Most underrated or unappreciated Parramatta players ever.

[85 Baby]

Matt Arthur & Ryley Smith

 

[Eelementary]

Controversy time:

Nathan Cayless

Not because he was a generational talent, or anything like that - but because he was entrusted with a leadership role at a young age, played nearly 260 games for our club, and represented New Zealand regularly.

And I don't think many Eels fans think too highly of him.

 

[JokerEel]

Not sure he is as understated but Imagine if Tim Smith had the mind set of a Cleary and didn't have the bad influences around him during his time at the Eels....

 

[the phantom menace]

Tim Smith had the potential to have been anything in the game, but at the end of the day not mentally strong enough. Kind of like Hayne.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Not sure he is as understated but Imagine if Tim Smith had the mind set of a Cleary and didn't have the bad influences around him during his time at the Eels....

That's a big what if, had an amazing season in 2005 and we thought we found our number 7 solution after Sterlo. Didnt he get dropped in 2006 for getting on the bender with Riddell and possibly others? I mean you say bad influences and I agree, he was still really young and had bad demons, we shouldve done more to help. I remember one game in 2006 he was so frustrated at his outside backs for dropping what was an easy pass to receive, they had footage of him in the dressing room after the room with his head in his knees almost in tears, I felt for him that year. 2007 was a good year for him I thought, but left for England the year after, I remember Gus giving our club a blasting for letting him go. Even a comeback against us in 2010 wasnt enough to get his career back. I do hope he's doing ok now though.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I remember him being great in 2007. It was a surprise when he left so soon after.

 

[85 Baby]

Can’t believe people have missed the most unappreciated Eel of them all - Zachariah Lomax

 

[the phantom menace]

I remember him being great in 2007. It was a surprise when he left so soon after.

Wasn't really a surprise tbh, given how December 2007 went for him...

Smith in rehab, Eels career in tatters

www.smh.com.au

 

[Rocket man]

That's a big what if, had an amazing season in 2005 and we thought we found our number 7 solution after Sterlo. Didnt he get dropped in 2006 for getting on the bender with Riddell and possibly others? I mean you say bad influences and I agree, he was still really young and had bad demons, we shouldve done more to help. I remember one game in 2006 he was so frustrated at his outside backs for dropping what was an easy pass to receive, they had footage of him in the dressing room after the room with his head in his knees almost in tears, I felt for him that year. 2007 was a good year for him I thought, but left for England the year after, I remember Gus giving our club a blasting for letting him go. Even a comeback against us in 2010 wasnt enough to get his career back. I do hope he's doing ok now though.

Apparently lives in Melbourne.
Works in construction.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

I dont know if he was named in this thread as underrated or a random player but I heard Vince Fawcett who was a English player, 14 games for us between 1995-96, recently passed away at 55. Still very young. Quite sad.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I worked a couple of days with him as a labourer back when he was at Parra. He was a pretty funny bloke.

 

[lingard]

Tim Smith had the potential to have been anything in the game, but at the end of the day not mentally strong enough. Kind of like Hayne.

Nothing like Hayne.

 

[Angry_eel]

Controversy time:

Nathan Cayless

Not because he was a generational talent, or anything like that - but because he was entrusted with a leadership role at a young age, played nearly 260 games for our club, and represented New Zealand regularly.

And I don't think many Eels fans think too highly of him.

Correct. I remember the comments here and other forums saying how he's soft.

 

[Eelementary]

Correct. I remember the comments here and other forums saying how he's soft.

I could never understand why, tbh.

Good leader, hard worker, good offload on him.

I reckon he'd do well in the modern game.

 

[Angry_eel]

Feleti Mateo. Great offload but no buyers in our team at the time. Ended up a 200+ player in the NRL, no mean feat.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Correct. I remember the comments here and other forums saying how he's soft.

He definitely wasn't soft. He just wasn't big or explosive, so he didn't stand out like a Willie Mason type. But Cayless was mobile, skillful and relentless. He was a great player.

I actually played under 19s club footy with him, for a few games. He was our best player and still eligible for 17s, but far too good for that age group.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I could never understand why, tbh.

Good leader, hard worker, good offload on him.

I reckon he'd do well in the modern game.

He suits the modern game better than the 2010 version when he retired.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

I worked a couple of days with him as a labourer back when he was at Parra. He was a pretty funny bloke.

A random memory popped up recently when he was on the Footy show and they did an English style footy quiz, aka Brain Strain. They had him, Lee Jackson and St John Ellis, another one lost. .

I remember everytime they got a question right they sipped a pint of beer and they boys enjoyed it

 

[Poupou Escobar]

And they sang God Save the Queen

 

[The Phelan Folly]

Chris Phelan.