Five-eighth Corey Norman has departed the club but there are a number of exciting youngsters lining up to fill his boots.

 

Mitch Moses is still among the best halves in the NRL on his day and shapes as the man to lead Parramatta out of the cellar

Boom teenage playmaker Dylan Brown - who the Warriors tried to poach in November - could force his way into first grade as Moses' partner.

Blake Ferguson is a fantastic buy and will help the Eels make yardage out of their own end.

The winger is a master of the tough carry and topped the competition for run metres last season.

Shaun Lane is another adept signing who will add starch to Parramatta's second-row.

Massive prop Junior Paulo returns to the club from Canberra and will form part of a solid forward pack including Nathan Brown, Manu Ma'u, Peni Terepo and Tim Mannah.

Outside back Jarryd Hayne was not retained by Parramatta due to salary cap constraints and Hayne's legal dramas.

It's worth remembering that only two years the Eels finished fourth and looked capable of challenging for the title.

Brad Arthur is such a respected coach for a reason and won't tolerate another sub-par season.

 

PARRAMATTA EELS' PRE-SEASON NEWS

The Eels' pre-season started with a circus surrounding Jarryd Hayne.

The 2009 Dally M Medallist wasn't re-signed by the time Parramatta started training, prompting constant media attention regarding his future.

While the club maintained they wanted to keep Hayne, they were struggling to find room for the star under the salary cap.

The Eels withdrew interest when Hayne was charged with aggravated sexual assault in November.

Corey Norman was released to the St George Illawarra Dragons in December after months of speculation that Parramatta were shopping him around.

Young pivot Jaeman Salmon was involved in a car crash in October in which his vehicle flipped on its roof.

He was subsequently convicted of low-range drink-driving and disqualified from driving for six months.

 

PARRAMATTA EELS' 30-MAN NRL SQUAD

Parramatta have three spots remaining in their top 30.

They've got until March 1 to register a further two players, with the full squad required to be finalised by June 30.

Dylan Brown, Reed Mahoney and Stefano Utoikamanu are named as development players.

They can be elevated to the top squad before June 30.

Veteran forward Beau Scott has retired, so too centre Kirisome Auva'a.

Hooker Cameron King headed to the UK after the Eels chose not to re-sign him.

 PlayerDate of BirthHeight, weightPositionNRL matchesRep honours
1Andrew Davey29/11/1991195cm, 106kgSecond-row0Nil
2Bevan French4/1/1996181cm, 83kgFullback/Wing47Indigenous All Stars
3Blake Ferguson20/3/1990191cm, 101kgWing/Centre192Australia, NSW, Indig. All Stars, Country Origin, PMXIII
4Brad Takairangi14/6/1989194cm, 108kgCentre/Second-row145New Zealand, Cook Islands
5Clinton Gutherson (co-captain)9/11/1994190cm, 94kgFullback/Centre/Five-eighth66City Origin
6Daniel Alvaro28/5/1993190cm, 108kgProp19Italy, Country Origin
7David Gower30/11/1985190cm, 105kgSecond-row102City Origin
8George Jennings9/6/1993185cm, 94kgWing25Tonga
9Gregory Leleisiuao4/4/1997180cm, 99kgWing0Nil
10Jaeman Salmon4/1/1999186cm, 92kgFive-eighth5Nil
11Josh Hoffman10/3/1988183cm, 89kgFullback179New Zealand, Indigenous All Stars
12Junior Paulo20/11/1993188cm, 123kgProp88Samoa
13Kane Evans9/1/1992199cm, 110kgProp82Fiji, World All Stars, City Origin
14Kaysa Pritchard5/5/1994175cm, 88kgHooker47Samoa
15Maika Sivo3/10/1993186cm, 105kgWing0Nil
16Manu Ma'u24/8/1988184cm, 103kgSecond-row95New Zealand, Tonga
17Marata Niukore29/7/1996188cm, 102kgSecond-row14Cook Islands
18Michael Jennings20/4/1988180cm, 96kgCentre259Australia, Tonga, NSW, NRL All Stars, City Origin, PMXIII
19Mitchell Moses16/9/1994182cm, 85kgFive-eighth105Lebanon, World All Stars, PMXIII
20Nathan Brown1/3/1993185cm, 107kgProp69Italy, City Origin
21Oregon Kaufusi20/8/1999(Not listed)Prop2Nil
22Peni Terepo21/11/1991186cm, 106kgProp101Tonga
23Raymond Stone6/6/1997180cm, 95kgLock1Nil
24Shaun Lane29/11/1994198cm, 110kgSecond-row48Nil
25Tepai Moeroa2/10/1995190cm, 112kgSecond-row90World All Stars, PMXIII
26Tim Mannah (co-captain)15/2/1988184cm, 110kgProp223Lebanon, NSW, City Origin, PMXIII
27William Smith3/7/1992178cm, 84kgFullback48Indig. All Stars
28TBC-----
29TBC-----
30TBC-----

