League: Kearney's Eels on the verge of great things - Mannah

Parramatta prop Tim Mannah believes coach Stephen Kearney can turn Parramatta into a Melbourne Storm-like juggernaut. Photo / Getty Images

Parramatta prop Tim Mannah believes coach Stephen Kearney is only 12 months into a three-year mission to turn Parramatta into a Melbourne Storm-like juggernaut.

According to Mannah, Kearney spent much of his first full season at the Eels trying to instil a new culture at the club in a bid to bring them their first NRL premiership since the 1980s glory days.

And while the results on the field never materialised - the Eels narrowly avoided the wooden spoon with a last-round victory over Gold Coast - Mannah points to the age-old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day".

"Definitely, 100 per cent. It takes time to build great things," Mannah told AAP.

"Last year, the new coaches stamped what they want to achieve and started a new culture through our club.

"I think we're building on that this year and I think the longer we go with this coaching staff and with this structure, the stronger the club will be."

Kearney came to Parramatta as one of rugby league's most sought after coaches, having served an apprenticeship under Craig Bellamy at Melbourne and achieved considerable success with the New Zealand national team.

Mannah said Kearney's mantra was to create a Storm-like culture at the Eels - from the bottom up.

"Anyone that knows what is going on at Parra knows the work that Steve Kearney and his staff are putting in," Mannah explains.

"They realise that he is building a new club - he's building a new culture.

"He's cleaning up from the juniors all the way through to the NRL and it's exciting.

"As a player, you see what is going on at the club and you get excited about the potential we have for the future.

"It all started a year ago from when he first came. We've just got to make sure we keep working on the culture he is trying to build and keep believing in each other.

"All you have to do is look at how successful Melbourne have been over the past decade and you realise how lucky we are to having coaching staff like that.

"These structures have been successful before at Melbourne and, if you stick to the plan, the sky is the limit in the future."

But Kearney isn't the only clipboard holder drilling that message into Mannah and his teammates, with assistant coach Brad Arthur another former Bellamy student.

Arthur has taken the reins to start the pre-season while Kearney is on Four Nations duty with the Kiwis in England.

"We call (Arthur) Sergeant Slaughter sometimes - he can be really tough. But that's what we need," Mannah said.

"He'll be great for us to help get our discipline right and work on the areas we need to work on.

"Apparently, he's really similar to Bellamy. He's really sharp and thorough.

"He's been great for our club. He's helped us change a lot in our discipline mainly.

"He doesn't let shortcuts go unnoticed and that's something we really need as a club."

- AAP