Parramatta Eels facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
 Parramatta Eels 

Club information
Full name	Parramatta Eels Rugby League Club
Nickname(s)	Eels, Parra, Blue and Gold Army, Fruitpickers
Website	parraeels.com.au
Colours	Blue      Gold
Founded	4 November 1946 as Parramatta
Current details
Ground(s)	Western Sydney Stadium (30,000)
CEO	Jim Sarantinos
Chairman	Sean McElduff
Coach	Jason Ryles
Captain	Mitchell Moses
Competition	National Rugby League
2024 season	15th
Uniforms
Home colours Away colours
Records
Premierships	4 (1981, 1982, 1983, 1986)
Runners-up	6 (1976, 1977, 1984, 2001, 2009, 2022)
Minor premiership	5 (1977, 1982, 1986, 2001, 2005)
Wooden spoons	14 (1947, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1970, 1972, 2012, 2013, 2018)
Most capped	330 - Nathan Hindmarsh
Highest points scorer	1971 - Mick Cronin

The Parramatta Eels are a professional rugby league team from Parramatta, a suburb in Western Sydney, Australia. They play in the National Rugby League (NRL), which is Australia's top rugby league competition.

The club started in 1947. Their home ground was Cumberland Oval, which was later rebuilt into Parramatta Stadium. Since 2019, the Eels play at Western Sydney Stadium, also known as CommBank Stadium, which is on the same site.

It took the Eels 30 years to reach their first Grand Final in 1976. They lost that game and another in 1977. However, this led to their most successful time in the early 1980s. During this period, they won four premierships, which are their only titles so far. The Eels also have teams in junior competitions run by the New South Wales Rugby League.

History of the Eels

Rugby in Parramatta began way back in the 1800s. A local rugby league competition started in 1910. Over the years, many clubs formed in the Parramatta area.

People in the area wanted a local team in the main competition. A formal request was made in 1936 but was turned down. After World War II, the Parramatta club was finally accepted into the Premiership in 1946.

Early Years and First Finals

The Eels did not have much success in their early years. They often finished last between 1952 and 1961. This was because they did not have many resources or strong players. Most of their players were amateurs.

In 1962, Parramatta made the finals for the first time. They repeated this for the next three seasons. The club started to attract better players like Ken Thornett and Bob O'Reilly. However, they struggled again in the early 1970s. Their first big success was winning the pre-season cup in 1975.

The 1970s: Close Calls

In 1976, the Eels reached their first Grand Final after 30 years. They lost a very close game to Manly-Warringah 13-10. Many fans remember this as "the one that got away."

The next year, Parramatta finished first in the regular season. They made the Grand Final again, playing against St. George. The first game was a 9-9 draw, forcing a replay. Parramatta lost the replay 22-0. The Eels made the finals in 1978 and 1979 but missed out in 1980.

The Golden Era: 1980s Dominance

The early 1980s was the best time for the Parramatta Eels. They played in five Grand Finals and won four premierships between 1981 and 1986. With coach Jack Gibson and star players like Ray Price, Peter Sterling, and Brett Kenny, they were unstoppable.

They won three premierships in a row from 1981 to 1983. They beat Newtown in 1981 and Manly-Warringah in 1982 and 1983. In 1984, they lost the Grand Final to Canterbury-Bankstown 6-4. In 1986, they won their fourth premiership, beating Canterbury 4-2. This was a truly special time for the club.

The 1990s: Rebuilding and Near Misses

From 1987 to 1996, Parramatta did not make the finals. During the Super League war in the mid-1990s, Parramatta stayed with the Australian Rugby League. They signed top players like Dean Pay and Jason Smith.

In 1997, the Eels made the finals for the first time in 11 seasons. They continued into the NRL era, which started in 1998. In the 1998 NRL season, Parramatta finished 4th. They reached the preliminary final but lost to Canterbury in extra time after leading 18-2 with only 10 minutes left.

In 1999, Parramatta led Melbourne 16-0 at halftime in the preliminary final but lost 18-16. In 2000, they reached the preliminary final again but lost to Brisbane. This was their third preliminary final loss in a row.

