Grothe's attitude adjustment
By James Phelps | November 18, 2008 11:00pm
OUT-of-favour Eels winger Eric Grothe Jr has vowed to return to his barnstorming best under newly-appointed Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson.
Grothe said he was ready to "turn over a new leaf'' in season 2009 after admitting he had an attitude problem under former coach Michael Hagan.
The former NSW Origin winger will meet with Anderson on Monday to scuttle rumours he wants out of the club following a disappointing year that saw him dumped to park football to play for the Wentworthville Magpies.
"I have another two years here and I want to see them out,'' Grothe said. "I am happy to stay at the Eels because it is a good club and I have a lot of friends here. Moving clubs is a pretty big deal these days so I am happy to stay put and see my contract out.''
Grothe promised to resurrect his ailing career under Anderson, who was appointed coach on Monday. The 104kg firebrand found himself dropped to the Magpies in the season just finished after a series of poor defensive performances in the top grade.
"When you have a bad season all you want to do is play well again,'' Grothe said. "It is a fair way away yet but I have been training well so far. I guess time will tell but I am fully committed.
"I will go and see Anderson on Monday. We had this week off and, to be honest, I had no idea about his appointment. I was only told yesterday but I will go in and see him on Monday.''
The son of Eels legend Eric Grothe, who is forming a ticket to challenge the Parramatta board next month, Grothe Jnr is confident he can recapture the type of form that once made him one of the game's most destructive wingers.
"I will put everything in to get back up there,'' he said. Grothe said his defensive problems were "fixable''.
"It all has to be there mentally, first of all. To be honest, I didn't have a great year with training and attitude. I had a fair fews things I needed to fix up but they are all fixable. I have turned over a new leaf now and I am pretty excited to see what happens. We are four or five months out from playing but I am putting a lot in.''
Grothe denied rumours he was poised to link with the Roosters as a replacement for winger Amos Roberts, who is off to play for Wigan in the UK.
"I have heard the rumours, too,'' Grothe said, "But that's all they were, rumours. Really, there's nothing in them at all. Nothing. There was a lot of talk about us having a chat but it never happened so I guess they weren't too keen. They didn't contact me.''
