From today's Tele by a very One-Eyed journalist...
It’s finally here! After a long, hot summer of cricket, we now switch seasons and return to that wondrous seven months where political allegiances, religious conviction and family loyalty all take second fiddle to that one true and unifying Australian pursuit, footy.
Regardless of your code or colours, I know you join me in wishing the Parramatta Eels Rugby League Football Club a successful and victorious 27 rounds as we seek to break our 40-year drought.
I don’t know about you, but I just have this tingling sensation that this is our year. Here’s why:
COMMBANK STADIUM
If you’ve yet to attend a game played on the hallowed turf of CommBank, do yourself a favour and invest in a few home-game tickets. Take it from me, this venue was worth all the pain and suffering it caused local Liberal candidates in the lead-up to the 2019 state election.
And if you think sporting facilities aren’t a top-of-mind issue for us Westies then think again. And besides, any piece of infrastructure that can accommodate 30,000 Eels fans, or two per cent of our fan base, should be treated with all the reverence of the Holy See.
COLOURS
Yup, blue and gold. Blue, being the traditional colour of monarchy, and gold, being the colour of first-placegetters proves that we have the perfect blend to attract a right royal premiership. Just you wait.
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
I don’t want to boast because we did get smacked on the bum by a rainbow when all the planets came into alignment with this proposal, so I get why so many other teams are desperate to replicate it, but you know what they say about poor tradies and tools. Well, we no longer have that excuse.
EELS FOUNDATION
To effect greatness in any team, the first, second and third necessary characteristics are culture. The military knows it, business knows it and sport relies on it. The Eels Foundation has proven to be a cracking way for fans to take ownership of the long-term future of the club by providing an avenue to invest in junior players who may not have the same level of opportunity as others. That’s just what we do.
HOLY MOSES
I know, I know. There’s no “I” in teamwork and a champion team trumps a team of champions, but strike me pink, can skipper Mitchell Moses move! It’s as if he knows what’s going to happen three plays before it actually does.
JASON AND JIM
I’ve still got PTSD from the days when it seemed the Eels leadership had a revolving door that moved faster than Josh Addo Carr’s bootlaces, but thankfully the brains trust was able to recruit Gentleman Jim Sarantinos, whose dedication keeps everyone feeling like “it’s all part of the plan”, even when the joint’s going to pastry.
It’s a personal trait that obviously attracted him to recruit Jason Ryles, who is probably one of the more dignified sports administrators I’ve ever met.
Watch Graham Kennedy in The Club to know why that’s important.
POLITICS
Yes, politics. Any organisation that can unite Labor’s elder statesman Chris Brown and yours truly should be in the running to take over all foreign peace negotiations from the UN. The Lord Mayor has bipartisan support to sponsor this icon of Western Sydney, so you shouldn’t need any more convincing that in Australia, sport is a very important part of our national psyche.
ALUMNI
It amazes me how Brett Kenny, Steve Edge, Peter Sterling, Mick Cronin, Peter Wynn, Denis Fitzgerald and so many of the greats just keep turning up to support rookies and fans without any fuss or expectations, albeit, ahem, in larger-sized attire.
VARIETY
The variety of ages, experience and skills has meant that individuals on the team have the opportunity to constantly learn from each other, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is what will keep them coming back for more.
Replies
David Elliot is unicorn of the year already
I've got us top 4, there's been so much good work going on at the club and we are going to start reaping the rewards from now on.
I have us playing finals football.
Only if Moses stays on the field for more than 18 games and our back 5 show me more in yardage coming out of trouble.
Defensively if we can continue the consistency from what we are seeing in pre season around contact wrestle and securing the ruck then we'll definitely make finals.
So what you're saying is if everything goes our way we will do ok lol.
They are the key indicators.
Everything hasn't gone our way already with regards to recruitment.
Its like watching pre season nevermind the score all I watch are the indicators that will help us win down in Melbourne it's no different with the above prediction.
Are you optimistic for the season ahead?
Certainly should make the finals this year all going well. If Mitchell Moses stays injury free, if the Refs and Bunker are fair and Eels get 50/50 calls, if the NRL doesn't hard nose the Eels because of the Lomax saga then there is NO reason the Eels shouldn't make the top 8 this year.
We have a tough first few games against Storm, Broncs and Panthers but some very winnable games against Dragons, Tigers and Tits. I'd be content with 3-3 and over the moon with 4-2 given how we started last year.
As others have said, we need our main players to be playing each week or 80% of the games; we do that and we make the 8.
Ref's won't come into it for me - as we will make our own luck if we do the simple things well. We are also 12 months deeper in the Ryles era, and with less player movement this season too.
I am quietly confident we will make the 8. It is in our hands.