The 2000s: Grand Final and Hayne's Magic

The Eels reached the 2001 NRL Grand final after a fantastic regular season. They scored 839 points and lost only 4 matches. However, they were defeated by the Newcastle Knights 30-24 in the Grand Final.

In 2005, Parramatta finished first in the regular season. They were expected to win their preliminary final against North Queensland but lost 29-0. In 2007, they made the preliminary final again, losing to Melbourne 26-10. This was their fifth preliminary final loss in nine years.

In 2009, under coach Daniel Anderson, the Eels had a tough start. They had only won 5 games after 18 rounds. However, they then won 10 of their next 11 games, making an amazing run to the finals. This was largely due to the incredible form of fullback Jarryd Hayne. He won the Dally M Medal as the best player in the league.

The Eels reached the 2009 Grand Final, but lost to the Melbourne Storm 23-16. It was an incredible "Parramatta Fairytale" season.

The 2010s: Challenges and Comebacks

In 2010, the Melbourne Storm were found to have broken salary cap rules. They were stripped of their 2009 premiership, but it was not given to Parramatta.

The Eels struggled in the early 2010s. They finished last in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, coach Ricky Stuart told twelve players they would not be needed next season. Brad Arthur became the new coach in 2014. They signed new players like Nathan Peats and Corey Norman. In 2014, they just missed the finals by two points.

2016 Salary Cap Issues

In 2016, the NRL found that Parramatta had broken salary cap rules over four years. The club was fined $1 million and had 12 competition points taken away. They also lost their 2016 NRL Auckland Nines title. This meant they dropped from 5th place to 14th.

To get back under the salary cap, players like Nathan Peats had to leave the club. Star player Kieran Foran also left mid-season due to personal reasons. Despite the challenges, the Eels finished 14th. If they hadn't lost points, they would have made the finals.

In 2017, the Eels had a great turnaround. They finished fourth and made the finals for the first time since 2009. They won nine of their last ten games. They lost a close qualifying final to Melbourne 18-16. The next week, they lost to North Queensland in a big upset, ending their season.

The 2018 season was very tough. Parramatta finished last, earning their 14th wooden spoon. They lost their first six games and were beaten 54-0 by Manly.

In 2019, many thought Parramatta would struggle again. However, they started well and won their first game at the new Western Sydney Stadium 51-6 against Wests Tigers. After a big loss to Melbourne (64-10), coach Brad Arthur was given a new contract.

The Eels won 8 of 10 games later in the season and made the finals. In the elimination final, they beat Brisbane 58-0. This was the biggest finals win in history! Their season ended the next week with a 32-0 loss to Melbourne.

The 2020s: Finals Runs and Grand Final Appearance

At the start of the 2020 NRL season, Parramatta won their first five games, their best start since 1989. They finished third, their highest finish since 2005. They lost to Melbourne in the qualifying final and then to South Sydney in the elimination final, ending their season.

In the 2021 NRL season, Parramatta started strong again with four wins. They had a great run, including beating Melbourne 22-10, which ended Melbourne's 19-game winning streak. Parramatta finished sixth and won their first finals game against Newcastle. However, they lost a very close game to Penrith 8-6 the next week.

The 2022 NRL season saw Parramatta reach the Grand Final! They had an up-and-down regular season but finished fourth. They lost to Penrith in the first week of the finals. Then, they bounced back with a big win over Canberra (40-4). In the preliminary final, they caused a huge upset, beating North Queensland 24-20 in Townsville. In the 2022 NRL Grand Final, they lost to Penrith 28-12.

The 2023 NRL season started with three close losses. In round 4, they beat Penrith 17-16 in golden point, with Mitchell Moses kicking the winning field goal. They had a five-game winning streak mid-season. However, they struggled towards the end and missed the finals, finishing 10th.

The 2024 NRL season was challenging. After a good start, halfback Mitchell Moses got injured. Coach Brad Arthur was let go after a big loss to Melbourne. Trent Barrett became the interim coach. The club avoided the wooden spoon by beating Wests Tigers 60-26 in the final game. Jason Ryles was announced as the new head coach for 2025.

