Eels Blogs

So the topic of convo has been the beating of the drums for Arthur. Now over the years i have flipped flopped alot on my support or lack their of for Arthur. In 2018, i wanted him gone, nothing could convince me otherwise. Then again in 2020, after the finals i started to get irritated of his teams fading. 2021 again wanted him out, but late 2021 after the semi i did say you either sack him or extend him as he was off-contract. The club extended him til 2024, where i said 2023 but oh well. I was a little more open as i was impressed with how he rallied the team to nearly get to a prelim in 2021, with majority of the squad still there in 2022 he got us to a GF and i actually supported him when in mid 2022 talk of Fittler went around and i said let him be for this year and see where we end up. Going into 2023 i said i was more than happy for him to stay as is for 2023 and 2024 since he made a GF. Late 2023 the fall off was bad but decided to not completely go back on the band wagon as he made a GF and he earned 2024. 

Well now, here we are in 2024, we are at one of the lowest points in terms of safety in BA's career as most journalists are stating to state what many have said for years, 11 years is enough. I agree but upon reflection i keep wondering what is the best option and is this a careful what you wish for scenario. I feel Parramatta are in a really difficult spot here in terms of their decision with BA. We are sitting in the bottom 4, no Moses but a competitive roster nonetheless. BA is in a spot that honestly he has been in before. 2018, late 2021, mid 2022 and late 2023. He has been here numerous times where the final nail is about to be hammered into the coffin, but he comes back to life and saves himself. That is where the proof is that BA is a good coach, the bloke is not an idiot. People who say he cannot coach do not know footy. He has proven he get us out of these situations. However, he also has allowed us into these situations too many times also. Though it is good he can get us out of it, why are we there to begin with considering you have been around long enough to possibly see it coming. We also have had our fair share of beatings during his tenure. In his 11 years, the longest winning streak we have ever had is 6 wins. BA sides have periods of losing focus or peaking too early into a season. But have also shown they are a team if start slow cannot regain themselves either as they crumble under pressure. His best years are between 2020-2022, where had players brought into the squad like RCG, Matterson, Paulo, Lane, Papali'i, and had guys develop like Mahoney, Niukore, Brown and Kaufusi. 2022 being their best year of course but then 2023 and now 2024 we are going backwards and fast. A big factor is the loss of so many players at once; Mahoney, Papali'i, Niukore, Stone and Kaufusi all gone. We replace them with makeshift players looking to be developed, similar to how BA developed Papali'i but 5 at once was too much, then having Hodgson regain the old days and offer experience fell on its face when we figured out his body has had enough by then. Though that should give him a repreive right? The recruitment let him down and is two years removed from a GF appearance. Well you could argue that 2022 GF run was motivated by the players leaving and doing it together for each other. Now not saying BA was not apart of their GF run, you cannot get there coachless. But i think that pact of lets go out on a high, was enough to get them over the hump of Week 2 finals. I wonder if say only Papali'i and Niukore were leaving if the pact would have been as strong and we get knocked out Week 2 or prelim? Unfortunately we never know. But do we have him getting us to GF as him being able to do it or circumstances add that extra push that he didn't create?

As for recruitment, that is another area of discussion being brought up in the past. The conjecture is BA, who is apart of a 5 person recruitment committee involving; McElduff, Sarantinos, Rogers, O'Neill and Arthur himself, he does not have much of say or does not get final say on who is brought to the club. Harley Smith-Shields was a big one that came up with BA desperate to get him in for cover in the year and all systems go with him moving, to the board pulling the pin last minute as it was not a fit. So does BA not get what he needs or wants? Perhaps. If that is the case then that can answer a lot questions about how BA is not developing certain players. However, i will say if recruitmen he doesn't get a say in, then how did the Rouse Hill Rhinos boys he coached get to the club? (Jake Arthur, Sam Loizou, Will Pensini and Sean Russell). Was it by coincidence? Both Jake and Matt makes sense regardless but to get other boys means he has some say. Do i believe the report to be the case? Well not really, i think the committee complicates things but I also think it is not as bad as thought.

So then leads to, is sacking Arthur the right call. He wont be here forever even if it feels like it already and most cannot imagine the day he is gone. I mentioned before that Parramatta are in a very cautious and awkward position right now. Time is affecting that position each week that passes. Firstly if they keep Arthur they need to make sure the voice itself if not gone and also will adapt and learn from what he has been doing recently. Are the juniors such as Talagi and Matt Arthur progressing at a nice pace where they can play earlier? If they decide to keep Arthur past 2025 it is an extra 3 year committment. Firstly you need to extend him to keep the off-contract players (Brown, Penisini, RCG, Cartwright, Gutherson, Hopgood, Ofahengaue, Hands, Lussick, Greig, Tuilagi, Moretti). Extending him will be until 2027 at least. 2026 is just a one year thing of course and doesn't put faith in him, if you extend you need to give an extra year to get signings. If you are keeping past this year you need to commit. Once he is extended will he continue with his squad or start again? As Kent mentioned on NRL 360, he cannot start from square one again, he has not got the time. Well he does if Parramatta allow him, he would be fine rebuilding again, but the juniors aren't good enough to do that. The off-contract players in 2025 can lead to a nice rebuild. 

