Direct answer: Chris Phelan, a former Parramatta Eels premiership-winning forward, has passed away in May 2026 at age 70. The club has publicly announced his death and is honoring him with black armbands in the upcoming match.
Key details:
- Premiership history: Phelan was part of Parramatta’s 1982 and 1983 premiership-winning teams. He also earlier won titles with Souths Magpies and represented Queensland in State of Origin during the early 1980s.
- Cause and context: Reported to have died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The Eels expressed their condolences to his family and teammates.
- Club response: Parramatta Eels announced the death, paid tribute to his contributions, and will wear black armbands in recognition during the team’s next game.
If you’d like, I can assemble a brief timeline of Phelan’s career highlights and provide a short tribute note suitable for fans or a club bulletin.
Sources
Parramatta Eels premiership winner Chris Phelan died aged 70 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, the club said on Tuesday. The former Queensland State of Origin forward was part of Parramatta’s 1982 and 1983 title teams and played 53 games for the club from 1982 to 1984.His death removes one of t…
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www.nswrl.com.auThe Parramatta Eels are deeply saddened by the passing of Chris Phelan, a member of the club’s 1982 and 1983 Premiership-winning teams.
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www.sportingnews.comA summary of the career stats for Immensely strong for his size, Townsville forward Chris Phelan was playing for Souths Brisbane when he first represented Queensland in 1981. Brisbane's Rothmans Medal winner that year Phelan signed with defending premiers P’matta in 1982 but had to sit out the start of the season while Queensland waged a battle with the Eels over his transfer fee. He was used as a prop in the Eels' two grand final wins over Manly in 1982-83 but moved to the second row in the...
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