Before you think 2019, think 1997

For those of you eels diehards old enough to remember, the 97 ARL season was an interesting year for us. We played North Sydney in the season opener at a sold out Parra, prevailing 10-8 in a game the Bears probably were the better team. A vocal Home crowd and some favourable decisions might’ve got us home me thinks (I was there).Despite a heavily backed team stacked with stars (Dymock, J Smith, Pay, McCracken, Simon to name but a few) and the recent recruitment of coach Brian Smith, the signs weren’t good. The next few rounds we were belted up by teams like South Queensland, the media laid the boot in and gave us the unwanted moniker: the 10 million dollar flops. (An extreme exaggeration of our reported bill of our player payments) We lost some close ones but gradually improved as Jason Bell and John Simon began to click. Finally an ugly win, against Illawarra, then suddenly the W’s started piling upto the tune of 11 in a row. Including victories over competition heavyweights Manly and a red hot Newcastle in what was match of the year. We couldn’t lose. We would go on to lose only 4 more games in the H&A season to reach the top 4 and end up becoming the one most dangerous team in the competition. Truth be told we probably ran out of gas and lacked big game finals experience to go all the way but an amazing season of two halves all the same.I remind you we started that season at 1-5, and really should’ve been 0-6. Sound familiar?http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/arl-1997/parramatta/summary.html

Replies

EelsAgeMe April 17, 2018 at 9:12am

Yeah sorry, but we didn't win the comp.

Nothing but that is good enough now.
Xman April 17, 2018 at 9:17am

Yep I remember that well Tim, the turning point was when smithy had a heart to heart I think it was over beers with the senior boys and once they changed their attitude and commitment the rest followed. We need exactly the same now but I don’t think you can compare the leaders from that era to today’s. Ba needs to lean on Beau, Jarryd, gutho and jenko and of course timmy, if he gets them leading the rest will follow I’m just not sure some of those can go to the required level but then again it was Jarryd and fui in 09 so sometimes it only takes a couple...we can only hope as that is all we have left
KingGutho April 17, 2018 at 9:28am

Everyone is saying our forwards are not big enough well that's a load of crap
We have the same forwards as last year that made the top 4
Example the tigers have the smallest pack in the comp look how there going..
But I won't liar it would be good to have some better forwards
But the problem is attuide and everyone looks un happy in the squad..
That's something BA needs to address straight away
The Ape April 17, 2018 at 11:58am

Everyone quotes the exception to the rule.

Yes it happened once. That doesn't mean it will happen again. It won't.
Frank The Tank April 17, 2018 at 12:53pm

1997 yes what a great year - I was pulling chicks left right and center back then, don’t think I’d have anywhere near the same success circa 2018.

Times have changed so has this side - no chance of playing finals this year, just accept it.