Rumours and Stuff

[Parra Pride]

Unfortunately we weren’t lucky enough to win those.

A lack of luck isn't why we lost those three. We didn't turn up to play any of them until the game was decided.

 

[T.S Quint]

A lack of luck isn't why we lost those three. We didn't turn up to play any of them until the game was decided.

We were unlucky to play teams who were so much better than us.

 

[lucablight]

We were unlucky to play teams who were so much better than us.

Upsets happen in sports all the time. All of those games were winnable. We just weren’t good enough to make it happen.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The statement you’re quoting is hyperbolic but it has absolutely been posited that our relative lack of success is because we don’t have as many resources as other clubs. I think that’s a pretty weak argument when the likes of the Dragons, Raiders, Sharks, Bulldogs, Knights, Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs, Cowboys and even the Tigers (I won’t include the giant clubs in the Roosters, Storm, Broncos and Panthers) have won premierships during our drought. You don’t have to be the biggest. You just have to have enough (which I would argue we have had).

We do have enough, but the difference between one win (some of the clubs mentioned) and zero wins (us and some other clubs) is accounted for by a difference in fortune. For example, we have made three grand finals in the NRL era, which is almost the average. With slightly more luck we would have made four grand finals, which is better than average. This tells me we are probably a club with average strength/resources. As for grand final wins, the average of three grand finals would be either one or two wins (because you can't win 1.5 games). We have zero, which is below average, but a sample of three is small, and bad luck (again) accounts for the difference between zero and one win.

The NRL era has been going for 27 years, and we have had a lot of scapegoats in that time, so blaming individuals would be lazy. We are either an average strength club that has been unlucky, or a below average strength club that has had an average share of luck. That's the only logical conclusion. Blame Brad Arthur, Mark O'Neill or your other favourite scapegoat of the era is just cope.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

We have had enough resources to win a premiership.
We’ve made three grand finals in the last 23 years.
Unfortunately we weren’t lucky enough to win those.

Any team can have some luck and win a GF. It’s the teams that have the most resources that allow them to have continued success which offers them more chances at winning.

Of all those teams you mentioned, how many of them have won multiple premierships over the last 20 years?

That’s right, only the teams you yourself described as “the giant clubs” have done that.

FFS why do I waste my time!?!?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

If we’ve had sufficient resources to win a competition then the statement about our lack of success because of our relative lack of them is demonstrably false. I always talk about how important decision making is and the “giant clubs” argument proves my point as well. Apart from the Storm those giant clubs have also captured wooden spoons during that time. The whole resources argument is pretty ad hoc then isn’t it?

Wooden spoons are absolutely about a lack of luck. Teams only run last with severe injury tolls and/or off field dramas. But weaker clubs need less misfortune to run last than stronger clubs.

 

[Incorrect]

FFS why do I waste my time!?!?

Why don't you just read through all of your unread posts before replying and do everyone a favour? Save you posting something someone else has already said.... ffs. You're on here every day so it's not like you'd have hundreds of unread posts to get through.... I suspect you actually do read through all the unread posts but still post replies even if someone has already made the point though... Based on your prolific posting numbers, you're not worried about wasting your time at all....

 

[Legal Eel]

FFS why do I waste my time!?!?

Agreed

 

[Soto]

I think the heat might be getting to some people...stay cool and hydrated...

 

[Soren Lorenson]

We were unlucky to play teams who were so much better than us.

Not in 2001.

 

[Eelementary]

Not in 2001.

Newcastle were on fire in 2001 - problem was, once Joey got injured, they petered off a little bit.

But with Joey in the side, they were a force to be reckoned with.

And in the 2001 decider, Joey toyed with us, and the rest is history

 

[Gronk]

The Mole has just caught up with our signing of Jack Hudson.

He main story os that he reckons that a Sydney Club is sick of their coach and wants to sign Flanno from 2026 onwards. Sounds like Mole is doing Flanno a favour on his extension negs. Otherwise, who else would it be ?

Ironically, the team concerned hasn't been travelling too badly but the committee and chief executive believe the club needs a change of direction and a fresh face to mentor its players.

Rival club's audacious bid to poach Flanagan for 2026

'Needs a change of direction and a fresh face'

www.nine.com.au

 

[Legal Eel]

Why don't you just read through all of your unread posts before replying and do everyone a favour? Save you posting something someone else has already said.... ffs. You're on here every day so it's not like you'd have hundreds of unread posts to get through.... I suspect you actually do read through all the unread posts but still post replies even if someone has already made the point though... Based on your prolific posting numbers, you're not worried about wasting your time at all....

Steady on, he’s doing the best with what he has

 

[oldmancraigy]

We have had enough resources to win a premiership.
We’ve made three grand finals in the last 23 years.
Unfortunately we weren’t lucky enough to win those.

Any team can have some luck and win a GF. It’s the teams that have the most resources that allow them to have continued success which offers them more chances at winning.

