05/10/2009 11:32 AM
They have suffered through two grand final defeats together, but Parramatta stalwarts Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke Burt and Nathan Cayless refuse to give up on their dream of capturing that elusive premiership.
No-one took Parramatta's 23-16 loss to Melbourne in Sunday night's decider harder than the veteran trio, the only surviving members from the 2001 team steamrolled by Newcastle.
"I am very disappointed we didn't win. It's an empty feeling," Hindmarsh told Sportal.
"There is a big build-up then nothing at the end of it."
"That's the second time now for me and it's not any easier to handle."
"I want to win one more than anything but if it isn't to be, it isn't to be."
"I've got three more years to try and do it and there is no reason we can't be up there next year."
"We can take a lot of this game and hopefully continue on into next season."
Burt confirmed he would be part of Parramatta's future despite speculation he may have been on his way had the Eels won the decider.
The goalkicking winger found it impossible to split the disappointment of 2001 from 2009.
"They are just as hard as each other. It's pretty shattering knowing we were a chance to win both games and came away with nothing," he said.
"I've got another four or five years left in me and you don't know when you're next chance will be."
"But this isn't the end of it. We will be back next year and we'll use the pain and experience of this to hopefully go one better."
Asked if this defeat was more painful than 2001, Cayless replied: "They all hurt. It's a dream to win a grand final - this probably makes you realise how hard it is."
The Eels' hopes of making it to back-to-back grand finals will be significantly boosted with the arrival of dual international Timana Tahu and representative forwards Shane Shackleton and Justin Poore next year.
"We've got some quality players coming and that will strengthen the side further," Hindmarsh said.
"There is no reason why we can't be as good as we were at the back-end of this season."
"We can definitely be up there challenging again."
Burt added: "You've got the young guys killing it and these other guys coming to the club so the future is bright."
"We just need to realise that we can get here and maybe make our run a bit earlier in the season."