A rivalry for the modern day

Sunday looks likely to mark the real beginning of a modern day rivalry with the Melbourne Storm, who look the team most likely to butt heads with the Eels over the course of the next decade.Make no mistake, out of grand finals, rivalries are born. You only have to look at our two greatest rivals - the Sea Eagles and Bulldogs - who were the teams we clashed most with throughout our 80's grand final appearances.Already, over the past decade there's been a swelling rivalry between the two teams. Certainly, Parramatta fans have good cause for resentment. The Storm knocked us out in the semi-finals in 1999, 2006 and 2007. All were close, hard-fought battles and two of those games were matches that would have gotten us into the deciders.There was that awful chicken wing tackle on Nathan Cayless from Brett White that left the Eels skipper with a badly torn pectoral muscle. And Cameron Smith beating the great Nathan Hindmarsh to win the 2006 Dally M medal.Meanwhile, a decade of success has bred what I consider the NRL's most arrogant, annoying fanbase. I was in the bleachers of the Sydney Town Hall in 2006 when Smith beat Hindmarsh and will never forget the arrogance and bad sportsmanship that their fans displayed that night.Indeed, there's that streak of arrogance that runs through the entire club. There was a time when Melbourne was everyone's second club. Not any more.Last week, I went out on a limb and declared that Parramatta was on the verge of a dynasty. I've certainly no reason to change my mind after last week, but I do think it will be Melbourne who will continue to challenge us in the coming years. Somehow, despite the salary cap these two clubs have somehow managed to snare an amazingly high number of the games marquee players. What's more, the star players from both these clubs are still relatively young.Imagine if you combine the best players from both side's 2010 rosters. You would get a team that would look like this:1. Jarryd Hayne; 2. Billy Slater; 3. Greg Inglis; 4. Timana Tahu; 5. Krisnan Inu; 6. Daniel Mortimer; 7. Cooper Cronk; 8. Justin Poore; 9. Cameron Smith; 10. Fuifui Moimoi; 11. Nathan Hindmarsh; 12. Ryan Hoffman; 13. Feleti Mateo; 14. Kris Keating;15. Brett White; 16. Nathan Cayless/Jeff Lima; 17. Ben Smith/Dallas JohnsonI reckon that side would beat any team you could put together with the NRL's remaining players.It's also worth noting that Melbourne have a crack NYC team, which has made the grand final this year while Parramatta have a proven track record of bringing through new talent, with their enormous junior base. This will enable both sides to limit the damage that the salary cap will cause and keep surrounding their marquee players with quality talent that can get the job done.Forget the Bulldogs or the Sea Eagles. Melbourne have already done more than any other team in the competition to limit our success over the last decade and now they're the team that stands between us and our new dynasty.Let the hate begin now, I say.

May I add a few recent incidents which have added to the rivalry

1) Following our Prelim final loss to Melbourne in 2007, their players called our team a bunch of sooks and whingers after we complained about the 'ripper' tackle which tore Caylesses pectoral off the bone (he had a 5 month rehab). Parramatta players involved in that game will be desperate to make amends on Sunday.

2) Brett White accused FuiFui MoiMoi of biting him in 2006 (I think), and Fui has consistently had a target on his head whenever we've played Melbourne since. They really go out to bash him. (This is why it is vital Cayless plays and Mannah comes off the bench - we need other forwards to share the workload and not allow them to target Fui).

3) Cameron Smith was heard to quip to a teammate in front of journalists that Brett Finch had come to Melbourne so he could finally play with a winning club (a bit rich considering Finch played in two GFs with the Roosters).

4) Billy Slater HATES Jarryd Hayne. Many of the Storm rep players feel Hayne is being given too many accolades from the Sydney media and fear he will oust Slater as Australian fullback as a result. Slater tried to fight Hayne when we played the Storm earlier this year, and rubbed his head in the ground after making a tackle in Origin.

