The Parramatta Eels’ hunt for the 2022 NRLW premiership has officially begun, with pre-season training underway.
The full squad came together for the first time this week at Parramatta Marist High School.
Pre-season runs for four weeks, before the team’s Round One game against the Sydney Roosters on Saturday 20th August at CommBank Stadium.
The NRLW team was joined by the U17’s Lisa Fiola team for their first night of training, to ensure a strong link with the Club’s development pathways.
Coach Dean Widders said pre-season training will run slightly differently this time around.
“We’re really excited. We did a thorough review of the first season and we came up with some great ways we can change the Club and make everything better and keep building,” Widders said.
“These girls have just come off an NRLW season, into the Harvey Norman Competition and a Queensland State Cup season as well, so we won’t have to go into the tough pre-season slog.
“It will be more about energising them and preparing for what’s ahead,” he said.
The Eels were unlucky to miss out on the top four in season 2021, but Widders said he has all the confidence in the team making the finals this time around.
“It’s definitely our goal,” Widders said.
“Last year, I thought, we were really unlucky. We had a chance to get a spot in those finals and we probably deserved to be there but we didn’t take it.
“We saw what the Roosters did coming from fourth spot to win the title. It’s an open competition and I think we will definitely be a team that are contenders,” he said.
The team captain will be announced at the official season launch on Thursday.
It will be held at CommBank Stadium before the Eels’ Round 19 NRL clash with the Broncos.