The 2025 NRL season began with a tough loss for Parramatta, losing 56-18 to Melbourne in round 1.

Club Identity

Kit Sponsors and Manufacturers

Year	Kit Manufacturer	Major Sponsor	Back Top Sponsor	Sleeve Sponsor	Back Bottom Sponsor	Front Shorts Sponsor	Back Shorts Sponsor	Chest Sponsor
1976	Westmont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
1977		Dux Hot Water	Dux Hot Water
1978-80		Famous Grouse	Famous Grouse
1981		Hardie's	Hardiflex
1982			Hardiplank

Name and Emblem

For a long time, Parramatta was known as the "Fruitpickers." This was because of the many fruit farms in the area. In the mid-1960s, a journalist suggested the name "Eels." This came from the Aboriginal word "Barramattagal," which means "place where the Eels dwell." The name "Eels" became official in the late 1970s.

In 1980, the club's crest changed to feature an eel. This design has been updated a few times since. In 2009, the Eels announced they would return to their original 1980s emblem, adding "1947" to show the year the club started.

Colours

When the club was first suggested in 1936, the colours were emerald green and white. However, in 1946, the colours chosen were blue and gold. These colours are said to come from Arthur Phillip High School. The Parramatta District Rugby Union club also used these colours.

The first Parramatta jersey in 1947 was blue with a single yellow hoop. This changed to blue and gold hoops in 1949. Over the years, the jersey designs have changed, but they always feature blue and gold.

Primary Jerseys

• Parramatta primary jerseys
• 

  1947

• 

  1948–1951

• 

  1952

• 

  1953–1974

• 

  1975

• 

  1976–1985

• 

  1986–1994

• 

  1995–2000

Stadium

The Eels played at Cumberland Oval from 1947 until 1981. After they won their first premiership in 1981, fans celebrated so much that they accidentally set fire to a stand at the oval!

From 1982 to 1985, the Eels played at Belmore Oval while a new stadium was built. The new Parramatta Stadium opened in 1986. Its capacity was 30,000, later reduced to 21,487.

Parramatta Stadium was closed and knocked down in 2017. Western Sydney Stadium, also known as CommBank Stadium, was built in its place. This new stadium has 30,000 seats and opened in 2019. The Eels played their first game there in April 2019, winning 51-6. While the new stadium was being built, the Eels played home games at ANZ Stadium.

The Eels now share Western Sydney Stadium with other NRL clubs like the Wests Tigers and Canterbury-Bankstown.

Rivalries

Parramatta Eels–Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Rivalry

The Eels have a big rivalry with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. Both clubs started in the same year. Their rivalry grew in the 1970s and 1980s when they played each other in three Grand Finals (1976, 1982, 1983).

In 2003, Parramatta and Manly played the first-ever golden point match in NRL history, with Manly winning 36-34. In 2018, Manly beat Parramatta 54-0, which was the Eels' worst loss to Manly. In 2019, Parramatta beat Manly to take their 5th spot on the ladder.

In 2022, Parramatta beat Manly twice in close games. Many players have played for both clubs over the years, adding to the rivalry.

Parramatta Eels–Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Rivalry

The Eels' biggest rivalry is with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. This rivalry became very strong in the 1980s when they met in the 1984 and 1986 Grand Finals.

In the 1998 preliminary final, Parramatta were leading Canterbury 18-2 with less than 10 minutes left. But Canterbury made an amazing comeback, scoring three tries and winning 32-20 in extra time.

In 2005, Parramatta had their biggest win against Canterbury, beating them 56-4. In 2009, they met in the preliminary final in front of a huge crowd of 74,549. Parramatta won 22-12, showing how strong their rivalry is. Recently, Parramatta has won 12 of the last 15 games against Canterbury since 2015.

Parramatta Eels–Penrith Panthers Rivalry

Another big rivalry is with their neighbours, the Penrith Panthers. This game is called the "Western Sydney derby" or "The Battle of the West." It's a rivalry for local bragging rights.

Parramatta beat Penrith in finals games in 1985 and 2000. In 2021, Penrith beat Parramatta 8-6 in a very tough finals match.

