Eels just wanna have fun says Widders

Former Parramatta star Dean Widders says he recognises something very familiar in the Eels of 2014 – they are a team simply having fun.

A veteran of three NRL finals campaigns over his five-season, 112-game career with the Blue and Golds, including their minor premiership season of 2005, Widders believes the Eels are always at their best when they are enjoying themselves.

“They have done it plenty of times in the past and I was out there last week and you can just see there is a really happy feeling amongst the playing group,” Widders told AAP.

“Obviously they are producing some good form on the field and their confidence is growing every week, they have some young guys, guys like Pauli Pauli, in the group whose name will grow in the coming years into big names.”

Widders said co-captain Jarryd Hayne’s maturation into a leadership role had been crucial in the Eels’ development.

“The confidence they have with Jarryd Hayne there who people are recognising as the best in the world, when you have someone like that in your team, it gives you someone to watch at training, someone to watch in the gym, and see how they hold themselves and Hayne seems to have grown into that leader,” said Widders, whose nine-year NRL career also spanned stints at the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney.

“It is going to rub off on the next generation of players.

“I think they will make the eight and they can get some momentum and win some games from the bottom of the eight, they have put their hand up to do that.

“It may be a mountain too high to win it but in saying that they will back themselves that they can beat any team.

“They are really enjoying their success, obviously (coach) Brad Arthur has had a lot to do with that

“They look mentally fresh, which is a good thing this time of year, and ready to go.”

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