Parramatta moved Dylan Brown into its Top 30 in the pre-season, with the idea that it would then give them time to decide on how to structure the young playmakers contract going forward based on how well he coped with the pressure of his first NRL season.
No need. Just sign the kid up for as long as you can.
Thankfully, a report in the Daily Telegraph indicates the Eels are set to do so. Dean Ritchie claims Parra would like to extend Brown's contract with a four-year deal worth $2 million, keeping him at the club until the end of 2024. Click here for that full article.
Brown was impressive, without having a scintillating man of the match performance.
However, what impressed was his composure.
It's what was missing at Parramatta last season. Mitchell Moses will just always want to make the big play. It's just in his DNA and while his game management still needs to be better, you don't want to overly shackle that impulse to create points because it's central to his game. He is a passionate, animated player and there are times when you need that,.
However, there are also times when you want a cool head. Corey Norman's big game plays were just as questionable as Moses' and that's why the pair never gelled.
Brown, however, looks to be the Ying to Moses' Yang. Brad Arthur said as much in the post-game press conference.
“He showed good calmness and composure which is what we talked about during the week with him and throughout the off-season,” Arthur said. “That’s what we like about him. I thought that composure was really good for Mitchell.”
Like when Brown kicked early and deep into the corner for Michael Jennings resulting in a turnover, when Jennings managed to drag the Riff winger over touch. In his debut game of NRL, he looked like he had been there forever. He had the touches, he had the effort plays like when he cleaned up a dangerous grubber into the in-goal. And his defence was faultless. There's nothing about his game where you say 'once, he fixes that, he's going to be a good player'.
I've not ever seen a young half that has such a complete game at such a young age. He's zero risk.
Indeed, the only risk is giving competitive clubs a sniff. Because make no mistake, he's a player you build a club around.
As New Zealand discovered with Shaun Johnston, it doesn't matter how ridiculously talented your halfback is, you're not going to win premierships without playmakers who have the mental game to bring you home. It's just ridiculous that Brown is showing such maturity when he is still a teenager. He's the kind of player, every club is going to want at the core of their roster.
Let's hope then, that the reports in the Tele are truth, because putting together any roster for the future is going to be so much easier when you've got a player like Dylan Brown at the centre of it.
Comments
I agree, secure him now long term. His long term value would have to be higher than whatever it was we were currently paying Norman so surely if we got him at that price we are ahead and have the cap space. The whole side looked better today and I believe a big part of that is the departure of Norman.
I think Norman gone, browns composure, two big wingers bringing the ball back and a fitter gutherson. Also the trainer has done a great job with there physical preparation.
He’s a very very good player. With two pieces of ball play yesterday he showed his superior to Norman in that department. For the first Jennings try his ball to lane was timed perfectly, it was Thurston like the way he went into the line then passed at the very last moment. The second Jennings try you saw him straighten right up and then sweep the ball to his support. The beauty of that play was the deception it’s about little subtle things like head and body position. Couple that with his natural toughness and calmness he will be an elite player.
Its nice to see a player with composure ... something the team has been missing for a long time ... especially at his age ! hope he keeps it up and Moses will benefit too !
500k per season surely wont cut it once other teams see him play he will be offered more than that.
Ben Hunt is on a million, Brown will be worth that easy in 2 years time.
This kid is sooo cool for an 18 year old.
Things will get tougher, forwards will look to smash him and his confidence. It always happens.
Hopefully he'll have the resolve and his forwards will protect him like Pricey did Sterlo. We don't have anyone nasty in the forwards though.
The class players have time, and Dylan Brown had so much time with the ball in his hands.
He was composed, relaxed and knew exactly what he was doing in every play.
Reminds me of Lockyer.
Agreed 1 eyed, most calm and composed debut from a young half I can remember.
best part was 25 tackles and none missed, even when he had to defend in the middle while old man Jennings was off the field.
Al I have disagree, it was a good debut but by memory Luke Brooks debut was best debut of half recently. The comparisons to Andrew Johns were thrown around him however I understand the excitement around Brown.
We were all excited with Tim Smith debut season as well and we know how that turned out. I just hope the media and fans don't start seeing young Brown piled with pressure as it hard for young half dominate consistently for couple years. As I said elsewhere look at ash Taylor and Ivan cleary who we all would have loved to have seen in eels colours after their first year. Now both penrith and Titans have them wrapped up on huge deals and they are failing to deliver. Even Brooks after his debut took years to be finished product and has shown it is just as much about the team around him as it is his own ability. Unless parra can put quality across the park having young Brown wrapped up won't help us.
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