Recruited from Glenorchy, while still a schoolboy, young Rodney Eade made his VFL debut for the Hawthorn Football Club as an 18-year-old.

[13] In the 1998 season, Sydney improved to third on the ladder and defeated St Kilda in the qualifying finals, before losing to eventual premiers Adelaide in the semi-finals.

In the 1999 season, Sydney finished in eighth spot on the ladder, and were eliminated in the qualifying finals after losing to Essendon by 69 points.

Following a sudden downturn during the 2007 season in which the team finished thirteenth, Eade's job was in jeopardy; the club ultimately chose not to fire him, but limited his expansive duties.

Following a big loss to Essendon by 49 points in Round 21, 2011, it was announced on 17 August 2011 that Eade's contract would not be renewed at the conclusion of the 2011 season.

[36][37][38] Eade's first year as senior coach, in the 2015 season, was largely unsuccessful as the Gold Coast Suns finished sixteenth on the ladder with four wins and seventeen losses.

After round 20 of the 2017 season, as the Suns sat in fifteenth place with three games remaining, Eade was told his contract would not be renewed.

On his debut Eade scored 31*, sharing a match saving partnership with future Australian Test cricketer Roger Woolley.