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Parramatta believe their decision to sign up five gnarled veterans is already paying off, writes Daniel Lane.
They're five weatherbeaten journeymen, and while it's fair to suggest the sun is setting on their careers, new recruits Carl Webb, Chris Walker, Casey McGuire, Chris Hicks and Paul Whatuira could be hailed marvels by season's end, Parramatta's inner sanctum believes.
It would be easy to condemn this gang as walking along league's last-shot boulevard on old legs, and there has been plenty who have questioned the club's management for allowing younger guns Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu, Kris Keating and Jonathon Wright to leave.
However, the talk at Parramatta regarding their new brigade centres around encouragement, hunger and desire. It stems from the example the five are setting - all because they want their last crack to count.
''People talk about age,'' said Walker, who played in France last season. ''When I signed with the Titans there were people who said Scott Prince, Preston Campbell, Luke Bailey, Mat Rogers were old it was the same thing but we got it right, though.
''You need older guys for the younger blokes to learn from and you need younger guys for the older blokes to feed off their enthusiasm.
''And that's exactly what's happened at Parramatta over the last 16 weeks. I'm happy with what I have done so far, but it is all about progression. I have to keep going.''
Former St George Illawarra winger Wendell Sailor started the wave of public optimism about old giants a few weeks ago when he said anyone who figured Walker should be indebted to the Eels for granting him another shot in the NRL would soon realise it was a two-way street.
Fullback Jarryd Hayne warned any knockers to think before criticising the players because they might be forced to eat their words.
''I think so,'' he replied when asked whether they'd prove the doubters wrong. ''A couple have come back from England so they're keen to make their mark.''
Eels legend Ray Price, who has previously been quick to criticise anything he has reckoned to be poor management at his club, has welcomed the desperation and the hunger that Parramatta's ''new old'' boys bring to the blue and gold ranks.
''I expect big things out of everyone in the side this season because last year they just did not participate,'' Price said.
''People are saying 'why did you sign Chris Walker?' Well, the guy can play. He'll be good for Parramatta, and so will Carl Webb. They all will.
''You can mark my words - Carl will have a huge year this year. He wants to play Origin again, and I reckon he will. He lost 10 kilos in the first month he joined here, and he's dropped more since then, too.''
Skipper Nathan Hindmarsh and fellow forward Ben Smith have thrived on the enthusiasm and energy they have witnessed in the gymnasium and out on the training field.
Smith said the likes of Walker - who recently staged a series of events involving the club to help victims of the Queensland floods - Whatuira, Webb, McGuire and Hicks brought an extra dimension to a team because they had lived life.
''They definitely have a lot of football left in them,'' said Smith of his new teammates. ''They're training the place down, setting the bar high for the younger boys to follow.
'' 'Texas' Walker's relief efforts for the Queensland floods was great; it shows everyone there's more to football things like helping the flood victims gives the players more of an understanding about the bigger-picture things.''
Nathan Cayless, who retired at the end of last season, said it was important to remember the rugby league truism that stated experience was worth its weight in gold. But he warned that his own experience suggested veterans need to be looked after.
''They provide a lot of experience and depth; these guys have played Origin and in grand finals and other big games, so that should help the younger players,'' said Cayless, now an industrial real estate agent.
''But keeping them injury free and getting them to play at their best will be the priority.''
Whatuira, who played for the 2005 Wests Tigers premiers and New Zealand, said that when he signed with the Eels he promised himself he would contribute.
''Yeah, it's a fair assessment to say this is our last shot,'' he said after returning from the English Super League. ''The NRL is the pinnacle - you play quality teams every week and it is the toughest competition. I want to make a contribution.''
Hindmarsh, who will captain the Eels, smiled at the notion the old blokes, along with new coach Stephen Kearney and some rookies, had brought a sense of newness to Parramatta Stadium.
''We have a squad that can perform,'' Hindmarsh said. ''There's a real freshness about the place. It's going to be great.''
