The only way is up for Parramatta after finishing last in 2018.
Five-eighth Corey Norman has departed the club but there are a number of exciting youngsters lining up to fill his boots.
Mitch Moses is still among the best halves in the NRL on his day and shapes as the man to lead Parramatta out of the cellar.
Boom teenage playmaker Dylan Brown – who the Warriors tried to poach in November – has had his contract upgraded from development squad player, to the main squad.
Blake Ferguson is a fantastic buy and will help the Eels make yardage out of their own end.
The winger is a master of the tough carry and topped the competition for run metres last season.
Shaun Lane is another adept signing who will add starch to Parramatta's second-row.
Massive prop Junior Paulo returns to the club from Canberra and will form part of a solid forward pack including Nathan Brown, Manu Ma'u, Peni Terepo and Tim Mannah.
Outside back Jarryd Hayne was not retained by Parramatta due to salary cap constraints and Hayne's legal dramas.
It's worth remembering that only two years the Eels finished fourth and looked capable of challenging for the title.
Brad Arthur is such a respected coach for a reason and won't tolerate another sub-par season.
PARRAMATTA EELS' PRE-SEASON NEWS
The Eels' pre-season started with a circus surrounding Jarryd Hayne.
The 2009 Dally M Medallist wasn't re-signed by the time Parramatta started training, prompting constant media attention regarding his future.
While the club maintained they wanted to keep Hayne, they were struggling to find room for the star under the salary cap.
The Eels withdrew interest when Hayne was charged with aggravated sexual assault in November.
Corey Norman was released to the St George Illawarra Dragons in December after months of speculation that Parramatta were shopping him around.
Young pivot Jaeman Salmon was involved in a car crash in October in which his vehicle flipped on its roof.
He was subsequently convicted of low-range drink-driving and disqualified from driving for six months.
Star recruit Blake Ferguson spent two weeks in hospital over the Christmas period after badly cutting his foot on a branch and sustaining an infection.
There were wild rumours that Ferguson had actually overdosed on drugs and the foot story was a cover-up, but that was quickly shut-down when Ferguson released a photo of his injury.
PRE-SEASON TRIALS
February 15 – Eels 20 lost to Raiders 22
March 2 – Eels 20 beat Panthers 0
PARRAMATTA EELS' 30-MAN NRL SQUAD
Dylan Brown, Reed Mahoney and Stefano Utoikamanu are named as Parramatta's development players, but Brown has already been upgraded to the main squad.
Veteran forward Beau Scott has retired, so too centre Kirisome Auva'a.
Hooker Cameron King headed to the UK after the Eels chose not to re-sign him.
| Player | Date of Birth | Height, weight | Position | NRL matches | Rep honours | |
| 1 | Andrew Davey | 29/11/1991 | 195cm, 106kg | Second-row | 0 | Nil |
| 2 | Bevan French | 4/1/1996 | 181cm, 83kg | Fullback/Wing | 47 | Indigenous All Stars |
| 3 | Blake Ferguson | 20/3/1990 | 191cm, 101kg | Wing/Centre | 192 | Australia, NSW, Indig. All Stars, Country Origin, PMXIII |
