Eels Blogs

The monkey was big, it was bad and it had taken up residence for nearly four years, but the Eels not only shook it off on Friday night, they pummelled it into oblivion as they ran away with a 40-4 week two finals triumph over the Canberra Raiders.

For 13 years the Eels haven't tasted a preliminary final but now they get the chance to travel as underdogs to Townsville where no one gives them a chance against a resurgent Cowboys that have gone from a nigh-on one man team during the years of Johnathan Thurston to a much more cohesive unit.

2009 was a long time ago now. The only remaining active player from that famed season is well past 40 and plying his trade for the Rochdale Hornets. Yes, Fuifui Moimoi is still terrorising middle forwards.

This Eels team is its own squad and has grown into a premiership challenger in its own right.

The past two years have served as somewhat hoodoo breaking ones albeit the biggest one of all still lays ahead. And if Souths make it there, it could be two for the price of one.

They've beaten Canberra in Canberra twice. They've beaten Melbourne in Melbourne, Penrith in Penrith, Newcastle in Newcastle, Gold Coast on the Gold Coast, Manly at Brookvale, the Roosters and now have advanced from week two of the finals. All feats not seen on a regular basis since the Brian Smith years. 

The Promised Land lies ahead and it is coming up on 40 years of wondering in the desert with the team currently led by Moses.

And those nearly 40 years come with plenty of scars, near misses and what if moments.

1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009.

All preliminary finals or grand finals. All just another page in the history books. Stories told by now ageing supporters to those who weren't born at the time.

The optimism is of course a cautious one. 80 minutes separates the side from the biggest stage but could also prove the biggest hurdle. Equal parts joy and pain could be sitting at the end of next week.

The Eels could march on and have their third crack at raising the trophy since 1986. Or it could all be over as key members of the side head for new clubs (or not, Ice. Was the extra money worth it now?).

No doubt the stories will come, the legends will be rolled out. No pressure fellas, but here's Ray Price and Brett Kenny once again talking about the glory years.

Parramatta's last grand final side rode a wave of brilliance from Jarryd Hayne the likes of which was never seen before and will never be seen again. In the number one this time around, what he lacks in speed, power and phenomenal skill he makes up for in sheer force of will and commitment. Captain Clint has stepped up when the side has needed him the most.

Mitchell Moses carries the weight of history on his shoulders. The most games at halfback behind only Peter Sterling in the blue and gold. Jeff Robson, a dependable player, tough and a team man but never a game breaker.

Dylan Brown has grown into the form five-eighth in the competition. Speed, strength and agility combined with a cool head. There will never be another Brett Kenny, but Brown is looking like a natural at the game as well. Dan Mortimer's famous last name gave the Eels hope but his star burnt bright and short in the blue and gold.

Reed Mahoney has a maximum of two games left at the club who took a punt on him. He may not be the grizzled leader that was Steve Edge but the diminutive rake has stepped up following a slow start and possesses all the levels of skill Parramatta's tackle machine number nine in Matt Keating didn't.

The engine room though is the key to Parramatta and it's pursuit of The Promised Land. There's no Bear coming out of retirement or Stumpy Stevens, this is a V8 engine primed and revving at the right time. Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard are the form duo in the competition and they made that claim when they dominated Josh Papalii and Joe Tapine on Friday night. 

Preliminary finals have been a long time coming in the Brad Arthur years. Spectacular collapes or close finishes have marked most week two finals. 2019 was the ultimate come down following the Brisbane bloodbath, 2020 was chaos as Haze Dunster was handed his debut with Michael Jennings suspended on game day, 2021 was heartbreak.

And the opponents. Well, there's a score to settle here.

2005 preliminary final with a Hindmarsh-less Eels being trounced despite being minor premiers. 2017 boilover after Parramatta were controversially beaten by Melbourne in week one. It was the end of the Semi Radradra era and a year of pain followed.

Plenty will talk about the Darwin shellacking the Cowboys handed out. But that matters little now. Different Eels side, different attitude.

What this match means to Eels fans is hard to quantify. It's a feeling of trepidation, of anxiety but also of excitement. The grand final is within reach but you don't quite look that far ahead. It's a cliche but it really is a week at a time.

The Eels are now given no chance.

North Queensland have never lost a final at home, remember? There's a first time for everything.

The match will be fast. It will be powerful. It will be slick and at the end of it one team will be on Mad Monday, the other preparing for the match of their lives.

The drums are beating, the horns are blaring, the Blue and Gold Army marches north.

The bannermen have been rallied, the sigils unfurled and blowing in the wind. 

Time to lay siege to Townsville and storm the fortress.

The Promised Land beckons.