Additions: Junior Paulo (Canberra Raiders), Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters), Shaun Lane (Manly Sea Eagles), Andrew Davey (Townsville Blackhawks), Maika Sivo (Penrith Panthers), Oregon Kaufusi, Raymond Stone

Losses: Beau Scott (retired), Kirisome Auva'a (retired), Cam King (Featherstone Rovers), Jack Morris (unsigned), Jarryd Hayne (unsigned), Nathan Davis (unsigned), Siosaia Vave (unsigned), Tony Williams (unsigned)

Re-signed: Daniel Alvaro (2019), Nathan Brown (2021), David Gower (2019), George Jennings (2019), Kaysa Pritchard (2019), Will Smith (2020), Peni Terepo (2019)

Off-contract beyond 2019: Daniel Alvaro, Andrew Davey, Bevan French, David Gower, Clinton Gutherson, Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Greg Leleisiuao, Manu Ma'u, Reed Mahoney, Tim Mannah, Tepai Moeroa, Mitchell Moses, Kaysa Pritchard, Brad Takairangi, Peni Terepo, Stefano Utoikamanu

 

PARRAMATTA EELS' BETTING ODDS

At $34 (via TAB on 19/1/19), the Eels are 13th in the betting to win the 2019 premiership. It would be their first title since 1986.

Fullback and co-captain Clint Gutherson is rated as Parra's best chance of taking out the Dally M Medal, coming in at $51.

The Eels are $4 to make the top eight, $7.50 to finish in the top four and $6 to suffer the most losses.

 

PARRAMATTA EELS' 2019 DRAW

Games played on

Thursday: 2

Friday: 5

Saturday: 8

Sunday: 8

Monday: 1

 

Teams they play twice

Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders, Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights, St George Illawarra Dragons, Brisbane Broncos, Manly Sea Eagles

 

RoundDateOpponentVenue
1Sunday 17 March 4:05pmPenrith PanthersPanthers Stadium
2Sunday 24 March 4:05pmCanterbury BulldogsANZ Stadium
3Friday 29 March 7:55pmSydney RoostersANZ Stadium
4Saturday 6 April 7:35pmCronulla SharksANZ Stadium
5Sunday 14 April 6:10pmCanberra RaidersGIO Stadium
6Monday 22 April 4:00pmWests TigersBankwest Stadium
7Sunday 28 April 4:05pmNewcastle KnightsMcDonald Jones Stadium
8Sunday 5 May 4:05pmSt George Illawarra DragonsBankwest Stadium
9Saturday 11 May 7:35pmMelbourne StormSuncorp Stadium
10Saturday 18 May 5:30pmNorth Queensland Cowboys1300SMILES Stadium
11Thursday 23 May 7:50pmPenrith PanthersBankwest Stadium
12Friday 31 May 7:55pmSouth Sydney RabbitohsBankwest Stadium
13Saturday 8 June 5:30pmCronulla SharksShark Park
14Saturday 15 June 7:35pmBrisbane BroncosBankwest Stadium
15Saturday 29 June 7:35pmCanberra RaidersTIO Stadium
16BYE--
17Sunday 14 July 4:05pmWests TigersBankwest Stadium
18Sunday 21 July 4:05pmManly Sea EaglesLottoland
19Saturday 27 July 3:00pmNew Zealand WarriorsBankwest Stadium
20Sunday 4 August 4:05pmSt George IllawarraJubilee Stadium
21Saturday 10 August 5:30pmNewcastle KnightsBankwest Stadium
22Friday 16 August 6:00pmGold Coast TitansCbus Super Stadium
23Thursday 22 August 7:50pmCanterbury BulldogsBankwest Stadium
24Friday 30 August 7:55pmBrisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium
25Friday 6 September 6:00pmManly Sea EaglesBankwest Stadium

 

It's a big year for...

Mitch Moses.

After a stellar 2017 and a promising World Cup campaign for Lebanon under the guidance of Brad Fittler, Moses entered last season among the contenders for the NSW halfback position.

Moses finished the year surrounded by rumours that Parramatta were attempting to offload him to another club, so average was his form.

At his peak, Moses is in a class of his own for creativity and playmaking skill.

But at his worst, the 24-year-old is barely sighted on the field and fails to take any control of his side's attack.

With Corey Norman gone, Moses will be given more responsibility in 2019.

If he uses that to his advantage and fires again, expect the Eels to rocket back up the ladder.

 

MEMBERSHIP AND TICKETING

As of 15/1/19, the Eels had 19,718 members committed for the 2019 season - over 3,000 more than the same time 12 months prior (16,414).

Parramatta finished with 25,145 members in 2018.

Membership packages can be viewed here.

General tickets for the season are not yet available, aside from Magic Round in Brisbane (NRL round nine), during which all 16 NRL clubs play at Suncorp Stadium on the same weekend.

The Eels' Magic Round clash is against the Melbourne Storm on Saturday, 11 May.

Tickets for the four-day event can be viewed here.