FIFTEEN years after becoming rugby league's most unlikely Grand Final hero, Paul Osborne is again on the verge of defying the pundits to become Parramatta's new CEO. The former Canberra and St George prop is a shock contender to become the Eels' first new boss in almost 31 years, with Parramatta's new board in the midst of appointing a successor for departed stalwart Denis Fitzgerald.
Osborne, 42, has held talks with a panel of directors charged with hiring a new CEO. A Parramatta source said the board was currently considering "half a dozen" candidates - including recently re-signed Manly boss Grant Mayer and caretaker CEO Andrew Hill. Widely tipped to take over from Fitzgerald, former Sharks boss Tony Zappia is no longer in the running following his controversial exit from Cronulla two weeks ago.
It's understood Osborne was approached to apply by an influential figure close to the Eels, who was impressed by his post-football career.
Osborne worked as a police detective during his playing days, which culminated in a match-winning 16-minute blitz as a game-eve replacement for Canberra in the 1994 decider.
But just a year after retiring he raised even more eyebrows, creating political history in Australia's administrative hub by becoming the ACT Legislative Assembly's first Independent member.
After spending seven years in Parliament, the father-of-nine now combines Christian charity work with a leading role managing the NRL's Accredited Player Agents Scheme.
Last year, Osborne escorted six NRL players - included Eels workhorse Nathan Hindmarsh - on a mission to Rwanda. His family-friendly image, healthy relationships with player managers and political know-how have not been lost on certain members of the Eels board.
But when contacted last night, Eels chairman Roy Spagnolo said the selection process had only just begun and that Osborne was "one of several candidates we'll be talking to."
"I can confirm that Paul's in the mix, but we still want to interview others - including Andrew Hill who's done the job since Denis (Fitzgerald) left," Spagnolo said. "We're hopeful of making an appointment within the next month.
Osborne could not be contacted for comment last night.
Fitzgerald had ruled over both the leagues club and football club, but the new board intend to split those roles and return ownership of the Eels NRL team to the football club.