In 2022, Parramatta was the only team to beat Penrith twice in the regular season. However, Penrith beat Parramatta in the 2022 Grand Final. After the Grand Final, some Penrith players made fun of the Eels, calling them "sons" and saying "Daddy loves you."

In 2023, Parramatta beat Penrith 17-16 in golden point in a Grand Final rematch. In the final round of 2023, Parramatta upset Penrith 32-18. In 2024, Penrith made a big comeback to beat Parramatta 36-34.

Parramatta Eels–St. George Illawarra Dragons Rivalry

The Eels also have a rivalry with the St. George Illawarra Dragons. This rivalry is not about location but about both teams fighting for the premiership.

Some memorable games include:

• In 2005, a fight broke out, and Parramatta went on to win 40-14.
• In 2006, Parramatta won a strange game 8-1 in heavy rain.
• In the 2009 qualifying final, the Eels upset the Dragons 25-12, even though the Dragons had thrashed them 37-0 just nine days earlier.

Parramatta Eels–Melbourne Storm Rivalry

The Eels also have a rivalry with the Melbourne Storm. After Melbourne was found to have broken salary cap rules from 2006 to 2010, Parramatta felt they were cheated out of the 2009 premiership.

In 2010, Parramatta beat Melbourne 24-10 in a game that had two fights. As of 2024, Parramatta has never beaten Melbourne in a finals game, losing all seven times.

Parramatta holds the record for scoring the most points against Melbourne in a single game, winning 54-10 in 2001. In 2021, Parramatta ended Melbourne's record 19-game winning streak, beating them 22-10. In 2022, Parramatta beat Melbourne 22-14 to finish higher on the ladder.

In 2023, Melbourne celebrated their 25th anniversary, showing premierships they had won but were later stripped of. Former Melbourne player Cameron Smith said Parramatta fans had a right to be annoyed by this.

Players

Current Squad

The current playing squad and coaching staff of the Parramatta Eels for the 2025 NRL season.

Notable Players

In 2002, fans voted for the greatest Parramatta players, known as the Parramatta Legends.

Parramatta Legends

Backs						Forwards		Coaching staff
1 Ken Thornett – FB  2 Eric Grothe Sr. – WG  3 Mick Cronin – CE  4 Steve Ella – CE  5 Neville Glover – WG  6 Brett Kenny – FE  7 Peter Sterling – HB						8 Bob O'Reilly – PR  9 Steve Edge – HK 10 Dean Pay – PR 11 Dick Thornett – SR 12 Peter Wynn – SR 13 Ray Price – LK		Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice captain(s) Updated: 28 August 2002 Source(s): Eels' class of '81 still the fans' favourites, Parramatta Eels Caps

Representative Players

Coaches

The Parramatta Eels have had 30 different coaches since they started.

Supporters

At the end of the 2023 NRL season, Parramatta had the most NRL members among Sydney clubs, with 35,015 paying members.

Some famous supporters of the club include:

• Sean Abbott, Australian cricketer
• Simon Baker, Australian actor
• Toni Collette, Australian actress
• Danny Green, Australian boxer
• Paul Hogan, Australian actor and comedian
• Darren Lehmann, Former Australian cricketer
• Nathan Rees, former Premier of New South Wales
• Simon Pryce, from The Wiggles

Statistics and Records

Individual Records

Most Appearances (200+)

1. Nathan Hindmarsh (330 games) from 1998 to 2012
2. Brett Kenny (265 games) from 1980 to 1993
3. Luke Burt (264 games) from 1999 to 2012
4. Nathan Cayless (259 games) from 1997 to 2010
5. Ray Price (258 games) from 1976 to 1986
6. Tim Mannah (233 games) from 2009 to 2019
7. Peter Sterling (227 games) from 1978 to 1992
8. Bob O'Reilly (216 games) from 1967 to 1982
9. Mick Cronin (216 games) from 1977 to 1986
10. Clinton Gutherson (206 games) from 2016 to 2024
11. Mark Laurie (205 games) from 1982 to 1992
12. Daniel Wagon (204 games) from 1999 to 2008
13. Fuifui Moimoi (201 games) from 2004 to 2014
14. Junior Paulo (200* games) from 2013 to 2025

Scoring Records Mick Cronin holds the record for most points scored (2,001) between 1977 and 1986. He also scored the most points in a single season (282) in 1978. Luke Burt holds the record for most tries (111) between 1999 and 2012.

