Culnane said the disappointment was still hanging over him when he returned to work yesterday following his Parramatta side’s heart-breaking 19-14 loss to the Penrith Panthers in Sunday’s Jersey Flegg grand final.

The Eels led 10-0 after 13 minutes at Telstra Stadium and held a 14-12 advantage nearing full-time before Penrith fullback Jarrod Sammut shattered the Parramatta side with his individual brilliance in the dying stages.

Sammut, who starred for the Panthers NRL outfit towards the end of the regular season, scored a brilliant try with five minutes remaining then sealed the five-point triumph with a late field goal.

“It is very disappointing still, especially knowing how close the boys were,” the amiable Culnane said.

“They just had to hang on for that last couple of minutes.”

The coach said watching the final minutes unfold was agonising, especially after Sammut had hurt his Eels side throughout the season.

“I was watching the clock but I know from experience the closer you look at it, the longer it takes,” Culnane said.

“It was hard, it was a player [Sammut] we had seen before, he did almost the exact same thing to us back in round 17 [when the Panthers beat the Eels 8-4].

“We knew it was coming, we just couldn’t stop it. But he is a very good player that kid, that’s why he got his chance in the NRL.”

Culnane revealed the mood among his young team was somewhat sombre during their Mad Monday celebrations, a stark contrast to his 2006 experience when the Bathurst product coached the Eels to the Premier League title.

Again, the match was a thriller at Telstra Stadium but Culnane’s men came out on top when half-back Marcus Perenara slotted a field-goal in golden point extra-time to snatch a 20-19 triumph.

“I’m disappointed for the boys because I know what they have all gone through to get to this point,” Culnane said.

“The effort they put in, both physically and mentally, is huge. They start training hard in November and that doesn’t subside until grand final week [in late September].

“But as I said to the boys after the game, it is tough for them but most of them will have bigger days.

“A few of them play in the junior Kangaroos and a lot will play NRL next year or the year after, so they all have plenty to look forward to.”

For Culnane, the season added another chapter to his ever-growing and impressive rugby league resume in a sport where he shone as both a player and now coach.

A former grade player with the Sydney Roosters, the St Stanislaus’ College product coached St Dominics to the Arrive Alive Cup in 2003 and took the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges to the Australian Schools Rugby League title in 2005.

And after twin grand finals with the Eels’ Premier League and Jersey Flegg squad, the 40-year-old’s next challenge will be as assistant coach to Matt Cameron as Parramatta mount their assault for the new under 20s premiership title.

But before he does, Culnane said his main priority is spending more time with his wife Leanne and their one-month old son Connor.

The 40-year-old still has close ties to Bathurst and also admitted the chance to return home and see his family and friends is one he can’t wait for.