Nathan Smith reviews the 2023 Season of the Parramatta Eels where they finished 10th on the ladder.
Club Stats
Wins: 12
Losses: 12
Most Tries: 20, Maika Sivo
Most Points: 169, Mitchell Moses
Ken Thornett Medal Player of the Year: Clinton Gutherson
Clunky Season Sees Eels Miss the Eight
Parramatta entered the 2023 season after their first grand final appearance since 2009. With hopes of going one better, a messy season saw them instead miss the top eight by two points.
The Eels’ season opened with a string of narrow losses, which would ultimately come back to bite them. In fact, in the opening five rounds, they only managed a single win. Most of these matches seemed within their grasp, only to be blown by crucial errors or defensive lapses.
Compounding this poor start was an inconsistency in the roster, with various players used throughout their campaign. In particular, the hooking role was occupied by Josh Hodgson, Brendan Hands, and then Joey Lussick. Many changes came about due to injuries or suspensions, both of which impacted the Eels’ ability to build any sort of cohesion.
By Round 19, a mid-season surge saw them rise as high as sixth; however, it wouldn’t last. After mostly competing in every match of the year, the Eels found themselves blown off the park by the Storm and Broncos in successive weeks, which would see them swiftly drop out of finals contention.
One thing that the Eels will want to consider is their options out wide. In recent years, it’s become apparent that their edge defence is often poor, and where most points are scored. This year, it was no different. Notably, Waqa Blake had a poor opening to the season, which ultimately saw him dropped from the side.
Furthermore, discipline was perhaps the most cruelling factor in the Eels’ season. In total, they had players suspended for 22 weeks of the 27-round season. Two of note included Dylan Brown, who spent a chunk of the season on the sideline due to an off-field incident, and Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who was suspended for a dangerous tackle attempt.
Players and staff will know what they presented this season wasn’t up to the standard they’ve set for themselves since 2019. Coming into 2024, the Eels need to have a clear vision of what their roster looks like, so they’re not changing the team on the fly. Beyond this, the discipline on and off the field must improve. Plenty of players owe it to themselves, the club and the fans to be better in that regard, so that they don’t find themselves undermanned as they did on many occasions this year.
Key Player Stats
Most Try Assists:ย 16, Dylan Brown
Most Line-breaks:ย 24, Maika Sivo
Most Run Metres:ย 3,748, Clint Gutherson
Most Post Contact Metres:ย 1,056 Junior Paulo
Most Tackles:ย 956, J’maine Hopgood
Most Errors:ย 31, Clint Gutherson