Of all those teams you mentioned, how many of them have won multiple premierships over the last 20 years?

That’s right, only the teams you yourself described as “the giant clubs” have done that.

With all due respect, almost all clubs are required to make available their financials in one way or another, and so with a modicum of effort one can find out the $income of each. The most common use of "resources" is in reference to financial strength and facilities (ie physical resources).

How many clubs had higher income than the Eels in 2023?
Which clubs have better facilities?

If you want to argue that personnel has been holding us back from success, that's a different rhetoric. My impression is that many here feel that has been a factor - whether management or coaching or roster.
It seems odd that a well-off club would struggle, but then again, perhaps in-fighting causes greater overall instability than we would want it to...

 

[hineyrulz]

The excuse that lack of resources is hilarious, the Donkey’s the club with the most resources and TPA’s hasn’t won shit in almost 20 years and has won a spoon since us.

You could have all the resources in the world and if you use them badly or make plenty of wrong decisions you are screwed.

But people on here could never admit the club makes any mistakes so easier to go “We don’t have Da Resources or money to compete against Da bigger clubs”

Ryles has shown in a short space of time we aren’t short of money and it’s amazing how quickly we added some quality staff to the Club and even spending a lot more in the junior ranks. It’s amazing what can happen when you don’t have a dopey insecure child running the club who’s main worry is setting up his two untalented sprogs while promoting his junior club above all others in the district.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Resources is a cop out and always will be.

As hiney says look at the Broncos richest club in the game but now have people in charge in important positions that have NFI what Rugby League success looks like.

Its business & football smarts is where we have been lacking for a long time.

We may be more business savvy now its getting the footy smarts & business side of things up to a level where both can be linked together to make us a genuine force.

Matt Cameron turning Penrith into a juggernaut after being Brian Smith right hand man for a long period is the biggest insult you can cop as a Parramatta fan.

We have money we just haven't had the right people in charge to utilize it properly weather its through petty politics or bad decisions that have set in motion a chain of events that have been disastrous.

Parramatta CBD is the 2nd biggest business district in NSW with high end business everywhere. So to say resources ain't readily available compared to the Raiders & Sharks is a cop out.

When it comes to the football department well its been quite obvious and done to death on here for ages we have lacked genuine football IQ and footy smarts in coaching, recruitment & personnel for ages.

Ryles coming in and turning the ship around will be vindication for a lot of people on here that have been calling for change for a couple of years now and there vindication will be justified.

 

[King-Gutho94]

The Mole has just caught up with our signing of Jack Hudson.

He main story os that he reckons that a Sydney Club is sick of their coach and wants to sign Flanno from 2026 onwards. Sounds like Mole is doing Flanno a favour on his extension negs. Otherwise, who else would it be ?

Ironically, the team concerned hasn't been travelling too badly but the committee and chief executive believe the club needs a change of direction and a fresh face to mentor its players.

Rival club's audacious bid to poach Flanagan for 2026

'Needs a change of direction and a fresh face'

www.nine.com.au

I didnt see it mention sydney club.

But if there was coach that is under pressure next year and a club that may need a fresh face its the Cowboys.

Todd Payten has had an origin quality roster for 4 years and only has what a prelim final choke/disaster against us to show for it. IMO they have underachieved under him.

I reckon its BS anyway and Flanagan putting pressure on the Dragons to extend him.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Newcastle were on fire in 2001 - problem was, once Joey got injured, they petered off a little bit.

But with Joey in the side, they were a force to be reckoned with.

And in the 2001 decider, Joey toyed with us, and the rest is history

They weren't so much better than us though. I've always been able to cop 09 and even 22 but 2001 was a massive choke, I don't think anyone can deny that. At worst it could have been one of the best GF's between 2 evenly matched teams but that first half....fmd.

 

[Tiger5150]

FFS why do I waste my time!?!?

Because you seem to have too much of it to spare. Over resourced

 

[King-Gutho94]

They weren't so much better than us though. I've always been able to cop 09 and even 22 but 2001 was a massive choke, I don't think anyone can deny that. At worst it could have been one of the best GF's between 2 evenly matched teams but that first half....fmd.

2005 was worse then 2001 on a multitude of levels.

1 - It allowed the Wests Tigers to win the premiership
2 - Losing to an interstate side from Townsville that had to travel to Sydney 3 weeks in a row in the leadup while we had a week off and hadn't left Sydney for nearly 6 weeks.
3 - We just didn't get beat we got walloped in probably the most embarrassing preliminary final performance a minor premier has dished up in the past 25 years.
4 - We had more finals experience then the Cowboys side who had Thurston who wasn't at his peak but not much else outside of Matt Bowen they were actually missing Carl Webb there physical enforcer who was suspended.
5 - We flogged them by 50 in the regular season with an inferior backline that we had on prelim final day.