The 2019 Parramatta Eels season was the 73rd in the club's history. Coached by Brad Arthur and captained by Clinton Gutherson, they competed in the NRL's 2019 Telstra Premiership.
Summary Before the start of the 2019 NRL season, Parramatta were predicted by many to finish towards the bottom of the table or claim another wooden spoon. The club started off the year with back to back victories over Penrith and arch rivals Canterbury-Bankstown. In round 6 of the 2019 NRL season, Parramatta played their first game at the new Western Sydney Stadium against the Wests Tigers and ran out 51–6 winners in front of a sold-out crowd.
In round 9 against Melbourne, Parramatta suffered one of their worst ever defeats losing 64–10 at Suncorp Stadium. In the aftermath of the defeat, coach Brad Arthur and the players were placed under intense scrutiny but just a week after the loss, Arthur was given a two-year contract extension by the Parramatta board. The club would then go on to lose against North Queensland and last placed Penrith in the coming weeks.
Between round 12 and round 22 of the 2019 season, Parramatta would go on to win eight of their ten games. In round 22 against the Gold Coast Titans, Parramatta qualified for the 2019 finals series with a 36–12 victory at Cbus Super Stadium.
At the end of the 2019 regular season, Parramatta finished fifth on the table. In the elimination final against Brisbane, Parramatta won the match 58–0 at the new Western Sydney Stadium. The victory was the biggest finals win in history, eclipsing Newtown's 55–7 win over St. George in 1944. The match was also Parramatta's biggest win over Brisbane and Brisbane's worst ever loss since entering the competition in 1988. The following week against Melbourne in the elimination semi final, Parramatta were defeated 32–0 at AAMI Park which ended their season. The loss against Melbourne was also the sixth time Parramatta had been defeated by Melbourne in a finals game since 1999.
Standings
Fixtures Pre-season RoundHomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and time (Local)VenueAttendance 1 Parramatta Eels 20 – 22 Canberra RaidersFriday, 15 February, 7:00pmSt Marys Leagues Stadium 2 Penrith Panthers 0 – 20 Parramatta EelsSaturday, 2 March, 7:00pmPanthers Stadium 6,339 Source:
Home and away season
RoundHomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and time (Local)VenueAttendance 1 Penrith Panthers12 – 20 Parramatta EelsSunday 17 March, 4:05pmPanthers Stadium12,604 2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs16 – 36 Parramatta EelsSunday, 24 March, 4:05pmANZ Stadium20,134 3 Parramatta Eels 18 – 32 Sydney Roosters Friday, 29 March, 7:55pmANZ Stadium 13,367 4 Parramatta Eels 24 – 12 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Saturday, 6 April, 7:35pmANZ Stadium 11,185 5 Canberra Raiders 19 – 0 Parramatta Eels Sunday, 14 April, 6:10pmGIO Stadium 16,059 6 Parramatta Eels 51 – 6 Wests Tigers Monday, 22 April, 4:00pmBankwest Stadium 29,047 7 Newcastle Knights 28 – 14 Parramatta Eels Sunday, 28 April, 4:05pmMcDonald Jones Stadium 19,604 8 Parramatta Eels 32 – 18 St George Illawarra Dragons Sunday, 5 May, 4:05pmBankwest Stadium 25,872 9 Melbourne Storm 64 – 10 Parramatta Eels Saturday, 11 May, 7:35pmSuncorp Stadium 41,612 10 North Queensland Cowboys 17 – 10 Parramatta Eels Saturday, 18 May, 5:30pm1300SMILES Stadium 12,493 11 Parramatta Eels 10 – 16 Penrith Panthers Thursday, 23 May, 7:50pmBankwest Stadium 16,228 12 Parramatta Eels 26 – 14 South Sydney Rabbitohs Friday, 31 May, 7:55pmBankwest Stadium 21,645 13 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 42 – 22 Parramatta Eels Saturday, 8 June, 5:30pmShark Park 12,386 14 Parramatta Eels 38 – 10 Brisbane Broncos Saturday, 15 June, 7:35pmBankwest Stadium 16,854 15 Parramatta Eels 22 – 16 Canberra Raiders Saturday, 29 June, 7:35pmTIO Stadium 5,39116Bye Round17 Wests Tigers18 – 30 Parramatta EelsSunday, 14 July, 4:05pmBankwest Stadium24,12518 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles36 – 24 Parramatta EelsSunday, 21 July, 4:05pmLottoland15,24519 Parramatta Eels 24 – 22 New Zealand Warriors Saturday, 27 July, 3:00pmBankwest Stadium17,39220 St George Illawarra Dragons 4 – 12 Parramatta Eels Sunday, 4 August, 4:05pmNetstrata Jubilee Stadium 9,64521 Parramatta Eels 20 – 14 Newcastle Knights Saturday, 10 August, 6:30pmBankwest Stadium 20,67122 Gold Coast Titans 12 – 36 Parramatta Eels Friday, 16 August, 6:00pmCbus Super Stadium 10,78023 Parramatta Eels 6 – 12 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Thursday, 22 August, 7:50pmBankwest Stadium 18,07124 Brisbane Broncos17 – 16 Parramatta Eels Friday, 30 August, 7:55pmSuncorp Stadium 33,02025 Parramatta Eels 32 – 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Friday, 6 September, 6:00pmBankwest Stadium 25,034 Source:
Finals series
FinalHomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and time (Local)VenueAttendance Parramatta Eels 58 – 0 Brisbane Broncos Sunday, 15 September, 4:00pm Bankwest Stadium 29,372 Melbourne Storm 32 – 0 Parramatta Eels Saturday, 21 September, 5:30pm AAMI Park 21,015 Source:
Players and staff The playing squad and coaching staff of the Parramatta Eels for the 2019 NRL season as of 28 July 2019.
Transfers In: Name From Transfer window Date Dylan Brown Youth Pre-season Andrew Davey Townsville Blackhawks Pre-season October 2018 Salesi Fainga'a Youth Pre-season Blake Ferguson Sydney Roosters Pre-season Shaun Lane Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Pre-season October 2018 Ethan Parry Youth Pre-season Junior Paulo Canberra Raiders Pre-season Maika Sivo Penrith Panthers Pre-season October 2018 Stefano Utoikamanu Youth Pre-season Matthew McIlwrick South Sydney Rabbitohs Mid-season March 2019 Waqa Blake Penrith Panthers Mid-season June 2019
Out: Name To Transfer window Date Kirisome Auva'a Retired Pre-season Cameron King Featherstone Rovers Pre-season Suaia Matagi Huddersfield Giants Pre-season Corey Norman St George Illawarra Dragons Pre-season December 2018 Beau Scott Retired Pre-season Tony Williams Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles Pre-season Nathan Davis Released Pre-season Jarryd Hayne Released Pre-season Siosaia Vave St Marys Saints Pre-season Kaysa Pritchard Retired Mid-season June 2019 Bevan French Wigan Warriors Mid-season July 2019
References