The Parramatta Eels were founded in 1947 and played their first rugby game on 12 April of the same year. A crowd of about 6000 turned out for the Eels first competition game against Newtown at Cumberland Oval, which is now the site of Parramatta Stadium.
The Eels’ first competition success came in 1964 with a Third Grade Premiership. The Club struggled with results until the 1975 season when Norm Provan coached the First Grade team to the semi-finals and Terry Fearnley’s Reserve Grade team won the Reserve Grade competition.