Parramatta has somehow emerged from the salary cap scandal with a war chest, but Clint Gutherson reckons there's no need to spend it on a new playmaker.
Most pundits view Gutherson as a stop-gap, a temporary five-eighth until the Eels can lure a marquee man to play alongside Corey Norman. However, club powerbrokers – and the man himself – believe he can be a long-term No.6 for the blue and golds.
With the kid: John Folau (left) and Clint Gutherson (right) visit Crestwood Public School on Thursday. Photo: Isabella Lettini
"I'm going to try to make it my own. I want to try to make it a permanent thing," Gutherson said during a Community Carnival school visit.
"I'm loving Parramatta at the moment and I'm going to try to make the six jersey mine and see where it takes me. If I stay there the rest of my career, I stay there the rest of my career.
"I've got to learn as much as possible from the people around me, the coaching staff and see what I can do."
Gutherson had not played in the halves until coach Brad Arthur, scrambling for a replacement for the departed Kieran Foran and the suspended Corey Norman, pitched him in late last year. The 22-year-old showed enough in those opportunities to convince the Eels brains trust not to go to market, in the belief their long-term solution could already be on their books.
"It's good to hear when the head coach wants to put you there and not bring someone in," Gutherson said.
"I have to try and repay the faith, play some good footy to start the year and see what the year brings."
Norman, despite the off-field dramas that prematurely ended his 2016 season, has shown enough on it in recent times to suggest he can become a world-class halfback. The Parramatta forward pack – bolstered by new recruits Frank Pritchard, Suaia Matagi, Nathan Brown and Siosia Vave – should also give the halves a decent platform to play off. The question now is whether Gutherson will be up to the task.
"It's [often] said the halves come here and don't steer the ship and the team doesn't go too well," Gutherson said.
"But we have Normy there in one half and I'll jump in one half, and Bevvy [Bevan French] at back, and the team we've built with the forwards we've brought to the club and a couple of the back-rowers at the club, it's ridiculous.
"The forward pack will make it easier on us."
Gutherson came to the Eels after missing the entire 2015 season due to an ACL injury. By his own admission, the former Junior Kangaroo struggled early on.
"I think I played four or five games on the wing, most of the fans wanted me dead," he said.
"But as I moved in I got bit more confident and tried to make it my own.
"I was a bit nervous at the start of last year coming off a knee reconstruction, then to a new club. I just have to try and keep improving each week and see where it takes me."
Gutherson won't be the only Eels half seeking to justify their recent contract extension.
"[Norman] has got a point to prove this year [after] missing the back-end and letting the club down last year," Gutherson said.
"He knows he did that and he's going to come out firing. We're going to see some special footy from him this year.
"He's in the leadership group of the club, so he's ready to go. He just wants to play some footy; he hasn't played in about six or seven months. He wants to come out and prove to everyone that he's one of the best halves and players in the game."
Replies
Go Clinton ''Special Patrol Group' aka SPG
HAHA..i loved that show
"The fans wanted me dead" lol, love the Bus.
Hi Gutho, we love you now!
So what does that make Fogarty? Absolutely fuckingg horrible?
Dreadful how??? The guy was just about our best player last year. What a stupid statement. Fuck this place is full of drongo's. I mean Foran was on over 1m and was only ever steady at best. Our biggest problem is the plodder at 9 and the two back ups made of chalk.
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