Arthur backed to fix Parra

BRAD Arthur will be given unprecedented support, expertise and structures to transform Parramatta into a consistent premiership force.Three months after announcing a top-to-toe examination of the Eels’ football department, CEO Bernie Gurr has revealed the critical outcome of the review which included 162 interviews of players, coaches, board and management.The Eels board ordered the independent review amid their woeful 2018 season which ended with the club’s third wooden spoon in eight years.The review ultimately supported Arthur’s tenure as head coach for next season, however it identified a number of deficiencies within the football department structure which, as a result, has triggered a major overhaul of how the club recruits, develops and coaches its players from NRL down to elite-level under-16s.The wide-reaching revamp will ensure that no longer will the blue and gold army have any excuses for failure.THE REVIEWLeadership expert and consultant Shane McCurry was charged with conducting the review.“The review was done because when you go from 16th to eighth and eighth to 16th, we had to sharpen our lens on the footy department,’’ Gurr told The Telegraph.“It covered all areas of the footy department, NRL, ISP, 20s, 18s, 16s and Tarsha Gale (women’s).“It covered recruitment, salary cap, player roster management and the junior leagues — so that we can have a best practice high performance football department.“We want a sustainable, competitive, successful NRL team and a vital part of that is head coaching.“This is to give Brad and his coaching staff and our players the tools to be successful.“No one wins a comp every year, but you want to get to that Storm, Roosters-like level of consistency.’’THE CHANGESThe Eels have reacted immediately to the review, appointing Mark O’Neill in a newly created role as general manager of football.O’Neill’s task is diverse and demanding, charged with ensuring the high performance of the club in every facet, reporting to Gurr, working in recruitment and roster management with Arthur, while also overseeing the club’s entire football program.“He’ll take pressure off Brad, he’ll take pressure of me and he’ll be the one day-to-day enforcing high performance best practice,’’ Gurr said.A full-time junior coaching co-ordinator “for the 20s, 18, 16s and Tarsha Gale with a direct line to Brad” will also be appointed next week, while another key inclusion for the Eels will be a new head of recruitment.The in-depth role will be separate to that of current recruitment manager Peter Sharp, who will focus specifically on NRL talent.“The review has confirmed we need to be more sophisticated in our recruitment,’’ Gurr said.We need to get more data-centric and more analytical in how we go about recruitment. It’s not Moneyball, but it’s touching on it.“We’ll have a centralised database that gives a consistency in our evaluation of players.“The reality is, since 2009, the club has been basically been in turmoil.“And last year showed, particularly in a more competitive competition, we need to update our recruitment processes.’’BYE BYE WENTYThe Eels’ 12-year relationship with reserve grade feeder-club the Wentworthville Magpies in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership competition will conclude at the end of next season.The Eels will field their own Parramatta ISP team in 2020.“The review confirmed that Parramatta needs to be a development club, that’s our DNA,’’ Gurr said.“Not unlike the Panthers, who are a development club, or the Broncos and Cowboys.“If we’re going to be a legitimate development club, we want to have a cradle-to-grade scenario where you come in at 16s, 20s, reserve grade and NRL, you put on the blue and gold. We’re one club, one logo.’’EEL OR NO DEAL?Separate to the review findings is a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding several of the club’s most important pieces of their 2019 puzzle, including Mitchell Moses, Corey Norman and Jarryd Hayne.Coupled with that is the club’s desire to promote young forward Stefano Utoikamanu 18, explosive winger Greg Leleisiuao, 21, and hooker Kyle Schneider, 18, who if they impress in the preseason can push for NRL selection.Both on-contract next season, halves Moses and Norman have been continually linked to rival clubs.Asked if they would both be at preseason training on November 1, Gurr said: “Yes. At the moment, our position is, they’re contracted they’ll be here next year.’’Hayne remains without a deal for 2019 and has 22 days before he’s a free agent.“We’d like to keep him, no question,’’ Gurr said. “We’re about to talk to him to see what he wants to do.’’

