The Parramatta Eels proved themselves contenders in 2022, finishing the season with a respectable record of 13 wins and nine losses. After scraping into The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup finals in fifth position, the Eels bowed out in the first week of the finals going down to eventual Grand Finalists the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
The Eels squad boasted plenty of talent and a mix of youth and NRL experience including Bryce Cartwright, Nathan Brown, Hayze Perham, Haze Dunster, Jake Arthur, Mitch Rein, Wiremu Greig and Elie El-Zakehm, who had a breakout year on the right edge.
Season highlight
Eels fans were treated to three rare NSW Cup appearances by try scoring phenomenon Maika Sivo after he returned from an ACL injury suffered last year.
From Round 11-13, Sivo staked his claim for a long-awaited NRL return by scoring six tries in three games, helping the Eels win three games on the trot before they went down 30-20 to Western Sydney rivals the Bulldogs in Round 14.
Sivo scored plenty of memorable tries in 2022, including his first four-pointer in his comeback match for the Eelsagainst Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles in Round 11. Soon after planting the ball down in the left-hand corner, the familiar ‘Sivo’ chant from the Eels faithful echoed around CommBank Stadium for the first time in more than a year.
The Fijian flyer made his NRL return in Round 14 against the Bulldogs and would go on to feature in all of Parramatta’s remaining games, including the NRL Grand Final.
During his short stint in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, Sivo was at his destructive best with the ball in hand, averaging 178 running metres, 5.3 tackle busts and 2.6 linebreaks per game.
NSW Cup Highlights | Eels v Sea Eagles - Round 11
Simply the best
New recruit Mitch Rein sits among the elite dummy halves in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition and had an outstanding season in his first year in blue and gold. After spending four years at the Titans, Rein brought a whopping 210 games of NRL experience with him and his value to the side was clear to see from the opening round.
Rein’s smarts out of dummy half, crisp passing, tireless work in defence and his ability to change momentum with a kick was one of the Eels’ key assets in 2022. His combination with Jordan Rankin was a constant threat throughout the season and proved pivotal for their success.
Rein finished the season with a record of 20 games, eight tries, six try assists, seven linebreak assists and 36 tackles per game.
Rankin, who finished the year as captain-coach after Ryan Carr was promoted to the NRL coaching staff, played at five-eighth, fullback and halfback across 21 games throughout the season. He finished as the third leading point scorer (120), including one try and 58 goals at 67%. He also had 12 try assists, 12 linebreak assists, 105 running metres per game and 114 kick metres per game.
By the numbers
The Eels had 13 wins in 2022 and finished the season in fifth position, although it’s hard to ignore they were unable to beat a side above them on the ladder.
Parramatta fell just short against eventual premiers Penrith when a 78th minute field goal from Panthers five-eighth Trent Toelau secured a 25-24 victory in Round 20, but in all other games the Eels could not overcome the Jets, Bears and Bulldogs.
While they were unable to beat any of the top sides, the Eels finished as the second-best defensive side, conceding an average of 17.6 points per game, with only the Panthers conceding less points.
