When you look at the Parramatta Eels’ recruitment record in recent times, the blue-and-gold faithful may be forgiven for feeling like they’ve won lotto when heading into the 2014 season.

They say all good things come to those who wait.

While still currently dwelling at the bottom of the NRL table, the Parramatta club have quietly undergone their brightest recruitment drive in years.

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The Eels’ five biggest acquisitions for the 2014 NRL season are as of now; Nathan Peats, Corey Norman, Lee Mossop, Gareth Hock and Will Hopoate.

For Eels supporters, this is progress.

After finishing last in 2012, the incoming talent for the current 2013 season comprised of promising young-gun Darcy Lussick, his fellow Manly teammate Daniel Harrison and…well, that was it for last season’s wooden-spooners.

Hardly enough to get the blood pumping, even with the arrival of new coach Ricky Stuart.

Of course, the prospect of Israel Folau’s arrival was understandably greeted with wholesale excitement, until it all went awry and Izzy opted to go play union for the Waratahs instead.

Eels fans were left to watch a superstar talent make a big splash for the Wallabies in 2013 and only dream of the difference Folau could have made to their current season – and he would have made a difference, he’s that good.



This came on the back of the previous 2012 season’s newcomers collapsing in a heap of massive disappointment.

Chris Sandow appeared to be the spark needed to lift the Eels out of the doldrums and fill their vaunted number seven jersey.

That was until he lost his confidence, expanded his waistline and descended into a highly inconsistent and erratic NSW Cup-level player whom may or may not still have a future at the club.

Whatever the reasons, Sandow has simply failed to spark at Parramatta in the way many expected or even on the level previously seen at South Sydney.

Considering the money he cost (believed to be $500,000 a season), harsh as it may be, there is only one word that can appropriately describe his Parramatta tenure thus far: flop.

Sandow tries, but simply hasn’t delivered.

Likewise the woefully injury-prone Willie Tonga, who’s colossal loss of form (when available to play) has seen his career hit the skids.

To look at him now, one would scarcely believe he was a Queensland and Australian centre just a couple of years ago.



Signed from the Gold Coast Titans, Willie’s brother Esi barely made a blip before being shown the door.

Meanwhile, Ben Roberts’ consistent errors and amateurish play has had many Parra fans calling for his head since his arrival and now breathing sighs of relief at him being shown the door at this season’s end.

The recruitment list for the prior 2011 season reads like a cross between Dad’s Army and the South Queensland Crushers.

Ageing vets Carl Webb, Chris Walker, Chris Hicks and Casey Maguire have been given the chance to empty what very little they had left in the tank upon Parramatta Stadium’s grassy surface before wandering off into the sunset.

Reni Maitua made a moderate impact, in that he at least plays hard for his wages, but he has now found himself looking for a new club as part of Ricky Stuart’s ruthless (but necessary) player clean-out.

All this has left the 2013 Parramatta Eels with a team comprising of one superstar player (presently sidelined with a hamstring injury due to the compressed Origin-club match schedule), a $500,000-a-season Halfback dumped to NSW Cup for the foreseeable future, a couple of reliable prop-forwards named Tim Mannah and FuiFui MoiMoi, a hard working but otherwise painfully average dummy-half (who knows he isn’t wanted at the club) and a run-on squad comprised largely of kids practically fresh out of high-school.

They appear almost certainties to collect a second consecutive wooden-spoon and all things considered, it shouldn’t come as any surprise.

While the prospect of back to back spoons is understandably depressing for Parramatta fans, it’s not all doom and gloom when you glance a little further into the future.



Several of the fresh-faced kids to make their first-grade debut this season do look quite promising, the standouts having been Kelepi Tanginoa and Peni Terepo (who scored one of the individual tries of the season against the Roosters in Round 13).

Parramatta have been quick to lock these two bright prospects into long-term deals and wisely so.

But it’s when you look at the incoming talent for 2014 that a light at the end of a very dark tunnel begins to emerge.

Away from the often pitiful displays seen from them on the football field this season, the mass player cuts and CEO confusion, Parramatta have quietly and astutely set themselves up quite nicely for a more respectable 2014 season.

Let’s take a closer look:

Simply put, Nathan Peats is one of the brightest young dummy-halves in the game.

Highly regarded by everyone who’s opinion matters, his only downside the past couple of years at South Sydney has been having to play behind Issac Luke, one of the three best hookers in the game.

Free from the shackles of having to play second-fiddle to anyone, Peats will bring high energy and the sorely needed ability to count heads and read the game to Parramatta’s number nine jersey.



He will give them direction, skill, patience, sharpness and a hunger to prove himself.

Having watched and learned from one of the games most accomplished rakes at South Sydney the last couple of seasons, Peats will give Parramatta some long-overdue spark out of dummy-half for 2014.

Forced to play fullback for the Brisbane Bronco’s this season due to the arrival of Scott Prince, Corey Norman’s decision to sign with Parramatta appears largely based on the incentive of being allowed to play his natural position of five-eighth.

For some, the jury still seems to be out on this young man.

However, as Darren Lockyer’s ‘apprentice’, he deserves the benefit of the doubt and the chance to develop into the future Queensland Origin player many consider him to be.

