Dear Members,

I wanted to be the first inform you that after nearly two years as Chairman of the Parramatta Eels Club, I will be stepping down to focus on the next stage of the Parramatta Leagues Club (PLC) governance reform process. I will however, remain on the Parramatta Eels Club Board as one of the two PLC-nominated Directors.

When I became Parramatta Eels Chairman in 2016 my intention was always to oversee a smooth transition to a new Chairman at the appropriate time. I am pleased to say that we have achieved that goal with the unanimous endorsement of Sean McElduff as our Club’s new Chairman.

Sean is a current Parramatta Eels Club Board member and a former Westpac Institutional Bank senior executive who has a proven track record of accomplishments as a leader. I’m very confident he will bring a wealth of knowledge and valuable experience to the Chairmanship.

The support and encouragement that I have received from Eels Members and fans throughout my time as Chairman of our Club has been tremendous and I offer my sincere thanks.

When I arrived at the Club there were numerous issues and unresolved challenges that needed to be addressed and I am delighted to say that the vast majority of those are no longer factors or hurdles that will affect the Club’s progress moving forward. We have enacted constitutional reform through a new governance platform and we have financially stabilised the business.

While we are all disappointed with the on-field performance in 2018, I am proud that we now have a Board and management team focused on addressing these issues strategically and with purpose. Sean will keep you updated on the progress of the Football Review and the Strategic Plan which will move our Club in the right direction for future success.

Your continued support and resilience is the foundation of the Parramatta Eels, and it has been an honour and a privilege to serve this great rugby league club.

Yours Sincerely,

Max Donnelly