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Penrith are using Parramatta for home games this season and their dynasty is showing signs of decay that brought the Eels’ blue and golden era to an abrupt end in 1987.
The Panthers last year bettered Parra’s 1980s dynasty when they registered their fourth straight premiership.
Just like the Eels of 38 years ago, their dominance is in danger of coming to a shuddering halt after losing four straight matches within the opening five rounds.
Parra lost three of their first four to kick off their winter of discontent in ‘87 and never threatened for the title as they finished with a 12-12 record to sit seventh in the 13-team competition.
Their halcyon era of four titles in six seasons was over.
There had been an expected drop-off following the retirement of club legends Ray Price and Michael Cronin after the 4-2 grand final win over Canterbury but with a star signing in Maroons forward Bob Lindner and Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny and Steve Ella in their prime, expectations were still high.
John Monie had proved the previous year that he could take the Eels all the way after supercoach Jack Gibson produced the first three for the club.
Injuries played a factor – Ella (two), Eric Grothe (eight) and prop Geoff Bugden (six) barely played while Kenny (14) and Lindner (13) also missed plenty of time.
Of the 13 returning members of their premiership-winning side, only Sterling (20), hooker Michael Moseley (18), back-rowers Mark Laurie (20), John Muggleton (19) and Peter Wynn (24) and winger Tony Chalmers (18) played a high percentage of matches.
Parramatta’s 1986 champions the following year
| Paul Taylor | 11 games |
| Mick Delroy | 12 |
| Michael Cronin | retired |
| Steve Ella | 2 |
| Eric Grothe | 8 |
| Brett Kenny | 14 |
| Peter Sterling | 20 |
| Ray Price | retired |
| John Muggleton | 19 |
| Mark Laurie | 20 |
| Terry Leabeater | 13 |
| Michael Moseley | 18 |
| Geoff Bugden | 6 |
| Peter Wynn | 24 |
| Tony Chalmers | 18 |
And just like the Panthers of today who have Nathan Cleary calling the shots, those Eels had the services of the best halfback in the game.
Sterling’s ‘87 season was his finest individual campaign even if the team fell apart around him.
The four-time premiership-winner (just like Cleary) turned 27 that winter (same age as Cleary now) and produced high-quality performances with monotonous regularity.
There was a famous clash with Eastern Suburbs in which Sterling set up three tries while bagging a hat-trick of his own which convinced the old Rugby League Week magazine to dust off a rare 10 out of 10 for their player ratings such was his singlehanded effort in carrying the Eels to victory.
Peter Sterling playing for Parramatta 1984.(Photo by Getty Images)
Sterling finished the year with RLW’s player of the year award to go along with his Dally M Medal and Rothman’s Medal as the undisputed king of the competition.
He should be the game’s next Immortal. Cameron Smith, Darren Lockyer and their generation can wait a few more years.
But even the greatest of champion players can only carry a team so far.
Which brings us to the 15th-placed Panthers of 2025.
Like Cronin and Price, they farewelled two of the most important members of their dynastic run after hoisting the grand final trophy high with Jarome Luai taking the short trip to the Wests Tigers and James Fisher-Harris returning to his homeland with the Warriors.
Injuries are also starting to play a part – Cleary has been hampered by shoulder and hamstring problems the past couple of seasons with a concussion proving costly in recent weeks.
Dylan Edwards has missed time with a groin problem, Brian To’o is out with a hamstring problem, Scott Sorensen has been in and out of the line-up and Mitch Kenny now has a bung shoulder.
None of these recent injuries have been serious but the players who have borne the brunt of the lengthy premiership-winning seasons plus the added burden of rep footy have a fatigue factor to overcome that most of their rivals in the other 16 clubs are not encountering.
Ivan Cleary has been playing the long game with young gun Blaize Talagi, giving him just one NRL appearance off the bench against Melbourne in his first five weeks since they pried him away from Parramatta.
Blaize Talagi. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Talagi will finally get to wear the No.6 jersey alongside Nathan Cleary when Penrith travel to Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night to duel with the Dolphins, who had been similarly disappointing this season before their emphatic win over Gold Coast last Saturday.
A 1-4 start does not mean your finals campaign is over by any stretch of the imagination but Penrith’s chances of an all-important top-four berth by season’s end are slipping.
With Edwards, Cleary, Isaiah Yeo, Liam Martin and To’o certainties to be in the NSW side if fit come Origin time, the next five games are crucial before the rep season intervenes, interferes and potentially incinerates the Cat Empire in Sydney’s West.
Penrith play just one “home” match in that stretch at CommBank Stadium in Round 8 against the Sea Eagles either side of their road games against the Dolphins and Roosters, and a Magic Round clash with Brisbane on the Broncos’ patch and a trip further north to face the Cowboys.
They are still a long way off the fate that befell the Eels nearly 40 years ago and time is on their side to turn it all around but the clock is very much ticking.