Don’t rule out wounded Eels in 2023 race, says Gutherson

The Eels may have been wounded by their 28-12 loss to western arch-rivals the Panthers in the 2022 NRL grand final, and then stung again when they had to wave goodbye to Isaiah Papali’i, Reed Mahoney, Ray Stone, and Marata Niukore, but Clinton Gutherson refuses to rule them out of the title hunt.

Gutherson, who has already played 161 games for the Eels, has laughed off claims from the NRL community that Parramatta’s decider defeat in 2022 was the closest the club’s modern lineup would come.

In particular, fans and media alike have pointed to question marks over Gutho’s halves partners, Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown—both off-contract in just 12 months—and how their negotiations will rock the boat. Losing top, top stars like Papali’i and Mahoney has also shut the Eels’ premiership window, according to analysts.

According to the fullback, though, they’re just as much a chance this time around.

“I think our premiership window has been closed for the last 15 years,” Gutherson told Channel 9.

The Eels star continued: “We don’t really pay much attention to what other people say. “We trust that the club and Brad [Arthur] and the staff are putting the squad together they think can win it.”

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So far this offseason, Arthur and Parramatta have welcomed pickups like Daejarn Asi, Jirah Momoisea, and Josh Hodgson. The last star signing is certainly Gutho’s pick of the litter. “He was one of the best hookers for the last 15 years and he has played for his country and won everything,” the Eels fullback raved.

On top of their signings, Parra has also kept finalists like Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Shaun Lane (who enjoyed an explosive breakout this year), Maika Sivo, and of course halves combo Brown and Moses.

Every single one of them, including Gutherson, will use that loss to drive them.

And that’s the main reason the Eels fullback is telling NRL fans not to run a line through them just yet: falling to the Penrith Panthers on the biggest stage in rugby league still runs deep in the Parramatta squad. They’ve been chomping at the bit for revenge and want another go-around in the big dance. Just don’t make them watch the 2022 footage back.

“I still haven’t watched it back, and probably won’t to be honest,” Gutherson said when asked by media about grand final replays this week. “But, look, it just motivates [us] even more.”

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