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...to-give-eels-a-wriggle-on-20110219-1b07l.html
They're five weatherbeaten journeymen, and while it's fair to suggest the sun is setting on their careers, new recruits Carl Webb, Chris Walker, Casey McGuire, Chris Hicks and Paul Whatuira could be hailed marvels by season's end, Parramatta's inner sanctum believes.
It would be easy to condemn this gang as walking along league's last-shot boulevard on old legs, and there has been plenty who have questioned the club's management for allowing younger guns Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu, Kris Keating and Jonathon Wright to leave.
However, the talk at Parramatta regarding their new brigade centres around encouragement, hunger and desire. It stems from the example the five are setting - all because they want their last crack to count.
''People talk about age,'' said Walker, who played in France last season. ''When I signed with the Titans there were people who said Scott Prince, Preston Campbell, Luke Bailey, Mat Rogers were old it was the same thing but we got it right, though.
''You need older guys for the younger blokes to learn from and you need younger guys for the older blokes to feed off their enthusiasm.
''And that's exactly what's happened at Parramatta over the last 16 weeks. I'm happy with what I have done so far, but it is all about progression. I have to keep going.''
Former St George Illawarra winger Wendell Sailor started the wave of public optimism about old giants a few weeks ago when he said anyone who figured Walker should be indebted to the Eels for granting him another shot in the NRL would soon realise it was a two-way street.
Fullback Jarryd Hayne warned any knockers to think before criticising the players because they might be forced to eat their words.
''I think so,'' he replied when asked whether they'd prove the doubters wrong. ''A couple have come back from England so they're keen to make their mark.''
Eels legend Ray Price, who has previously been quick to criticise anything he has reckoned to be poor management at his club, has welcomed the desperation and the hunger that Parramatta's ''new old'' boys bring to the blue and gold ranks.
''I expect big things out of everyone in the side this season because last year they just did not participate,'' Price said.
''People are saying 'why did you sign Chris Walker?' Well, the guy can play. He'll be good for Parramatta, and so will Carl Webb. They all will.
''You can mark my words - Carl will have a huge year this year. He wants to play Origin again, and I reckon he will. He lost 10 kilos in the first month he joined here, and he's dropped more since then, too.''
Skipper Nathan Hindmarsh and fellow forward Ben Smith have thrived on the enthusiasm and energy they have witnessed in the gymnasium and out on the training field.
Smith said the likes of Walker - who recently staged a series of events involving the club to help victims of the Queensland floods - Whatuira, Webb, McGuire and Hicks brought an extra dimension to a team because they had lived life.
''They definitely have a lot of football left in them,'' said Smith of his new teammates. ''They're training the place down, setting the bar high for the younger boys to follow.
'' 'Texas' Walker's relief efforts for the Queensland floods was great; it shows everyone there's more to football things like helping the flood victims gives the players more of an understanding about the bigger-picture things.''
Nathan Cayless, who retired at the end of last season, said it was important to remember the rugby league truism that stated experience was worth its weight in gold. But he warned that his own experience suggested veterans need to be looked after.
''They provide a lot of experience and depth; these guys have played Origin and in grand finals and other big games, so that should help the younger players,'' said Cayless, now an industrial real estate agent.
''But keeping them injury free and getting them to play at their best will be the priority.''
Whatuira, who played for the 2005 Wests Tigers premiers and New Zealand, said that when he signed with the Eels he promised himself he would contribute.
''Yeah, it's a fair assessment to say this is our last shot,'' he said after returning from the English Super League. ''The NRL is the pinnacle - you play quality teams every week and it is the toughest competition. I want to make a contribution.''
Hindmarsh, who will captain the Eels, smiled at the notion the old blokes, along with new coach Stephen Kearney and some rookies, had brought a sense of newness to Parramatta Stadium.
''We have a squad that can perform,'' Hindmarsh said. ''There's a real freshness about the place. It's going to be great.''
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...to-give-eels-a-wriggle-on-20110219-1b07l.html