Parramatta's biggest win was 74-4 against Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in 2003. Their biggest loss was 0-68 to Canberra Raiders in 1993.

Attendances The largest crowd Parramatta has played before was 104,583 in 1999. The largest home crowd at Parramatta Stadium was 27,243 in 1986. The record crowd at the new Western Sydney Stadium is 29,372. This was when Parramatta beat Brisbane 58-0 in the 2019 finals, their biggest finals win ever.

Head-to-Head Records

Opponent	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %
Tigers	49	30	1	18	61.22
Warriors	45	26	0	19	57.78
Panthers	111	62	1	48	55.86
Dragons	42	23	2	17	54.76
Cowboys	48	25	1	22	52.08
Titans	26	13	0	13	50.00
Dolphins	2	1	0	1	50.00
Raiders	65	31	0	34	47.69
Sharks	92	43	0	49	46.74
Knights	59	27	1	31	45.76
Bulldogs	156	72	5	79	46.15
Roosters	141	64	5	72	45.39
Broncos	67	28	1	38	41.79
Rabbitohs	136	56	3	77	41.18
Sea Eagles	151	58	4	89	38.41
Storm	47	18	0	29	38.30

All Time Match Record

The overall playing record for the Parramatta team since 1947 (including finals).

Games	Wins	Draw	Losses	Win %	Correct to
1781	827	38	921	46.54%	21 April 2025

Finals Appearances

The Eels have made the finals 31 times:

• 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Honours

First-Grade Achievements

• Premierships (Grand Final Wins): 4

1981, 1982, 1983, 1986

• Grand Final Runners-Up: 6

1976, 1977, 1984, 2001, 2009*, 2022

• Minor Premierships (Finished First in Regular Season): 5

1977, 1982, 1986, 2001, 2005

• Mid-Week Cup: 2

1980, 1986

• Rugby League World Sevens: 2

1997, 2003

• NRL Nines: 1

2016*

• Bandaged Bear Cup (vs. Bulldogs): 4

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

• I4Give Foundation Cup (vs. Bulldogs): 1

2023

• Jack Gibson Cup (vs. Roosters): 5

2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2022

• Johnny Mannah Cup (vs. Sharks): 6

2013, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024

Youth and Pre-Season Achievements

• First Division / Premier League: 9

1975, 1977, 1979, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 (as Wentworthville Magpies)

• Club Championships: 17

1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008

• Pre-Season Cup Titles: 1

1975

• Jersey Flegg Cup: 3

1970, 1985, 1990

• SG Ball Cup: 14

1966, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2007, 2017, 2023

• Harold Matthews Cup: 20

1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2016

• Mills Cup: 2

2007, 2008

Women's Team

Current Squad

The current playing squad and coaching staff of the Parramatta Eels for the 2023 NRL Women's season as of 18 June 2023.

Parramatta Eels

First grade squad								Coaching staff
Elsie Albert – PR Tyla Amiatu – PR Rosemarie Beckett – FB Pihuka Berryman-Duff – FB Kennedy Cherrington (c) – PR, SR Rueben Cherrington – HB, HK, LK Abbi Church – CE, FB Kelsey Clark – SO		Nakia Davis-Welsh – FB, WG Monique Donovan – CE, WG Zali Fay – WG Jade Fonua – LK Kimberley Hunt – CE Madeline Jones – LK, PR Ruby-Jean Kennard – PR Amelia Mafi – PR		Mahalia Murphy – CE Shannon Muru – SR Talesha O'Neill – SR Capri Paekau – HK Rachael Pearson – HB Kyra Simon – PR Shontelle Stowers – CE Cassey Tohi-Hiku – CE, WG				Head coach Dean Widders Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice captain(s) Updated: 18 June 2023 Source(s): Eels Team Profiles

See also

In Spanish: Parramatta Eels para niños