People are not blaming Arthur one bit for 2018, when he should be getting half of the blame. yes the players are of fault on and off the field, yet who brought them to the club and is enforcing a culture over a 5 year period of time? yes there some culture incidents that are out of his control, but if thats the case a punishment of sorts should be justified, Melbourne style, yet nothing was done. People don't want a new coach cause it will be a 2-3 year rebuild, well newsflash this a 2-3 year rebuild, in other words its a knock down rebuild from the person who built the previous, if he was doing a terrific job then he wouldn't have to rebuild surely. Happy to be proven wrong, but flaws Arthur had coming out of 2017 showed strongly this year and I'm not confident he can regain it.

A good assistant is needed, yet will he sign a good assistant knowing full well if he performs poorly that good assistant will takeover? no, doubt he would do that, as if he would get like a Trent Barrett helping him.

"Wonder if Matt Arthur was still with us if Ryley would have had the chance to show us how much of a gem he is...funny how things work for the best at times."

"Hope Sam continues where he left off...he is a star in the making. Can't remember the last time I've missed a new rookie as much (ooops apart from Ryley last week)"

"Relief! Wished it was longer. This guy is gonna be our backbone full of energy spirited and tough.
cant believe work we've done in recruiting and in back ups too, compared to this time last year our squad is entirely remade. Couple to go and…"

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This reply was deleted.
- ParraTime October 10, 2018 at 10:40am
  
  I think as a person, we all like and respect him. His work ethic, his love for Parra, and his desire to see us succeed cannot be question. The only issue, does he have it to lead us to the big dance and win it?
  
  I'm still on the fence with him, I'd like to see what he can do with all the support that every top coach is afforded, but also, can we take the risk of another failure year?
  
  I honestly can't decide.
- KENDOZA October 10, 2018 at 11:10am
  
  Let's hope they promote these kids coming through.
- carrion October 10, 2018 at 7:18pm
  
  I do not like BA. Pretender
Clintorian October 10, 2018 at 12:25pm

Our attack has been dreadful under BA during his tenure (defence not much better). We have two capable and talented halves who we're paying a premium for but are struggling to perform and both look like they have absolutely no idea what to do close to the opposition line...

How can you not connect those dots and find either a halves coach or an attacking specific coach to help Arthur get value out of them both and provide direction??? That should be a priority considering how much we're paying both players compared to the rest of the team.
fake midget pseudoachondroplasia October 10, 2018 at 3:50pm

The review did say something about specialised coached didn't it. Hopefully the halves get the help they clearly need.
- Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown > fake midget pseudoachondroplasia October 10, 2018 at 4:19pm
  
  FM you have to admit its very worrying that we needed a review to come to the basic conclusions that all the better clubs came to decades ago.
  
  Surely the first thing Bernie should have done when he got in was to identify these basics?
  - Alan Hunt > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown October 10, 2018 at 5:14pm
    
    Stevie Wonder could of seen most of these findings in this super duper review.
- Clintorian > fake midget pseudoachondroplasia October 10, 2018 at 11:36pm
  
  This is the one line that could mean that... "Additional specialist coaching resources will be engaged;"
  
  Fingers crossed we address the halves issue because we're wasting a lot of cash on players who can't deliver.
LB October 10, 2018 at 11:46pm

People are not blaming Arthur one bit for 2018, when he should be getting half of the blame. yes the players are of fault on and off the field, yet who brought them to the club and is enforcing a culture over a 5 year period of time? yes there some culture incidents that are out of his control, but if thats the case a punishment of sorts should be justified, Melbourne style, yet nothing was done. People don't want a new coach cause it will be a 2-3 year rebuild, well newsflash this a 2-3 year rebuild, in other words its a knock down rebuild from the person who built the previous, if he was doing a terrific job then he wouldn't have to rebuild surely. Happy to be proven wrong, but flaws Arthur had coming out of 2017 showed strongly this year and I'm not confident he can regain it.

A good assistant is needed, yet will he sign a good assistant knowing full well if he performs poorly that good assistant will takeover? no, doubt he would do that, as if he would get like a Trent Barrett helping him.
- John Boyle > LB October 11, 2018 at 7:04am
  
  I think the whole blame should be on Arthur, he assembled this squad and now he has us where we were five years ago with another rebuild on the cards.
  
  As a coach or a manager your goal should always to leave the place in a better condition then when you found it and if Arthur was to leave tomorrow, he would have us in a worse off position than when he turned up.
  
  Failing to prepare for the future is a key characteristic that many people in power either get wrong or ignore and Brad Arthur slips into this category.
  
  He doesn't deserve a second chance.

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