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Replies

blueNgold September 28, 2009 at 5:31pm

Great little read 1Eyed, I think alot of hate will come Melburne's way purely on the fact that people are sick of seeing them in the GF.

For me personally I respect the Storm alot for what they have achieved as a club over the past 11 years (quite remarkable). But I hate any team that is infront of my Mighty Eels, bring on Sunday, bring on the rivalry.

One thing I would add
16. Sika Manu (beast)
Makybe Steva September 28, 2009 at 5:57pm

May I add a few recent incidents which have added to the rivalry

1) Following our Prelim final loss to Melbourne in 2007, their players called our team a bunch of sooks and whingers after we complained about the 'ripper' tackle which tore Caylesses pectoral off the bone (he had a 5 month rehab). Parramatta players involved in that game will be desperate to make amends on Sunday.

2) Brett White accused FuiFui MoiMoi of biting him in 2006 (I think), and Fui has consistently had a target on his head whenever we've played Melbourne since. They really go out to bash him. (This is why it is vital Cayless plays and Mannah comes off the bench - we need other forwards to share the workload and not allow them to target Fui).

3) Cameron Smith was heard to quip to a teammate in front of journalists that Brett Finch had come to Melbourne so he could finally play with a winning club (a bit rich considering Finch played in two GFs with the Roosters).

4) Billy Slater HATES Jarryd Hayne. Many of the Storm rep players feel Hayne is being given too many accolades from the Sydney media and fear he will oust Slater as Australian fullback as a result. Slater tried to fight Hayne when we played the Storm earlier this year, and rubbed his head in the ground after making a tackle in Origin.
- 1Eyed Eel > Makybe Steva September 28, 2009 at 8:42pm
  
  Love that hate fodder! Think I'm going to have to watch the last game we played again. I remember Slater being a little dog in that game.
  - Dan > 1Eyed Eel September 28, 2009 at 9:16pm
    
    I remember, quite clearly, that Jarryd shat all over him that game.
ELECTRIFYING MAXFORCE EELS 2014 September 28, 2009 at 5:57pm

LET the storm feel the true eels force this sunday ,

And may it serve as a reminder of how much we love our club
Ross September 28, 2009 at 6:45pm

God I hope we flog em!!!
anthony September 28, 2009 at 7:07pm

tonight on the news cameron smith said that he is happy to beat a full strength parra side the way he said it was not confidence it was arrogant . that little shit the difference between melb fans and parra fans if we lose sun we would be so proud of the eels the melb fans would turn on their team
valdo September 28, 2009 at 7:13pm

Mmmmmm...I love footy. And at times when Parra was getting bashed, I hated the blokes who did it. There's a famous photo of Graham Wynn trying to tear Ray Price's head off and I don't think we even got a penalty at the time. (I love the story of Pricey when he been flattened for the umpteenth time by Canterbury asking Steve Edge "who hit me?' and Edgey replying 'Do you want them in alphabetical order?"
But as long as the game is played fair, I dont care who wins. Of course I love my team to win but I love the physical athleticisim of the game as well. I love that it's the toughest sport on earth, more demanding physically than boxing; that it requires more co-ordination than any other team sport. I love the way a team can suddenly become one mighty unit with the ball flowing from player to player, and suddenly the perfect long or short pass that busts the defense and creates a break.
And I love the real geniuses of the game, the brilliant moves they make, moves that make you jump out of your chair laughing and spilling your beer. So I'm not going to hate Melbourne, but I am going to barrack against them. I can't be prouder of Parra this year so win or lose, I'm happy. Gooooooo Parra!
Bosanac September 28, 2009 at 8:44pm

I had a little chuckle at you putting 17 down as "Ben Smith/Dallas Johnson".

Surely Johnson, a QLD representative and resident workhorse, is out of Smith's league, at least at the moment.

Other than that, great read. lol
DazDingo September 28, 2009 at 9:04pm

What! No room for Brett Finch?

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