Parra Pride
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Parramatta legend Nathan Hindmarsh. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
IT'S the emotive farewell that is sure to reignite debate over the importance of suburban spirituality.
Should Eels great Nathan Hindmarsh exit the stage at his home for the past 15 seasons, Parramatta Stadium?
Or should the going away party be thrown at ANZ Stadium to accommodate a 50,000-strong invite list?
That's the dilemma facing Parramatta, who have made secret inquiries about shifting the round 26 blockbuster against St George Illawarra to Homebush Bay.
Eels officials approached ANZ Stadium late last month to initiate discussions about giving Hindmarsh the biggest possible goodbye.They believe the 318-game warhorse could comfortably match Hazem El Masri's memorable farewell at the same venue in 2010.
With all NRL club members granted free entry, almost 45,000 fans flocked to ANZ Stadium to honour the Bulldogs flanker.
Eels boss Bob Bentley wants to replicate that occasion, but cannot to do so at the club's 19,000-capacity stadium.
Parramatta have already committed two home matches to ANZ Stadium this season - Canterbury in round nine and next Saturday night's clash against Souths.
The initial proposal was to swap the Rabbitohs and Dragons games to ensure the agreement to play 10 games at Parramatta Stadium was honoured. But there was not enough time to move the Souths game, meaning Parramatta Stadium Trust must now be persuaded to give up its biggest fixture in years.
Bentley was unavailable for comment last night.
But chairman Roy Spagnolo confirmed the club's desire to attract a huge crowd.
"It's something we've talked about," Spagnolo said. "An occasion like that could draw 50,000 people."ALRC operations boss Nathan McGuirk was aware of Parramatta's plans.
"We won't get involved," McGuirk said. "That's between the Eels and the venues.
"But we'll support whatever they choose to do."
* * *
MEANWHILE, there was heavy speculation that Parramatta had missed another recruitment target in Manly prop Darcy Lussick.
The Eels have made a three-year offer worth $750,000 to Lussick, who has been waiting for Manly teammates Kieran Foran and Tony Williams to decide their futures. Williams' defection to Canterbury has enabled the Sea Eagles to this week make a more handsome two-year offer - albeit still less than Parramatta's.
Insiders at Brookvale were last night adamant that Lussick had agreed to stay for less out of loyalty to his teammates.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...l-to-anz-stadium/story-e6frexnr-1226389494708
No way should it be at ANZ, he should be farewelled at Parra just as Cayless was.
#DeadSetDisgraceIfTheyMoveIt