| 4 | Brad Takairangi | 14/6/1989 | 194cm, 108kg | Centre/Second-row | 145 | New Zealand, Cook Islands |
| 5 | Clinton Gutherson (co-captain) | 9/9/1994 | 190cm, 94kg | Fullback/Centre/Five-eighth | 66 | City Origin |
| 6 | Daniel Alvaro | 28/5/1993 | 190cm, 108kg | Prop | 19 | Italy, Country Origin |
| 7 | David Gower | 30/9/1985 | 190cm, 105kg | Second-row | 102 | City Origin |
| 8 | George Jennings | 9/6/1993 | 185cm, 94kg | Wing | 25 | Tonga |
| 9 | Gregory Leleisiuao | 4/4/1997 | 180cm, 99kg | Wing | 0 | Nil |
| 10 | Jaeman Salmon | 4/1/1999 | 186cm, 92kg | Five-eighth | 5 | Nil |
| 11 | Josh Hoffman | 10/3/1988 | 183cm, 89kg | Fullback | 179 | New Zealand, Indigenous All Stars |
| 12 | Junior Paulo | 20/11/1993 | 188cm, 123kg | Prop | 88 | Samoa |
| 13 | Kane Evans | 9/1/1992 | 199cm, 110kg | Prop | 82 | Fiji, World All Stars, City Origin |
| 14 | Kaysa Pritchard | 5/5/1994 | 175cm, 88kg | Hooker | 47 | Samoa |
| 15 | Maika Sivo | 3/10/1993 | 186cm, 105kg | Wing | 0 | Nil |
| 16 | Manu Ma'u | 24/8/1988 | 184cm, 103kg | Second-row | 95 | New Zealand, Tonga |
| 17 | Marata Niukore | 29/7/1996 | 188cm, 102kg | Second-row | 14 | Cook Islands |
| 18 | Michael Jennings | 20/4/1988 | 180cm, 96kg | Centre | 259 | Australia, Tonga, NSW, NRL All Stars, City Origin, PMXIII |
| 19 | Mitchell Moses | 16/9/1994 | 182cm, 85kg | Five-eighth | 105 | Lebanon, World All Stars, PMXIII |
| 20 | Nathan Brown | 1/3/1993 | 185cm, 107kg | Prop | 69 | Italy, City Origin |
| 21 | Oregon Kaufusi | 20/8/1999 | (Not listed) | Prop | 2 | Nil |
| 22 | Peni Terepo | 21/11/1991 | 186cm, 106kg | Prop | 101 | Tonga |
| 23 | Raymond Stone | 6/6/1997 | 180cm, 95kg | Lock | 1 | Nil |
| 24 | Shaun Lane | 29/11/1994 | 198cm, 110kg | Second-row | 48 | Nil |
| 25 | Tepai Moeroa | 2/10/1995 | 190cm, 112kg | Second-row | 90 | World All Stars, PMXIII |
| 26 | Tim Mannah (co-captain) | 15/2/1988 | 184cm, 110kg | Prop | 223 | Lebanon, NSW, City Origin, PMXIII |
| 27 | William Smith | 3/7/1992 | 178cm, 84kg | Fullback | 48 | Indig. All Stars |
| 28 | TBC | - | - | - | - | - |
| 29 | TBC | - | - | - | - | - |
| 30 | TBC | - | - | - | - | - |
COACH: Brad Arthur
Additions: Junior Paulo (Canberra Raiders), Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters), Shaun Lane (Manly Sea Eagles), Andrew Davey (Townsville Blackhawks), Maika Sivo (Penrith Panthers), Oregon Kaufusi, Raymond Stone
Losses: Beau Scott (retired), Kirisome Auva'a (retired), Cam King (Featherstone Rovers), Jack Morris (unsigned), Jarryd Hayne (unsigned), Nathan Davis (unsigned), Siosaia Vave (unsigned), Tony Williams (unsigned)
Re-signed: Daniel Alvaro (2019), Nathan Brown (2021), David Gower (2019), George Jennings (2019), Kaysa Pritchard (2019), Will Smith (2020), Peni Terepo (2019)
Off-contract beyond 2019: Daniel Alvaro, Andrew Davey, Bevan French, David Gower, Clinton Gutherson, Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Greg Leleisiuao, Manu Ma'u, Reed Mahoney, Tim Mannah, Tepai Moeroa, Mitchell Moses, Kaysa Pritchard, Brad Takairangi, Peni Terepo, Stefano Utoikamanu
PARRAMATTA EELS' BETTING ODDS
At $41 (via TAB on 20/2/19), the Eels are equal second-last in the betting to win the 2019 premiership. It would be their first title since 1986.
