As he gets ready for life at St George Illawarra, Clint Gutherson has paid tribute to his time at the Parramatta Eels and replied to a heartfelt note from former teammate Dylan Brown.
Just two years after leading the Eels to the 2022 NRL grand final, Gutherson shockingly left the Eels for a three-year contract with the Dragons at the end of the season. New coach Jason Ryles did not promise the former captain a starting fullback position in 2025.
Though he is excited to play his old teammates for the first time in 2025, Gutherson has nothing but respect for his old club, where he played 206 games in nine seasons, despite the way he left.
He remarked, “They’re a great club.”
We are at this point, and I am looking forward to what lies ahead. They will be moving forward as well, and I am here right now.
“Obviously, many of my close friends are still there, and you just want to catch up with them.” You want to participate in those games, the major ones, and they won’t be any different.
Several players have paid respect to Gutherson’s impact at the Eels since his departure, with Dylan Brown stating that they had “lost the heartbeat of the club.”
Brown told Code Sports, “Gutho being our captain is not just a hard person to fill, but obviously a hard role to fill as well.”
“There are undoubtedly players there who are capable of doing just that. However, many have claimed that our club has lost its soul, and he was somewhat responsible for that.
But in Guth’s own words, “move or you rust,” I believe.
Gutherson was moved when he was asked about Brown’s homage, but he also used the occasion to poke fun at his former teammate’s earnestness.
He laughed and said, “It’s likely that Dylan doesn’t even remember how I look.”
But really, knowing that you left something there is special, and you always want to leave the team and a jersey in a better state.
“I’ve done my job if I’ve done that.”
