The first anniversary of the Parramatta salary cap scandal has just passed and Eels skipper Tim Mannah says the club needed to hit rock bottom to rejuvenate.
In the lead-up to the representative weekend last year NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg strode across the Old Saleyards training field towards the Parramatta team rooms to tell the players first of the penalties about to hit the club.
“You could write a book on all the things that happened,” Mannah told The Australian this week.
“Last season everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
“I genuinely think the club needed to hit rock bottom to get where we are now.”
The club was docked 12 competition points, the differential points (for and against) accumulated in the first nine rounds were revoked, a $1 million fine was issued and five officials, including chairman Steve Sharp, had their registrations cancelled. But the ramifications were wider. Key players Nathan Peats, Ryan Morgan and Junior Paulo were let go; Anthony Watmough retired.
The Eels went from fourth on the ladder to 14th. Players were hounded weekly about their reaction to each snippet of news emerging of what Eels directors and player managers had been up to.
The NRL is still reviewing the behaviour of managers and is expected to bring down its findings shortly.
“It’s been quiet around training that’s for sure, with hardly any cameras,” said halfback Corey Norman whose 2016 included a $400 fine for drug possession, a warning for consorting with criminals and a sex-tape scandal.
“I can’t quite realise it’s been a year. I must say it’s gone quick but then you want to leave all that far behind.
“We’re focused on having a good year and we’re coming along nicely.”
Co-captain with Mannah, Beau Scott went through upheaval of a different kind at Newcastle in 2013 with Alex McKinnon’s broken neck. He said he used some of the lessons learned from that experience to help him concentrate on his football.
“I’ve been through a few clubs with issues over the years. You learn just to shut it out and get on with things,” Scott said.
“As a playing group, we got on with the job and tried to ignore all the stuff off the field.
“It wasn’t that difficult because we spoke about how we couldn’t control any of it, so we just turned to each other and got through it.”
The stoic presence of coach Brad Arthur was the other key component to survival.
“He’s still the same character. He seems to have his game face on all the time,” Scott said. “He is a great leader of this club and has done a tremendous job leading us through a terrible period.
“He kept us focused and kept the outside stuff away.”
Mannah can’t thank Arthur enough.
“Brad did a huge job in trying to shield us by doing a lot of the talking. We worried about our job out on the field and he carried most of the burden for us off it,” Mannah said.
“He had a huge part of us getting through as well as we did. It’s also a special playing group here. I’ve got no doubt that despite all the misery of last year, we have all emerged for the better.
“We’ve now got a new and strong administration at the top and that’s filtering all the way down.”
The best thing about May 2017 compared with 12 months ago is normality — at last.
“It’s so refreshing having to only worry about football really. And it wasn’t just last year. It had been the few years before that too of distractions off the field.
“It’s been well-documented what has happened with our boards, CEOs and coaches coming and going over the years.
“So it’s nice to just arrive here at training and talk footy,” Mannah said.
Replies
Every negative headline this year and none involving our club...touch wood, is refreshing in that we all recall where we were this time last year. We seem to be sneaking under the radar a bit atm but it won't be long before the Tele drums up some bullshitt drama re the eels to sell some papers. You just know it...
Suck it up Tigers and others, it's your turn.