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A defiant Max Donnelly is adamant responsibility for Parramatta's wretched season is shared by the entire club and insists the Eels' future is "fantastic" despite supporters threatening legal action to have him removed as administrator.
A member of Parramatta's supporter base has written to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian asking the state government to intervene and absolve Donnelly from his post at the Eels, which he has held for just shy of two years.
Focus: Max Donnelly says he is setting Parramatta up for the future.
Focus: Max Donnelly says he is setting Parramatta up for the future.
Photo: Anna Kucera
Parramatta remain rooted to the bottom of the NRL ladder with just two wins from their 12 matches this season and have been operating without numerous key football support staff roles employed by other clubs after the NRL operation posted a $10 million loss last year.
It has prompted the unusual approach to the state's top office from long-time member Andrew Eagleston, who penned a letter to Berejiklian this week questioning why an administrator was still in charge of the Eels.
Donnelly was appointed to run the scandal-ridden club by the state government mid-way through 2016.
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Eagleston has canvassed support from a range of people and said he would gather the signatures of 100 members to pass a special resolution that could threaten Donnelly's continued tenure at Parramatta.
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But the Eels boss remains unapologetic about his focus on making the leagues club – which props up the football club – financially viable and pushing through changes to its constitution.
Donnelly would not be drawn on the letter sent to Berejiklian given that he hadn't seen its contents, which include representations about the lack of junior rugby league development in the Parramatta basin and brand damage to the club.
But he hinted there were no immediate plans to walk away from his post.
"I don't know if I'm going to change any strategy I've got, and I don't know if the government is going to change their strategy," Donnelly said. "What I'm doing is involving the leagues club. That's the main part which generates the revenue to fund the football club. I think that's being run well.
In the bigger picture things, I think, are fantastic for Parramatta. Are they good this year? Of course not. I understand that.
Max Donnelly
"In the bigger picture things, I think, are fantastic for Parramatta. Are they good this year? Of course not. I understand that.
"Yes, we haven't won for our share of time. But to suggest it's not being addressed or we're not being aggressive or proactive in dealing with it is wrong.
"You've got to look at the bigger picture with these things, and the bigger picture is the leagues club and setting Parramatta up for the future, particularly with the new stadium [due to open in 2019].
"I've got no issue with members voicing their disappointment, but when they voice it I would just like a bit more logic."
Parramatta has been condemned to the bottom of the NRL ladder from the start of the season and will need to win at least 10 of their remaining 12 games just to squeeze into finals reckoning.
Down and almost out: David Gower reflects on another loss for the Eels.
Down and almost out: David Gower reflects on another loss for the Eels.
Photo: AAP
Their bumbling displays have confounded pre-season predictions that Brad Arthur's men would be a premiership force this year on the back of a top-four regular season finish in 2017.
Arthur almost single handedly held the club together during the salary cap crisis and remains contracted until the end of 2019.
Asked about Parramatta's on-field struggles, Donnelly said: "Yes, what's happening on the field is an issue.
"[But] this is not [just] Brad's problem, this is a club problem. That involves me as chairman, it involves the management, it involves Bernie Gurr as the CEO, it involves the board and it involves the players. It's everyone's problem.
"You're not 2-10 because of the coach, you're 2-10 because of a whole lot of factors. We have to deal with that and we will deal with it. And we've got a board there made up of prominent people who are doing a good job."
Eagleston has received legal advice from Justin Ratanatray from JKR Lawyers which claims it is "inconceivable" under the Registered Clubs Act 1976 Donnelly's appointment be one in perpetuity.
"If the state government doesn't intervene and have the administrator removed, we will apply to the Federal Court to have him removed," Eagleston said. "We've been in administration for two years. The future of the club should be settled quickly and handed back to the members."