1990s /

The New Millennium Awaits

By the early 1990s, injuries forced many of the club's premiership-winning players into early retirement.

Parramatta's famous backline of Steve Ella, Eric Grothe Snr, Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling retired, and a new wave of hopefuls stepped up to take the baton and pull on the Blue & Gold.

1990/

1990 team pic

Michael Cronin took on the first grade coaching role leading the team to just three points out of the final five and reserve grade finished one point out of the final five. Parramatta competed in the Nissan Sevens tournament only to be beaten by Manly in the final. Mark Laurie played all 22 first grade matches and Peter Sterling won the Rothman’s Medal for the second year.

1990 Debutants: Matt Goodwin (483), Mark Horo (484), Ian Gately (485), Matt Munro (486), Bill Greentree (487), Joe Bartolo (488), David Penna (489), Robert Muchmore (490).

1991 /

1991 team pic

The 1991 season was the most disappointing since the 1974 season with first grade finishing 15th on the competition ladder and reserve grade finishing 12th. The President’s Cup, coached by Gary Pethybridge and captained by Bruce Carr, won the Minor Premiership and finished grand finalists. Parramatta were defeated 20-16 in the first round of the Lotto Challenge and were knocked out in the second round of the Nissan Sevens. Brett Kenny played all 22 First Grade matches, filling in the captaincy of Peter Sterling who played only one match before he dislocated his shoulder again. For the first time in 20 years, the club failed to have a player selected for representative duty.

1991 Debutants: Martin Seal (491), John Fearnley (492), Chris King (493), David Barrett (494), Rod Collins (495), Paul Quinn (496), Phil Adamson (497), Matt Adamson (498), Ryan Schofield (499), Tony Sakr (500), Scott Hodson (501).

1992 /

1992 team pic

The 1992 season was the first time since 1974 that the Club did not have at least one team in the semi finals. Peter Sterling succumbed to a career-ending shoulder dislocation in the third round. Brett Kenny played all 22 first grade games in his Testimonial Year. A major highlight of the season was a win against Great Britain by 22 to 16 on Friday, June 19, before a crowd of 18,220 at Parramatta Stadium. Lee Oudenryn’s 100 metre sprint win over Marin Offiah in 11.33 seconds, prior to the game, set the scene for a memorable night. The Parramatta Stadium Trust announced that the northern hill was to be named the Peter Sterling Hill, the southern hill was to be named the Brett Kenny Hill and the Stadium gymnasium, the Bill Rayner Gymnasium which was met with unanimous approval from Parramatta supporters.

1992 Debutants: Cameron Blair (502), Michael Buettner (503), Lee Oudenryn (504), Tom Brown (505), Stu Galbraith (506), Phil Tiernan (507), Shane Flanagan (508), Pat O’Doherty (509).

1993 /

1993 team pic

1993 was a year of farewells, with coaches Mick Cronin and Bob O’Reilly leaving the club. Brett Kenny retired from the game with a win in the last game of the season against Balmain. The season had started with the Coca-Cola Sevens at the Sydney Football Stadium and Parramatta won three matches to make the trophy final, only to lose to Cronulla Sutherland 20-14. Cameron Blair, Michael Buettner and Scott Mahon played in all 22 first grade matches. Local Juniors Dallas Weston and Michael Buettner were selected in the City Firsts team. The Goldies Promotion was a huge success, with the composite Wallaby Legends team narrowly defeating the 1986 Parramatta Premiers team.

1993 Debutants: Paul Dunn (510), Michael Speechley (511), Dallas Weston (512), Tulsen Tollett (513), Darren Winmill (514), Peter McPhail (515), Jason Stewart (516), James Ferguson (517), Darren Capovilla (518), Andrew Hill (519).

1994 /

1994 team pic

Ron Hilditch was appointed First Grade Coach and was assisted by Recruitment Manager, Terry Fearnley. Investment in recruitment was increased, and Steve Ella and Peter Sterling assisted the club in signing 14 new players, recruited mostly from its juniors, country clubs, Queensland and New Zealand. Captain, Paul Dunn displayed great consistency playing all 22 first grade matches along with Chris King. Harold Matthews team won again for the 11th time, coached by Daniel Anderson.

1994 Debutants: Keith Blackett (520), Andrew Patmore (521), Brett Plowman (522), Wayne Simonds (523), Paul Clarke (524), Phil Howlett (525), Chris Lawler (526), Marty McKenzie (527), Darrell Williams (528), John Frare (529), Iva Ropati (530), Garen Casey (531), Abby Roberts (532), James Hinchey (533), Duncan De Celis (534), Craig Freer (535), Troy Campbell (536), Chris Cranney (537), Justin Morgan (538), Jamie Mahon (539).

1995 /

1995 team pic

The Parramatta Eels Board decided to stay with the Australian Rugby League competition as opposed to the joining the rebel Super League. Elimination of the salary cap allowed Clubs to sign players with support from the Parramatta Leagues Club. The rebel ‘Super League’ had a direct impact on the competition and Parramatta finished 19th in the 20-team competition. The injury toll once again highlighted a lack of depth in the ranks.