Fullback Clint Gutherson is rated as Parra's best chance of taking out the Dally M Medal, coming in at $51.
The Eels are $4.75 to make the top eight, $10 to finish in the top four and $4.50 to suffer the most losses.
PARRAMATTA EELS' 2019 DRAW
Games played on
Thursday: 2
Friday: 5
Saturday: 8
Sunday: 8
Monday: 1
Teams they play twice
Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders, Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights, St George Illawarra Dragons, Brisbane Broncos, Manly Sea Eagles
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue |
| 1 | Sunday 17 March 4:05pm | Penrith Panthers | Panthers Stadium |
| 2 | Sunday 24 March 4:05pm | Canterbury Bulldogs | ANZ Stadium |
| 3 | Friday 29 March 7:55pm | Sydney Roosters | ANZ Stadium |
| 4 | Saturday 6 April 7:35pm | Cronulla Sharks | ANZ Stadium |
| 5 | Sunday 14 April 6:10pm | Canberra Raiders | GIO Stadium |
| 6 | Monday 22 April 4:00pm | Wests Tigers | Bankwest Stadium |
| 7 | Sunday 28 April 4:05pm | Newcastle Knights | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 8 | Sunday 5 May 4:05pm | St George Illawarra Dragons | Bankwest Stadium |
| 9 | Saturday 11 May 7:35pm | Melbourne Storm | Suncorp Stadium |
| 10 | Saturday 18 May 5:30pm | North Queensland Cowboys | 1300SMILES Stadium |
| 11 | Thursday 23 May 7:50pm | Penrith Panthers | Bankwest Stadium |
| 12 | Friday 31 May 7:55pm | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Bankwest Stadium |
| 13 | Saturday 8 June 5:30pm | Cronulla Sharks | Shark Park |
| 14 | Saturday 15 June 7:35pm | Brisbane Broncos | Bankwest Stadium |
| 15 | Saturday 29 June 7:35pm | Canberra Raiders | TIO Stadium |
| 16 | BYE | – | – |
| 17 | Sunday 14 July 4:05pm | Wests Tigers | Bankwest Stadium |
| 18 | Sunday 21 July 4:05pm | Manly Sea Eagles | Lottoland |
| 19 | Saturday 27 July 3:00pm | New Zealand Warriors | Bankwest Stadium |
| 20 | Sunday 4 August 4:05pm | St George Illawarra | Jubilee Stadium |
| 21 | Saturday 10 August 5:30pm | Newcastle Knights | Bankwest Stadium |
| 22 | Friday 16 August 6:00pm | Gold Coast Titans | Cbus Super Stadium |
| 23 | Thursday 22 August 7:50pm | Canterbury Bulldogs | Bankwest Stadium |
| 24 | Friday 30 August 7:55pm | Brisbane Broncos | Suncorp Stadium |
| 25 | Friday 6 September 6:00pm | Manly Sea Eagles | Bankwest Stadium |
It's a big year for...
Mitch Moses.
After a stellar 2017 and a promising World Cup campaign for Lebanon under the guidance of Brad Fittler, Moses entered last season among the contenders for the NSW halfback position.
Moses finished the year surrounded by rumours that Parramatta were attempting to offload him to another club, so average was his form.
At his peak, Moses is in a class of his own for creativity and playmaking skill.
But at his worst, the 24-year-old is barely sighted on the field and fails to take any control of his side's attack.
With Corey Norman gone, Moses will be given more responsibility in 2019.
If he uses that to his advantage and fires again, expect the Eels to rocket back up the ladder.
MEMBERSHIP AND TICKETING
As of 15/1/19, the Eels had 19,718 members committed for the 2019 season – over 3,000 more than the same time 12 months prior.
Parramatta finished with 25,145 members in 2018.
Membership packages can be viewed here.
General tickets for the season are available here.
