It's been a long while between drinks for the Parramatta Eels.
They haven't won a premiership since 1986, and despite numerous close calls with glory in 2001, 2009, and just two years ago in 2022, they are yet to replicate their trophy winning form of the eighties.
As they look to enter a new era under incoming head coach Jason Ryles, they will look to put a horror 2024 campaign behind them, which saw them avoid the wooden spoon by just one game.
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According to Ryles, the key for his squad to regain their winning ways comes from a greater infusion of past players in and around the organisation, as he seeks to build a truly winning culture in Parramatta.
"I absolutely love [the presence of club legends], the more they can get involved, the better," Ryles said during an introductory interview.
"Connecting with those guys is a real big part of my cultural vision, that connection with our past.
"Going forward, our language around the club will be connected with our past players, our area and our past successes.
"Any time we travel and there’s a past player in the area, I’d love to get them in, if there’s a past player walking past, I want them to feel that they can walk in off the street and come and be a part of what we’re doing.
"They’ve laid the foundation for where we sit today, so we’ve got the baton now and it’s up to us to shape it and continue that proud tradition and that history that they’ve started."
Ryles will take over the team in 2025, with the hopes of improving a brutal campaign this season.