1995 Debutants: John Brewer (540), Kalaveti Naisoro (541), Matt Spence (542), Brad Nairn (543), Nathan Carr (544), Ray Mercy (545), Vince Fawcett (546), Michael Tamati (547), Michael Wicks (548), Danny Grimley (549), Michael Appleby (550), Dean Sampson (551), Russell Wyer (552), Michael Corrie (553), Tito Niumata (554).

1996 /

1996 team pic

In 1996, the Parramatta Eels celebrated 50 years since its acceptance into the N.S.W.R.F.L. Injuries once again affected the performances across the ranks with first grade finishing 12th and reserve grade 19th. Adam Ritson was tackled in a match with scans later identifying he had a career-ending existing life-threatening tumour. Golden Oldies was played at Brookvale Oval on Sunday, July 14 when Manly and Parramatta celebrated their 50th year of playing under the banner of the Australian Rugby League. Noel Cleal was appointed Recruitment Manager and travelled over 30,000 kilometres as well as flying to Fiji to scout new talent.

1996 Debutants: Nathan Barnes (555), Scott Davey (556), Jim Dymock (557), Gary Freeman (558), Jarrod McCracken (559), Dean Pay (560), Aaron Raper (561), Adam Ritson (562), Jason Smith (563), Stuart Kelly (564), Rod Maybon (565), Anthony Bonus (566), Darren Pettet (567), Shane Russell (568), David Anderson (569), Steven Jolly (570), Simon Scanlan (571), Steven Crouch (572).

1997 /

1997 Team pic

The 1997 season was historic in that for the first time since 1908 there were two rival competitions played. For Parramatta, the Eels won the Club Championship, the Junior Club Championship, the Second Grade, the Harold Matthews Shield (under 16s), and reached the semi finals in First Grade, Under 20s and the SG Ball (under 18s). First Grade Head Coach Brian Smith led the team to 11 successive wins. John Simon and Jason Bell proved to be the most consistent players with John playing 24 first grade matches and Jason playing in 23 matches. John, Dean Pay, Jim Dymock and Aaron Raper represented NSW whilst Jason Smith and Stuart Kelly represented Queensland. John and Dean also represented Australia in the match against the Rest of the World, in which Jarrod McCracken played.

1997 Debutants: David Riolo (573), John Simon (574), Shane Whereat (575), Ian Herron (576), Karl Lovell (577), Steve Collins (578), Paul Carige (579), Brett Horsnell (580), Daniel Brown (581), Nathan Koina (582), Eparama Navale (583), Andrew Frew (584), Nathan Cayless (585), Leon Douglas (586), Jamie Smith (587), Dennis Moran (588).

1998 /

1998 team pic

The first year of National Rugby League saw the Eels co-captained by Dean Pay and Jarrrod McCracken and finished fourth on the ladder, cruelly eliminated by Canterbury in the grand final qualifier. The President’s Cup and Jersey Flegg (Under 19s) were Grand Finalists, the SCG Ball side (u17s) were Semi Finalists and the Harold Matthew’s (Under 16’s) were Premiers. First grade had enjoyed an eight-match winning streak when coach Brian Smith blooded young Nathan Hindmarsh and Michael Vella from the bench joining Nathan Cayless who would prove to be a formidable new era of players. Mark Tookey became an icon of the club and crowd would chant “Tooooookey” every time he took the ball forward. Parramatta had several players selected for representative duty in 1998, including Jason Smith who represented Queensland and Australia. Dean Pay represented NSW and Australia. Jim Dymock represented NSW and Jarrod McCracken and Nathan Cayless represented New Zealand in the Test series versus Australia and Great Britain.

1998 Debutants: Jamie Owens (589), Clinton Schifcofske (590), Troy Pezet (591), Mark Tookey (592), Julian Troy (593), Andrew Carige (594), Nathan Hindmarsh (595), Michael Vella (596), Michael Hodgson (597), Casey McGuire (598).

1999 /

1999 team pic

The opening of the new Olympic Stadium in 1999 featured a NRL Double Header drawing a capacity crowd to experience the venue for the first time. A total of 104,583 fans watched Parramatta v St George Illawarra on March 6 – the largest crowd to ever watch a Parramatta game and witnessed Luke Burt, a 17-year-old Newcastle junior make his debut. Parramatta was on the rise and by seasons end, claimed the Club Championship by finishing Preliminary Finalists once again in First Grade, and undefeated Premiers in Harold Matthews Shield and SG Ball. Luke Burt won the Club’s Rookie of the Year award. David Kidwell and Clinton Shifcofske played 26 games. Jason Smith and Michael Vella played State of Origin for Queensland and NSW respectively. Jarrod McCracken, Nathan Cayless and David Kidwell represented New Zealand.

1999 Debutants: David Kidwell (599), Chris Quinn (600), Daniel Wagon (601), Luke Burt (602), Dean Schifilliti (603), Ben Kusto (604), Ian Hindmarsh (605), Tim Patterson (606), David Vaealiki (607), Eric Grothe Jnr (608), Jay Bandy (609).