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Parramatta joined the competition just after WWII, and countless champions have worn the blue and gold over the years, including the likes of Peter Sterling, Ray Price, Bob O’Reilly, Ron Lynch, Mick Cronin, Billy Rayner, Brett Kenny and both Ken and Dick Thornett. Their greatest ever team since 1947 would be almost unbeatable, but who makes their greatest team of the NRL era?
Here’s my team, showing the number of games they played for the Eels in the NRL era, and the only selection criteria is that they must have played a minimum of 50 first-grade games for the club from the 1998 season onwards.
1. Clint Gutherson (206) – A prolific try scorer and inspirational leader, no one since Ray Price does passion for the blue and gold better than Gutho. Unfortunately for the Eels, he’ll be bringing all that to the Dragons from now on.
2. Luke Burt (264) – Burt spent his entire 14-year career with the Eels and could play anywhere in the outside backs. He finished second on the Eels’ all-time point scorers list behind Mick Cronin and just a try behind Brett Kenny on the highest try scorer list. A great club man.
3. Jamie Lyon (70) – One of many quality players to slip through Parramatta’s fingers over the years, Lyon was the complete package, skilful in attack, a great ball runner, a rugged defender, and a prolific point-scorer. How the hell did they let him go?
4. Jarryd Hayne (191) – There was seemingly nothing Hayne couldn’t do when at the peak of his powers. He won two Dally M medals and a host of other awards to go with his 11 Tests and 23 Origins. Not everyone’s favourite person, but there’s no denying his ability.
5. Semi Radradra (94) – The big Fijian combined speed and brute force to tally 82 tries from 94 starts with the Eels, including 11 try doubles, five trebles and two quadruples. He was an absolute weapon.
6. Dylan Brown (123*) – Brown is rapidly building a reputation as one of the best running five-eighths in the game and he has the skill, power and evasive skills to shred any defence. He’s also become an automatic pick for the Kiwis since debuting for them in 2022.
7. Mitchell Moses (158*) – Moses not only has speed to burn, but also a magnificent long kicking game and great organisational skills. He backs that up with being one of the game’s best goal-kickers and a constant menace for any referee.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
8. Nathan Cayless (C) (258) – A former Australian Schoolboy representative who went on to play 39 Tests for NZ, Cayless became the Eels youngest ever captain in 2000 at the age of 21 and was still wearing the captain’s armband when he retired ten years later. A club legend by any measure.
9. Reed Mahoney (101) – It’s hard to know what the Eels were thinking when they let Mahoney head to the Bulldogs, but they certainly didn’t do themselves any favours. Mahoney had already shown he was in the top echelon of dummy halves in the game, a dangerous ball-runner, tenacious defender, born leader and a pest to go with it.
10. Tim Mannah (233) – There was nothing flash about Tim Mannah, just a forward who gave everything for his team in both attack and defence every time he took the field during his 11 years with the Eels, and he also captained the club for many years.
11. Nathan Hindmarsh (330) – Hindmarsh holds the record for most games with the club, and achieved nearly everything there was in his 15-year career with the notable exception of winning a premiership. One of the greatest Eels of all time, Hindmarsh was relentless in both attack and defence and his quality was rewarded with 17 Origins for NSW and 23 Test matches for Australia.
12. Manu Ma’u (115) – Every side needs an enforcer, and they don’t come more fearsome than Ma’u. He was a ruthless customer but also possessed enough skill to mix it with the best of them.
13. Nathan Brown (109) – Another hard man, Brown is the ideal player to not only get the team rolling forward, but also take on the alpha forwards in the opposition. Describing Brown as fearless would be a serious understatement.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
14. John Morris (92) – Morris played 300 games in his career and was a very effective half, five-eighth and hooker. Tough and durable, Morris rarely missed a game during his time with the Eels.
15. Daniel Wagon (204) – Largely underrated during his career, Wagon should have played many more representative games than his three Origins for Queensland. He was both rugged and skilful, and was equally at home in the back row, five-eighth, wing and centre. An ideal pick for the bench.
16. Fuifui Moimoi (201) – One of the Eels’ most memorable cult heroes, Moimoi brought the crowd to their feet every time he ran the ball off the back fence. He was a fearsome sight and was an absolute weapon – whether playing for Parramatta, NZ or Tonga.
17. Junior Paulo (184*) – Playing at nearly 130kgs, Paulo is virtually unstoppable when he puts his mind to it and has excellent ball skills to go with his intimidating size. He’s also played 11 games for NSW and 17 Tests for Samoa.
That Eels side’s going to take some beating, but did I leave anyone out?
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