Parramatta skipper Clint Gutherson has declared his side can play finals football in 2024 despite a disastrous start to the season that led to coach Brad Arthur’s exit.
The Eels currently sit 15th and took another negative turn a week ago with Arthur’s exit before a loss to last-placed South Sydney.
But in Thursday night’s match against an undermanned Cronulla, Gutherson is hoping to make his way back from a knee injury. He also hopes to have halfback Mitchell Moses playing for the first time since Round 3.
With several games still to win, the Eels are now six points outside of the eight, but Gutherson believes it’s too soon to write off his team’s prospects of making the finals.
“We just need our strongest team out there,” he stated. “Mitch and I lost each other four weeks ago. The club is in a strong position when players play consistent football with integrity.
“We have complete faith. Although last week was a letdown, our goal is to compete and win football games. This week, that is what we must return to.”
If they finish Wednesday’s captain’s run, Gutherson and Moses should be picked when teams are revealed on Tuesday. They should line up together on Thursday.
While the players are focused on improved results throughout the second half of this season, officials have commenced behind the scenes planning for 2025 as they look to hire a new head coach.
A host of names have been thrown into the mix, with Josh Hannay and Paul McGregor publicly declaring their interest in the job. The process is unlikely to drag on, with a new leader expected to be confirmed in the coming months.
Eels bosses have made no secret of their desire to land a coach capable of producing immediate results given the talent currently in the squad.
There is, however, plenty of uncertainty around the makeup of the playing group beyond 2025.
Moses, Junior Paulo and the incoming Zac Lomax are the only three players to have contracts for 2026 and beyond, with a handful of others having club or player options in that period.
Gutherson conceded the new coach will likely mould the squad to meet his needs but said the players can make the decision easier for him with an impressive finish to this season.
“It’s up to what the board and the higher ups want to do with the team and the coach coming forward,” he said.
“It’s one of those things that is out of our control. If you’re playing good footy and winning, it takes care of itself. At the moment, we just need to get back to playing good footy and winning.”
Gutherson was speaking for the first time since Arthur’s exit, the pair forming a close bond since the coach recruited the fullback to the Eels in 2016.
The fullback said it was disappointing to know the players’ performances on the field led to Arthur’s exit but backed the coach to quickly land another job in the NRL.
“Any club that is looking for someone or wants to go down the path of a new head coach, I think Brad would come straight to mind,” Gutherson said. “He’s shown what he’s done here in the last 10 years.
“We were in a bit of a hole when he first come here, we had some great seasons and the players and everyone involved with him loved how he worked and the work ethic he had.
“In the end we let him down. It’s disappointing, but we’ve got to move on from it. We’ve got [interim coach Trent Barrett] there going to do a great job for us. We’ve got to start winning and playing some great footy.”
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