Brad and Jakob Arthur could be the NRL’s latest father-son coach and player combination as Parramatta hunt for a Dylan replacement.
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur will decide between handing teenage son Jake his NRL debut or a player who has not played first grade in four years as the Eels deal with a halves shortage.
Regular five-eighth Dylan Brown will miss three matches with an early guilty plea but risks a four-match suspension if he challenges the grade-three dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary for his collision that left Sydney Roosters five-eighth Drew Hutchison hospitalised with fractured ribs and punctured lung.
Back-up half Will Smith is already sidelined for at least another three weeks with a broken thumb.
That leaves Arthur with a choice of picking Jake or journeyman Jordan Rankin, who last played in the NRL in May 2017 before making a mid-season switch to the Super League.
The 29-year-old was named as part of Arthur’s extended squad ahead of last Friday night’s clash with the Roosters.
Coach Arthur indicated he will spend the weekend mulling over the decision and if he will hand his son his first NRL match.
Under NRL rules, the Eels would need dispensation to play Arthur as he is a development player. Development players are free to play in the NRL after next week’s round of matches without permission.
Given their mounting injury and suspension problems Parramatta could make a case for Arthur’s inclusion for Sunday’s Magic Round clash with the New Zealand Warriors at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
It seems just a matter of time before the Arthur’s join the likes of Nathan-Ivan Cleary and Kyle-Shane Flanagan as recent father-son coaching and playing combinations. .
Bryce Cartwright is another option to replace Brown.
In a double blow for the Eels, centre Marata Niukore is facing a two-match ban after being charged by the match review committee.
Niukore will receive a two-match ban if he pleads guilty to a grade two careless high tackle on James Tedesco, and risks a three-match penalty if he loses at the judiciary.
The Eels are expected to be boosted by Waqa Blake’s long-awaited return from a calf injury.
The impending loss of Brown comes at bad time for the Eels, who face the Warriors, Manly and South Sydney in the next three weeks.
The Roosters, however, will be without Hutchison for even longer after he was injured from clear knees to his back from Brown just before halftime in the Roosters’ 31-18 loss to Parramatta.
To make matters worse, the incident was not penalised on the field.
Meanwhile, Roosters prop Siosiua Taukeiaho is facing a $750 fine for a grade one careless high tackle on Parramatta’s Keegan Hipgrave, with adiscount for a seven-year incident-free record, and Penrith forward Liam Martin is facing a $1150 fine for a contrary charge over an incident involving Cronulla’s Mawene Hiroti.
Replies
I think Rankin will get the nod with Rankin you know what you get a above average reserve grader who if given a role that doesn't expect to much from him could do a job, but I wouldn't be opposed to young Arthur getting 3 weeks of 1st grade under his belt it will only help him down the track
Cartwright to 5/8 starting with Rankin as bench utility
Agree Wile
I wouldn't change what's working for Cartwright at the moment. Whatever it is, it's working well, just leave him and keep the same plays. I'd replace Dylan for Rankin (like for like).
This^
No don't think so. Cartwright is better in the forwards and off the bench
He's a development player and won't be getting picked next week.
Number 1 rule of Journalism, if your making shit up at least make it feasable.
Note the line "Given their mounting injury and suspension problems Parramatta could make a case for Arthur’s inclusion".
I would think the NRL will say Rankin is in the squad and has to play before Arthurs.
Unless they both play, Rankin in halves and Arthurs at centre or visa versa?
However i agree and cant see Arthurs poaying, jurno is clutchung at straws for click bait.
i hope youre right muttly.
Hard decision to make by a coach when decision affects their own child . I know first hand that sometimes their own children come second ( miss out ) in these situations. I admire how BA has handied the family situation to date , and so regardless of his decision I will not suspect any favouritism on BA 'a part .
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