Parramatta eye best start in club history

Parramatta are on the verge of equalling their best ever start to an NRL season after winning their opening four games for the first time since 1989.

The Eels face local-rivals Penrith at Bankwest Stadium on Friday night, where they can go 5-0 for just the third time in their history.

If they do so, it will equal the club’s best ever start to a season, having won the premiership on the other two occasions they reached that milestone in 1983 and 1986.

It comes after Brad Arthur’s side narrowly held on to beat Manly 19-16 on Saturday night in controversial fashion, with the NRL admitting the Sea Eagles were wrongly denied a try on full-time.

“It’s nice for our fans but we just need to repeat our attitude and mentality,” coach Brad Arthur said.

“We’ve got to be able to repeat that over and over.

“But it’s a good thing. The work we have done in the pre-season has obviously helped and shows their mindset.

“In terms of our attitude and mentality, that’s the priority for us right now. We’ve still got a long way to go.”

Saturday night’s match shaped as a real litmus test for the Eels.

Albeit impressive in the opening three rounds, their initial victories had come against the struggling Canterbury, Gold Coast and Brisbane.

But the win over Manly showed the hallmarks of a team ready to challenge in 2020.

They held out the Sea Eagles while they were on the front foot for the majority of the final 20 minutes, and were then rewarded with a slice of luck late.

The result means the Eels have still conceded just five tries in the opening four rounds, with their growing premiership threat built on defence.

“We wanted to be physical, I thought both teams were physical,” Arthur said.

“We kept turning up and scambling, and the tries they did sore they had to get to the last tackle to score them.”

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