Parramatta legend Nathan Hindmarsh says former coach Ricky Stuart deserves some credit for refreshing the Eels roster, which has seen them re-emerge this year as an NRL finals contender.
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Hindmarsh also insisted that Parramatta players would not be driven by revenge when they face their former coach for the first time on Saturday, in Darwin.
Before quitting the Eels one year into a three-season deal, Stuart undertook an infamous clean out of Parramatta's playing roster. But Hindmarsh said Stuart also needed to be acknowledged for luring recruits Corey Norman and Nathan Peats to the club before his acrimonious departure to the Raiders.
"Ricky brought in those players,'' Hindmarsh said. "Unfortunately for Peatsy, he's out with a knee injury, but beforehand he was playing some great footy.
"There's got to be a bit of credit in signing those players.''
Hindmarsh has no doubt that aggrieved Eels fans would have ensured a hostile return for Stuart had the match been scheduled for Parramatta Stadium.
Taking the game to Darwin was locked in before Stuart's decision to leave Parramatta for Canberra. But Hindmarsh insisted the ninth-placed Eels would be solely focused on securing a finals berth a year after back-to-back spoons.
"That's all over and done with,'' Hindmarsh said. "I wasn't there when [Stuart] was coaching the Eels, but they're professional rugby league players and their job is to concentrate on playing footy.
"This type of stuff is more a fan's issue than a player's issue. If it was at Parra, I'd dare say the fans would come out and be pretty vocal.''
Hindmarsh played under Brad Arthur in late 2012, when he replaced sacked coach Steve Kearney on an interim basis.
He said Arthur had instilled self-belief in the players that they could compete with the NRL heavyweights.
"They've got the confidence and belief in themselves they needed that they can win footy games. A lot of that has come down to Brad and his coaching staff,'' Hindmarsh said.
"When I was there I liked the honesty he showed. He doesn't settle for anything less than a good performance and is one of the most thorough coaches I've seen in a long time.''
Hindmarsh finished with the wooden spoon in his final season at Parramatta in 2012 and he expects the Raiders to be motivated to avoid it.
"I've been there, done that, and it's a huge motivator to try not to get it,'' Hindmarsh said.
"That goes down in the history books and unfortunately it's been with the Eels the last couple of years. Thankfully that's changed."
Fellow Eels great Brett Kenny also said Parramatta players would have moved on from the Stuart coaching saga.
"It might have been different if it was the first round and it was still fresh, but it's such a long time ago and they [Eels] are doing well at the moment,'' Kenny said. "The decision was made 12 months ago and that's the way it is.''
Stuart faces a similar roster clean out at the struggling Raiders, who are equal last with Cronulla and in danger of a first wooden spoon since 1982.
SATURDAY
NRL round 22: Parramatta Eels v Canberra Raiders at TIO Stadium, Darwin, 8.30pm (AEST)
TV Time: Live on Fox Sports 1
