remarkable career for a broadcaster known as The Voice of Rugby League.
“I’m just trying to get used to retirement,” Warren said. “That’s not an easy thing to do. Every time I turn the TV on, I have fond memories – I think I’ve called 45 grand finals. They don’t pass you by without leaving some kind of a mark on you.
“If you include the kid that was pretending at age seven, practising after that, and then impersonating after that – it’s occupied about 72 of my 79 years.
“It’s not an easy thing to give away although I’m happy that I had enough common sense to go before I started making a mistake or two. I don’t think I reached that stage.”
Asked would he ever consider a comeback, Warren said: “No. I think I did the right thing. I was 79 almost on the day I retired and I don’t know that you get any better after that. I thought I would get out while the going was good but I also knew this would be a testing time.
“I’ve got to be content because I’ve made the decision to go into retirement. This is another page or episode in retirement – it’s the first finals series I’ve missed after 45 years.
“I watch the football, of course I do, it’s a part of me, but sometimes they replay games I called and it brings back wonderful memories but it also makes you feel a bit sad too.”
Warren has all but given up playing golf but hopes spring will allow him a chance to garden around his Sydney home.
“I’m not a reader – apart from the newspapers – never have been. Thank God for spring, it will give me something to do in the yard,” Warren said.
COMMENTATOR’S CURSE: WHY EELS ARE LOBBYING VOSS TO CALL GAME
Andrew Voss is Parramatta’s secret weapon in its campaign to break a 36-year premiership drought.
Eels fans are lobbying Fox Sports to demand their club’s good luck charm Voss is appointed to call Friday night’s qualifying final against Penrith.
In an extraordinary coincidence, Parramatta has won the 10 games Voss has called this season.
Voss has become so important to the Eels’ title he is now worried that Fox Sports colleague Greg Alexander, who also happens to be the Panthers’ deputy chairman, may spike his drink to sabotage his commentary.
Eels fans are now pleading with Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley to assign Voss to the sellout BlueBet Stadium game.
And it seems their push may work with early indications suggesting Voss will be picked to call the Eels-Panthers game.
Troy Worner, a fanatical Parramatta fan who attends every Eels home and away game, wants to send this message to Crawley.
“Attention Mr Steve Crawley, as a massive Parramatta fan and member, Andrew Voss from your network has called 10 games this season and the Eels have won all of them,” Worner said.
“I urge and plead with you that, when you release your commentary roster for this weekend, that Mr Andrew Voss is the caller on Friday night to keep our victory run going. He’s our lucky charm! Kind Regards, Troy from the Parra Cave.”
Voss confirmed the 10 straight Parramatta wins he has called this season.
“I have only called 10 Parramatta games all year and they have won all 10,” Voss said.
“If you do the stats, Parramatta without me calling are 6-8 and with me calling, they are 10-0. It’s become a little uncanny.
“I think I’ve become the Eels Whisperer. I have no explanation for it, none whatsoever. I have no ties to Parramatta at all and never have but I have ended up a lucky charm for them so I apologise to all the other clubs.
“I was made aware of this by Parramatta fans. They are now begging me to call their games.
“I can confirm there hasn’t been any calls from (Eels coach) Brad Arthur asking me to address the team pre-match. I’m not 19th man at Parramatta. They haven’t sent me a scarf or coffee mug. I’m independent of anything blue and gold.
“Working with (Panthers legend) Greg Alexander (on SEN) and the Penrith rivalry, he’s been offering to make me a lot of coffee this week. I think he may be trying to spike my drink. I told him he can take first sip. I don’t trust him.
“I reckon he might have stored a vial of Covid somewhere and he will take me out.”
The veteran commentator has called Parramatta’s wins against Gold Coast (round one), Melbourne (Rd 3), St George Illawarra (Rd 4), Gold Coast (Rd 5), Newcastle (Rd 7), Penrith (Rd 9), Canberra (Rd 12), Manly (Rd 21), Brisbane (Rd 24) and Melbourne (Rd 25).
After revealing he was likely to be allocated the Eels-Panthers game, Voss said: “Sorry, Penrith.”
Superstitious Penrith supporters aren’t so sure they want Voss in the commentary box.
“Given ‘Vossy’ seems to be Parramatta’s good luck charm, maybe Fox Sports should assign him to one of the Saturday night or Sunday games,” said staunch Panthers fan Tash Bell. “Let’s keep him away from Penrith-Eels matches, please.
“Parramatta will be hard to beat anyway without the Eels having their lucky charm there calling the game.”
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