With Arthur, he is a great man manager, i highly doubt players hate playing for him but his systems are outdated and he hires assistants that never go on to greener pastures and bring in the same vanilla type of play. He runs the defence, a defence that is getting worse by the years but refuses to tune it up and play it differently. Yes recruitment might be an issue but the starting 17 he has at his disposal is class. Just cause the message is getting through doesn't mean they don't like him, it is nothing new is happening, but admitting it is on the players shows he will not change tactics and that is the issue in why people are call for change. Now BA could survive and change things but the club would need to put their foot down and mention you stay and you bring in new guys and give up the defence or you are gone. Bring in men that will help you for the better, new ideas and sit back oversee the team. Let the assistants do their roles instead of being yes men. Would this help? Of course it can, but BA is stubborn and proud i wonder if he will want to change it and admit he is wrong overall.

But if they go the other way and sack Arthur, they need to make sure the person they are replacing him with is better. Many will say "Anyone is better" but there is a method to the madness of his supporters. You sack Arthur for a rookie, there is a better chance we go further backwards and set ourselves back another decade. At least with Arthur, he is a good coach, he could get us back to finals after say a year or two of rebooting. Winning a comp i doubt but could make us somewhat competitive. As sometimes it is better the devil you know. Do i myself, who has called for his head, sometimes feared it could be the wrong decision? Of course, but we will never know once it happens. I fear he goes on to win a comp elsewhere while we stand there hands in pockets and everyone says told you so. But then comes the feeling of we could stand there with Arthur, having a quality roster and the best Halfback since Sterling wasted with BA at the helm.

The thing is, there is someone better who is available. Wayne Bennett. The rebuttle from most was "Well, if you sack BA, who are you going to get better?" There is your answer as regardless of age or how he leaves clubs etc. Bennett is a better coach than BA. I believe that is as close to fact as you can get. His 7 premierships from 10 grand finals says so. Bennett comes with concerns of course, how he leaves teams after though the evidence is there teams can counter it from learning from it at previous establishments, Parramatta will know that and could possibly better prepare for it. Also, his age, will he regress at any point and has not won a comp in 14 years. It is a risk, but is it one worth taking? I say absolutely. But any hire, even getting Bellamy with prime Cam Smith, Slater and Cronk would still be a risk or not winning a comp. Though the hiring of Bennett means the club are looking at the next 2-3 years. When you hire a coach you usually look at the next 5-10 years, as they set up the club for not just one but numerous premierships. Some would argue with Bennett comes a contingency plan. That would be of Bennett's choice. Now of course i believe Bennett thinks past the 3 years thinking i have to coach against this mob eventually. But also the Bennett would give his all to the Parramatta job. Looking up to the likes Jack Gibson and Ron Massey before him, plus the 38 year drought is a task for him, the thought of being the man to get them that premiership in on his resume is an ego thing for him. But do Parramatta want to go all in with Bennett who is not interested in any type of rebuild, he will reboot them to get a premiership ASAP and worry about everything later? As if Bennett is here for say 3 years, if we win a comp or two in those three years, but after he leaves we go back to mediocrity, nobody honestly would give a shit too much as we have those premierships. If he doesn't win in 3 years and go down a backwards path then yes we can curse etc. but i feel at least we tried. Or could get a rookie and hope and pray it is an Andrew Webster type. Or go for a retread and hope it is different for them this time round. Only thing is, Websters come rarely, so do the likes of unlucky retreads who get another comp at another club. Bennett is no sure fire but he is the best chance on face value.

Overall, it is a chance of careful what you wish for, but any coaching change, even if Stephen Kearney is your coach is a risk. I like Arthur, i think he can coach and is a really good person. He was a gentleman on the occasions i have met him and i would thrilled if he won a comp with us, not just Parra winning but also a good coach and person won it too. But it is a case of being there too long, but also staying relevant til that person comes in that can turn it around is important too. Parramatta have things to consider; Sack him and risk going worse and he succeeds elsewhere. Keep him and stay the same but never win anything or even worse he stays and have to go through a new rebuild but everything in terms of culture stays the same as he doesn't learn from his mistakes as he has been here so long he is comfortable. Or it could work out where we sack him and next guy is the missing link to get us over the line or he stays and it clicks. Just a lot to consider, it has been 11 years since we have seen a new person and the thought is exciting but also worrying.