2022 Preview: Parramatta Eels

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36 years on from their last premiership and the Eels are edging closer to their fifth title. 'Eelementary' looks ahead to the 2022 Parramatta season as our NRL club preview series continues.

The term "Premiership window" is used in just about every professional team sport to describe any given team's statistical chances of securing a championship, and cliched as it may be, it often stands to the scrutiny of the public.

It has often been declared over the last two seasons that the Parramatta Eels' Premiership window is open - but that it is rapidly closing, and currently remains just barely ajar.

But the general consensus should be that there is no need to hit the panic button yet; despite a gradual (and, at times, worrying) slip down the ladder in 2021, the Eels finished the regular season in sixth place - primed, and ready, to give the NRL a real shake. And through their campaign to win their elusive fifth Premiership, they were once again eliminated in the second round of the Finals.

The Eels of 2021 finished the regular season with the fourth best defence in the NRL, but the seventh best attack (for a net result of the sixth best points differential in the league after 25 rounds). The Eels leaked fewer points that Premiership heavyweights Manly, and the Sydney Roosters; however, they scored more points than only the teams below them on the ladder.

So, is the Premiership window closing? Is it a case of "panic now"? Is there a reason to remain optimistic?

There are some clear question marks hanging over Parramatta, but there should also be undertones of genuine excitement for Eels fans for season 2022.

Why they'll win it

Parramatta are able to boast a forward pack which - at least on paper - stands out as one of the most robust, and varied, in the NRL.

Bolstered by NSW Origin prop Junior Paulo, the variety of body shapes, play styles, and skills, adds a little point of difference to the Eels' forward pack that should be the envy of many other teams.

Shaun Lane - despite some weaknesses surrounding his motor - is tall, skilful, and very quick for a forward; Reagan Campbell-Gillard is a defensive anchor, and provides serious punch up the middle with his powerful runs; Ryan Matterson (despite his form being slightly down in 2021) is an elite defensive edge forward, with skills to add some flair to his attacking repertoire; Nathan Brown is a terrier, who never stops, and provides some energy, and aggression, to the pack; Isaiah Papali'i had a breakout 2021, and seemingly breaks tackles just for fun; Junior Paulo can just as easily trample over the top of someone, as he can pop an offload to a support runner, or throw a cut-out pass to his playmakers; and Reed Mahoney is a defensive terrier, with intelligence, and skill.

Parramatta's gameplan for many seasons now has been to play simple football, to focus on controlling the ball, and dominating the ruck - and with a forward pack as powerful, mobile, and skilful, as Parramatta's, it is no wonder that the gameplans have been designed this way.

Mitchell Moses continues his impressive maturation as a footballer - Moses is now a more than reliable defensive halfback, but also boasts quite a few exciting tricks in his bag of skills, that can create opportunities for himself, or his teammates.

His partner in crime, Dylan Brown, is the best defensive half in the NRL; his attacking skill set is still developing, but he possesses great footwork, acceleration, and strength, and his short kicking game is improving every year.

Parramatta's outside backs are big, powerful bodies, who can ruck the ball out early in the count, and find the try line in the red zone, and they are ably led by the "The King", Clint Gutherson - a veritable perpetual motion machine that has no off switch.

Why they won't

There are three key questions that will need to be addressed by Parramattta, in order to see how they fare in 2022.

Firstly, can they work on their attack?

While it is true that Parramatta's defence has consistently been a feature among the NRL's top 4 sides over the last four seasons, the Eels' inability to score points at times has been rather perplexing - and, to some degree, worrying.

A side that boasts Waqa Blake, Maika Sivo (when fit), Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown, Will Penisi, and Clint Gutherson, should be able to find the stripe a little more consistently.

Panic football has been a hallmark of this side for a few seasons, and Parramatta's ability to dial it back, and play patient football, will play a crucial role in determining their fate in 2022.

Secondly, the Eels are among the least experienced sides when it comes to Finals football - especially among those in the top 4.

This factor has been mitigated somewhat by the fact the Eels have been a consistent presence in the post-season for some time now, as well as the fact that several key Eels were able to make their representative debuts for senior representative teams in recent years.

However, when the pressure is on, and the clock is ticking, skill will only get you so far; experience, and the ability to make the right decisions under pressure, become an invaluable commodity during the post-season campaign, and the Eels are somewhat of an unknown quantity in this department.

Finally, the last issue that threatens to potentially wreak havoc on Parramatta's 2022 Premiership assault is that of their roster - specifically, the fact that several key members of the squad will be leaving after 2022, and there are questions as to how the team's chemistry will be affected.

Reed Mahoney, Oregon Kaufusi, Isaiah Papali'i, and Marata Niukore headline the exodus of talent heading to other clubs in 2023.

Of those players, the only genuinely established player in the Eels' line-up is Reed Mahoney; Kaufusi is yet to break into the team as a full-time member; Papali'i - despite a huge effort in 2021 - has yet to prove that he can back this performance up for another season; and Niukore (despite being a mainstay in the Eels side for several years) has mostly been a bench player.

However, they all have their parts to play, and they have all been instrumental in helping to get Parramatta to where they are now; it remains to be seen how their departures will affect team chemistry.

Key players

Mitchell Moses holds the keys to the kingdom of Parramatta, and essentially has the Eels' fate in his hands.

It is Moses who will determine how patient, and intelligently, the Eels will play in attack; it is Moses who will direct the side around the paddock, to exploit defensive weaknesses.

It is fair to say that Moses' game has improved since he joined the Eels; he is now a solid defensive halfback, and he has become more reliable with his general play, relying less on highlight reel plays, and more on percentage plays.

But this maturation needs to continue, to give the Eels any chance.

Rookies to watch

Jayden Yates ins an exciting prospect at hooker for Parramatta, and with Mahoney departing at the end of 2022, Yates may find himself getting some game time in 2022.

Yates is a bigger body than Mahoney, but also possesses an ability to read the game that rivals Mahoney's; while his general skill level may not be up to Mahoney's yet, Yates is able to see what is in front of him, and sum it up in the blink of an eye, and generally makes the right moves.

Solomone Naiduki is your prototypical Fijian flyer - tall, quick, powerful, and with a knack of scoring tries, he is certainly one to watch for 2022.

David Hollis has been a project at the Eels for many years; tall, agile, mobile, and with an incessant motor, Hollis would be a handy player to have come off the bench at times throughout 2022.

Player movements

Inbound: Bailey Simonsson (Canberra), Mitch Rein (Gold Coast)

Outbound: Joey Lussick (St Helens (UK)), Will Smith (Gold Coast), Blake Ferguson (Rugby Union), Michael Oldfield, Sam Hughes, Jordan Rankin (released), Keegan Hipgrave (retired)

Best 17

1. Clint Gutherson (C)
2. Bailey Simonsson
3. Will Penisini
4. Waqa Blake
5. Haze Dunster
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Junior Paulo (C)
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
11. Isaiah Papali'i
12. Ryan Matterson
13. Nathan Brown

14. Mitch Rein
15. Oregon Kaufusi
16. Marata Niukore
17. Shaun Lane

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