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              iamnot > Hell On Eels November 28, 2025 at 2:17pm

              

              Fitzy had no idea how to build ongoing success, or build sucess at all. He was politically strong and connected, that was it. He ensured the club constitution was setup in a way that made it very hard to boot him out of office.

              He got extremely lucky after he was appointed Secretary that we had a core group of high quality juniors come through in the late 70s, early 80s. He then did nothing to succession plan post that era. Read Brett Kenny's book if you haven't done so. In it he says that by the mid-80s after we lost the 1984 GF to the Dogs, Cronin was only a year-to-year proposition and it was clear he didn't have long left in the game, so Kenny set up Gene Miles on a platter to Fitzy in 1985 after the pair struck up a friendship playing for Australia. Miles was desperate to come to Parramatta and pay with Kenny and Sterling - the Broncos were still 3 years away from entering the comp. Fitzy knocked Gene Miles back because he had Cronin. We all know what happened post 1986. Cronin finally pulled the pin and Miles had plenty left in him at rep level. No more gun juniors coming through, and recruitment was poor, trying to sign players like Bob Lindner and Andrew Leeds. 

              Fitzy then got lucky again when the Super League war hit. We were a basketcase on the field. But as the club was still making a killing off-field financially, Fitzy was safe. The ARL all of a sudden desperately needed Parramatta to be successful. So the 'Canterbury four' were directed our way. And even then, the progression on the field was delayed by a year because Fitzy kept his mate Ron Hilditch as head coach, who had proven over many years and two clubs he was incompetent as a coach. 
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            Poupou Escobar > Parrafan101 November 28, 2025 at 11:52am

            How can you say we 'should have' made a grand final in a given year? When have we ever had the best or second best squad in the comp? Not since 1986. Any year we've made the grand final since then, we've overachieved.
            • Coryn Hughes > Poupou Escobar November 28, 2025 at 12:42pm

              This is it if you want sustained success it's the club across every level that is strong not just a coach or a particular administrator that's the key for success here we have to be top of class in the key categories and have the people that are the mentioned without that it's numbers and making up exercise.

              I agree the 09 and 22 GFs though in the latter we built for it in the end was an exercise in futility because we've fallen off the cliff.Overachieving was exactly that.My info I have about the club is from the inside from a guy that's just left.But he believes that Parra need alot to go there way and he believes 3-5 years away from contending or winning a comp.

              Bst thing about that meeting with the above mentioned I got all his Parra gear.In my view everyone is upgradable we talk players development recruitment retention the front office are also if there are better available they should be treated no different because after all we want to win right well winning just doesn't happen between the lines,off the park sets the table.
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              SuperEel 22 > Poupou Escobar November 28, 2025 at 1:23pm

              2001? A squad built over a 5 year period culminating in one of the best NRL era teams of all time that fell at the final hurdle. The team that beat the defending premiers in the preliminary final.

              2005. Again, a squad rebuilt following 2001 and a couple of seasons in the wilderness. A team that at the least should have made the grand final.
              • Coryn Hughes > SuperEel 22 November 28, 2025 at 1:39pm

                They were when the club was a development first that's the difference what we were then is what we are trying to get back to I suspect.

                Those 09 and 22 appearances tells you all you need to no about the club they aren't consistent and until we get back to that identity that made us strong we'll continue making up numbers.
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                  SuperEel 22 > Coryn Hughes November 28, 2025 at 2:06pm

                  That's the entire purpose of our junior development now. The entire focus is on those juniors. We have now got the largest junior investment in the competition. And that's what is partially frustrating about these discussions saying "where's our big money signing?" Like, the criticism of the club for so long was that we didn't develop our juniors well enough. Now we're focusing on those juniors and preferrring to develope internally than recruit externally it's "where is our signing?"

                  You can't have your cake and eat it too. You recruit a long-term, big money signing at 5/8 or at prop, and it's likely you lose a Fletcher, or Renzo or Talagi or Tuivaiti, because they don't see themselves being able to have that pathway.

                  It's why I think the signings of JDB and Pezet are astute. We need someone in those positions now, but we should have the pathways to provide the long-term players in those positions.

                  You spend your money on external signings (who always cost more than juniors) and you end up losing your juniors.

                  Penrith have provided the blueprint and in effect, they copied what the Brian Smith Eels era did. After all, Matt Cameron was at the Eels during the Smith era and was instrumental in bringing through the Baby Eels.
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            Randy Handlinger > Parrafan101 November 28, 2025 at 12:09pm

            101, take your meds or hand the phone to the other person who posts on your account.....I like them better