Edwards has grand plans for NRL Eels
Joe Barton AAP Mon, Oct 22, 2012 - 2:51 PM
New chief executive Ken Edwards has set himself the imposing task of turning NRL wooden spooners Parramatta into Australia's biggest sporting club.
It seems an onerous expectation to put on an Eels side which has struggled for success since the glory days of the 1980s, but on his first day on the job - Edwards made it clear he wouldn't tolerate mediocrity.
"The long-term goal of the board of directors and the club is to eventually become the biggest sporting club in the country," Edwards told AAP on Monday.
"That's the end point. It's my job to develop a plan over the next few months to start that journey.
"But the only way is up. It's a new era."
Edwards admits Parramatta have underperformed in recent times, but with a new chief executive and a new coach in former NSW Origin mentor Ricky Stuart - the winds of change are sweeping through the club.
Edwards' predecessor Bob Bentley will remain as Eels Group CEO and will oversee the Leagues Club's financial sustainability, leaving Edwards to craft his sporting powerhouse.
And that means chasing down the likes of AFL giants Collingwood, and even rivals closer to home like Canterbury and South Sydney, for the title as the country's most dominant club.
"There are powerhouses and there are powerhouses," he said.
"Have a look at the great job that both the Bulldogs and the Rabbitohs have done in particular, growing their membership.
"They're both approaching or over 20,000 members. Collingwood has 70,000 members. And we have 11 or 12,000. And we're in the heart of the region.
"That's one of the things that attracted me to working with the Eels and getting back into rugby league. There's a lot of upside.
"Parramatta is a huge district, both by way of population and commercial metrics.
"It is the third largest economic region in the country behind the Sydney CBD and the Melbourne CBD.
"It's a huge population of over two million in the catchment area out here.
"The club's had some well publicised off-the-field issues that it's concentrated on.
"After discussing it with the board I'm convinced and satisfied that they've got things on a level playing field."
Edwards said he wouldn't interfere with new coach Stuart's approach to winning on the field and said his only task in that area was to ensure the NRL premiership-winning coach and player had sufficient support to ensure success.
"Ricky will run his show," he said.
