Parramatta Eels unveil Centre of Excellence to be used by NRLW team

Gone are the days of recovery in buckets and outdoor weights sessions on cold winter nights - the Parramatta NRLW side has been given a massive upgrade of facilities. Take a look behind the scenes.

Gone are the days of recovery in buckets and outdoor weights sessions on cold winter nights.

Parramatta skipper Mahalia Murphy has spoken about the boost of professionalism a game-changing centre of excellence has given the NRLW side, who have moved under the same roof as the rest of the club for the first time.

Space to do weights, state-of-the-art recovery options and a kitchen to make a hot cup of tea after a long night at training are the simple pleasures that can revolutionise the Eels women’s team.

In their previous set up, the gym was too small for the entire team to use at once, and ice bath recovery happened in blue buckets, one at a time.

Parramatta NRLW captain Mahalia Murphy. Pic: NRL

“When you walk in the building it’s exciting,” says the dual international and former Rugby 7s star Murphy.

The centre of excellence officially opened doors this week.

“I’ve been in other professional facilities playing other sports, but to have our own place that we can call home, our changeroom, our gym, and sharing it with the men it’s exciting.

“It makes you feel more professional.

“It’s something we’ve always wanted, to have the right kind of treatment as players and professionals and what’s needed for us to be able to perform at our best. Recovery is a big part of that.

“We’re very lucky and very grateful.”

The brand new $70 million facility in Kellyville is a game-changer for both Eels first grade sides.

Within what is the largest rugby league facility of its kind in the world is a world class gym, five training fields, capacity for around 4000 spectators across a grandstand and hill, infra-red saunas, elite gym and equipment and even a podcast studio.

NRLW games can be hosted at the ground from next season too.

The hot and cold baths are a big step up on the facilities the NRLW players enjoyed at Granville. Picture: Rohan Kelly

It comes as an enormous upgrade for the Eels women’s team who have trained at Eric Tweedale Stadium since 2021, a suburban complex in Granville, with limited facilities.

“Not saying it wasn’t great, and Eric Tweedale was still a good facility, but the gym we have now is 10 times bigger, our changeroom has our own names on it, our culture, our flags are represented, it’s unbelievable,” Murphy says.

“We had only two or three squat racks, you had to wait a lot for other teammates to finish their sets and there was a lot of waiting around, whereas this has 10 squat racks, 100 different types of dumbbells and heaps of benches. You’re able to get through your training a lot quicker.

“For recovery we would jump in these blue buckets, and we’re grateful for everything and we still found a way to do recovery, but you had to wait for the two people who could fit into it to get out.

The boot room at the centre of excellence. Picture: Rohan Kelly

The main gym at the Parramatta Eels centre of excellence. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“It’s just a lot more efficient now and there’s a lot more options for recovery.

“Proper ice baths which can fit eight to 10 bodies in it instead of two and the saunas, which everyone loves.

“It’s been really nice to settle in here.

“We have our own players room to chill out and play cards and watch TV, read books, our own kitchen to make a tea or coffee, which is nice after these cold nights training in the rain, a hot tea has been going down well.”

It’s the first time the NRLW players have their own change rooms, which is essentially the same as the NRL team.

Above each locker is the player’s name, player number, and flags or crest of the cultures they represent.

“I’ve always wanted a way for us to acknowledge our cultures,” Murphy says.

“For our girls, I wanted them to make the change rooms theirs and I encourage them to put up photos of their families or their wives in their lockers.

“Now that we’ve started pre-season, you come off training after a long day at work, you’ve got to find that motivation and if you walk in and see the photos, it gives you that reason and that motivation to know why you’re there.

I want our team to make it theirs. A couple of girls have put their photos up. It’s good to finally have a place to finally call ours.”

Originally published as Parramatta Eels unveil Centre of Excellence to be used by NRLW team