I know the 80s were an unbelievable era for the Eels, full of club legends. And that the 2001 side blew records to smithereens in one of the most exciting to watch seasons played by any club ever in rugby league.
But for me, the 2005 side, as I watched it week to week, that was the first time , and the last time that they had the roster, and the form that seemed like there was no way they weren't going to make and win the GF.
More than 2001, I think that 2005 was the year we absolutely should have won the comp.
Just a super memorable year of football for me, absolutely loved watching this team play, still hurts remembering the shock that was the 29-0 drubbing in the Semi to the Cowboys, who went on to lose to the side that we'd absolutely annihilated twice that season.
So anybody else got a stand out year from the Eels in their memory, there's been a lot of hard years, frustrating years, but we've also been lucky enough to witness some very exciting ones.
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1981, 82, 83 & 86 ...WINNERS!
Other than them ...the team that went through all the play offs in 1975 and the ride we had in 2009.
Ill leave out the 80s era, as thats obvious.
The 1999 side for mine, althought I agree with you regarding 2005. In 1999 we had a good mix of power and skill, experience and youth. I'm sure we would have knocked of St George in the GF had we beaten Melbourne in the Prelim.
2001 was the year, 2005 was great, but 2001 was the one that got away
2022 is extremely memorable. Nah, just kidding. 1981 for me. The 1st premiership is always the best just like your first love or first kiss💋
Real shame Daniel Anderson wasn't kept as an Eels coach longer. Reckon he would have delivered an Eels premiership
The 80s Era is not considered here BUT
The Baby Eels of 2000. Went within a whisker of meeting the Roosters in the GF. A great team primmed for what was to become the team that broke all the records in 2001.
The year that we definitely should have won the comp was 1999, the the end of the Pay Smith Dymock McCracken era with the emergence of guys like Hindmarsh and vella . I still don't know how we lost to the storm in that final. It marked the beginning of our era of being unable to beat the Storm in big games. We had enough opportunities to win by 30 points and that's not an exaggeration. We would have flogged st merge too
If you watch the highlight replay on Youtube, they scored one try off a knock on. In the first half and if this was today's game, Kearney gets sent off for his late hit, back then it was just a penalty. We also bombed about two-three tries. There was one where Dennis Moran dropped it over the line and another in the second half where Smith had two players unmarked on his left and got tackled which dislodged the ball.
Came close in 98
All those coached by Jack Gibson and Terry Fernley
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