Current Cowboys coach Neil Henry is the $1.80 favourite with online bookmaker Sportsbet to take over from the departing Ricky Stuart at the Eels next season.
Henry heads the betting to get the most poisoned of chalices in the NRL from Jason Taylor ($4.00) with the pair having attracted similar punter support to get the job.
Trent Barrett ($9.00), Daniel Anderson ($12) and Tim Sheens ($12) round out the top five in the market. Former Eels coach Brian Smith has been opened at $15, with current Eels assistants Dean Pay and Matt Parish both $51 outsiders.
NSW coach Laurie Daley has attracted a $1 bet at odds of $67, David Furner has had $2 bet on him at the same odds, while Stephen Kearney hasn’t attracted a bet yet and remains a $101 shot.
“Aside from the $1 and $2 bets on the candidates at massive odds, the punters have it as a two-horse race between Neil Henry and Jason Taylor, with Henry just in front,” Sportsbet’s Ben Hawes said.
With Stuart heading to the Nation’s Capital, sportsbet.com.au has opened a market on total 2014 season wins for the Raiders, setting the line at 10.5. Under 10.5 wins is the $1.80 favourite.
Next Parramatta Eels coach
$1.80 Neil Henry
$4.00 Jason Taylor
$9.00 Trent Barrett
$12 Daniel Anderson
$12 Tim Sheens
$15 Brad Arthur
$15 Brian Smith
$19 Paul Green
$23 Rick Stone
$26 Justin Morgan
$51 Matt Parish
$51 Dean Pay
$51 Michael Hagan
$67 Kevin Walters
$67 David Furner
$67 Laurie Daley
$81 Nathan Brown
$101 Stephen Kearney
Total wins by Canberra in 2014
$1.80 Under 10.5
$2.00 Over 2.5