Denis Fitzgerald

Who is Denis Fitzgerald?

Denis William Fitzgerald, AM, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and former Chief Executive Officer of the Parramatta Eels.

As a player, Fitzgerald played mainly as a prop but was atypically tall and lean for his position. Though a strong scrummager and a tireless defender Fitzgerald preferred to run wide where he could be a dangerous attacking force. Remarkably he was Parramatta's leading pointscorer in 1974 from nine tries alone - proof of their weakness in goalkicking. Fitzgerald's great uncles were Australian Rugby League players Bill Farnsworth & Viv Farnsworth.

Fitzgerald first played first grade in 1970 and the following year his finely-contrasted partnership with Bob O'Reilly saw them rise from last to the final four. Fitzgerald was rewarded with selection for New South Wales. In the following years, however, the Eels returned to the bottom of the table and Fitzgerald's form was erratic, but during the Eels' surge to the finals late in 1975 his form was too good for the international selectors to ignore. After returning to the New South Wales side earlier, Fitzgerald played in the World Cup that year and again in 1977.