He’ll get that chance under Ricky Stuart at Parramatta, the blue and gold number six jersey is his next season.

Whether he’ll play alongside Chris Sandow or not remains to be seen, but Norman is his own man and his potential is clear.

Nobody steps into Darren Lockyer’s shoes at Brisbane without having shown some significant promise to the right people.



Blessed with a strong running game, look for him to combine heavily with Jarryd Hayne on the edges.

Most NRL fans have probably never heard of Lee Mossop. In England however, he is widely heralded as one of the brightest young forwards in the game.

The 24-year-old prop possesses the kind of swift-footed running game and hard-work ethic that would be welcome at any NRL club (The Bulldogs were interested in 2010).

A no-nonsense team-player, Mossop will join fellow Pom Gareth Hock at Parramatta in 2014 after adding more English caps to his resume during the Rugby League World Cup.

For those unfamiliar with English back-rower Gareth Hock – imagine a love child of Mark Geyer and Paul Gallen, with some Sam Burgess thrown in as well for good measure.

A ferocious competitor, complimenting a strong running game with a highly skillfull offload, the 29 year-old back-rower will also add some follow-me-boys leadership to the Eels forward pack nest season.

Not shy of giving one of his own teammates a verbal jarring if he feels their efforts do not match his own dedication, Hock is the kind of player who would be filthy with a Referee for sending him to the blood bin if he had his arm torn off during a game.

He also prides himself on being the most-feared man on every field he plays on.



An infamous ‘hard-man’ in Britain, with a somewhat shady past (he copped a two-year ban for testing positive for cocaine use in 2009), Hock has since put his career back on track and shone brightly for the England team.

With his confrontational style of play, an occasional suspension and sin-binning may follow him down under (Hock will see a kindred-spirit in Mitchell Allgood), although Ricky will likely attempt to harness Hock’s aggression into a fully productive asset.

But that’s all part and parcel of adding some serious intimidation factor to your forward pack; no pushovers, the Eels forward pack will be tougher, a lot tougher, with this Englishman in the fold.

Whether it’s Steve Matai, Justin Hodges or fellow countryman Sam Burgess, Hock will not take a backwards step from anyone in the NRL, regardless of their ‘tough guy’ reputations – reputations he is likely itching to begin putting to the test.

And then there is the impending arrival of a 21 year old lad named Will Hopoate…that name ring a bell?

For those with short memories, this young man won the hearts of league fans everywhere in 2011.

Playing with an instinctive talent and freakish skill that cannot be taught or learned; this prodigy was simply born to play rugby league.

Displaying a maturity and confidence well beyond his years complimented with a level head and hard-work ethic, the likes of Andrew Johns and Phil Gould were left with no choice but to use the term “special player” to accurately describe the young phenom.



Appropriate, for a lad who made his State Of Origin debut for NSW at the tender age of 19 in Game II of the 2011 series after only 15 first grade club appearances, scoring a brilliant try to boot.

What’s more, this was no high-risk, knee-jerk selection by NSW at the time.

Young William’s Origin selection was warranted and justified by the young man’s rewarding debut performance.

Going on to play a part in Manly’s 2011 Premiership success before departing on a two-year Mormon mission, Hopoate has Parramatta fans salivating at the prospect of his return to rugby league next season.

Signing a deal with the Eels prior to taking his two-year sabbatical, partly fuelled by a desire to play alongside his idol and now friend Jarryd Hayne (the two bonded in Origin camp), the ‘Wonderkid’ will soon be making Eels supporters jump out of their seats just like he did Manly fan’s in 2011.

Hopoate will add a whole new dimension to the Eels’ backline in the coming season.

Will these new signings give Parramatta enough talent and cohesion to make a run at next year’s Grand Final? Doubtful.

I do not believe Parramatta can win the Premiership in 2014. Nor do I believe these new signings even assure them a top-eight finish next season (although that may be possible).



Rome wasn’t built in a day. And a floundering club cannot be rebuilt into a Premiership contender overnight.

Ricky Stuart understands this. And so too should Parramatta fans.

But with these desperately needed new arrivals, along with the re-signing of franchise player Jarryd Hayne and the promising likes of Kelepi Tanginoa, Jacob Loko, Ken Sio and Peni Terepo continuing to progress, there is genuine cause for some positivity among Eels supporters heading into 2014.

What’s more, the club apparently haven’t finished signing new talent for next season either, with rumours over a couple more acquisitions currently swirling.

With an ever-determined Coach leading a vastly improved squad next season, the Parramatta Eels will improve in 2014.

They may not be Premiership contenders, but they will have the ingredients for an at least respectable season.

With a bit of luck, they may even have a sneaky chance of finishing in the bottom half of the top eight.

While the likes of Manly or Melbourne fans may scoff at such a prospect being seen as ‘positive’, an 11th, tenth, or ninth-placed finish on next year’s ladder would seem like a wondrous joy-ride for Parramatta supporters who have suffered the woeful abominations that were recent seasons.



Everything is temporary in Rugby League. No club stays on top forever. And equally, no club stays at the bottom forever.

Parramatta may have been a laughing stock the last few years, but there are pieces in place which suggest they might just be doing some laughing of their own around the corner. The Eel will turn.