Exclusive: Kieran Foran’s letter to Eels teammates that left changing room in silence

AT 6.31pm last Friday night, the hands of Parramatta coach Brad Arthur began shaking.Seated in front of him, inside a private room adjacent to the Eels dressing room at ground level of ANZ Stadium, were the faces of 17 Parramatta players.Arthur took a deep breath and holding the crisp A4 piece of paper in his trembling hand, he began to speak. Only one, maybe two words, were audible.Too emotional to read the opening sentence, Arthur, with pain in his heavy eyes as a result of just four hours sleep in three days, handed the confronting page-long letter to assistant coach Steve Murphy.Murphy, the Eels backs coach, is one of the most popular figures at Parramatta. A dedicated team-man and outstanding conduit to the players for Arthur, Murphy is always up-beat, always looking for the positives in life.But just over an hour before kick-off against Canterbury, Murphy couldn’t have been more serious.Had Murphy been asked, or given warning from Arthur that he was about to read the handwritten letter Kieran Foran had penned earlier that morning to the Eels playing squad, he probably would’ve declined.But he pushed through it.“I’m not sure if I would be able to wake up each day, to go to training, if it wasn’t for you boys,’’ Foran wrote.“I’ve played in a lot of great teams, but I haven’t played in a group as tight this before.’’You could hear a pin drop. Murphy took a breath.“I love you guys. You have held me together. Coming to training, to be with you boys, is the reason I wake up each morning.“Thank you for your support. I know I’ve let you down, but rest assured I can’t wait to get back and when I do I’ll be ready to go.’’Foran had penned the letter after Arthur had asked if his halfback would feel comfortable providing his Parramatta teammates with an update on his wellbeing.The coach, worried about the disgusting stories and rumours that his players may have seen on social media or heard about Foran, just wanted them to know that their skipper was well and in good hands.So instead of a standard Gen-Y text message, Snapchat post or email, Foran sat down with a biro and began writing.Foran’s willingness to put his affection down into words and explain his level of safety and comfort of which he shares with his teammates is a remarkable insight into his own state of mind and maturity.It also illustrates the incredible bond among the players of which has been formed under Arthur, amid a maelstrom of drama.And while the letter left senior Parramatta officials and players stunned, in particularly why Foran needed to apologise when he has nothing to apologise for, it also left them bursting with pride that not only is the 25-year-old part of their club, but he’s seeking the professional help that he needs.After the Eels fighting 20-12 win over Canterbury, Foran’s regular halves partner Corey Norman gave a small grab on the impact of the letter.“It was very touching,’’ Norman said.What the Eels man-of-the-match didn’t say was what Foran’s final few words of the letter said.“I’ll be smiling when you win tonight.’’

"Point is , he'll hardly be getting Moses money just cause he gets to kick. . We aren't shy to throw a decent paycheque out there and we certainly have some. If we offered that clown that kinda coin , I'm sure we wouldn't have been offering Peasant…"

"He is 35 this year but man he is still playing some good footy. But do you take the risk that father time creeps up right when we get him? Garrick is replacing Nawaqanitawase."

Replies

eels_brad April 30, 2016 at 11:23pm

Stupid fake letter they've doctored up... I doubt Foz's letter said "you could hear a pin drop. Murphy took a breath." Haha

Foz will go down as one of our greats, legend of a bloke
- Wile E. Coyote > eels_brad April 30, 2016 at 11:58pm
  
  Well spotted
- Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown > eels_brad May 1, 2016 at 12:16am
  
  They would be refering to assistant coach Steve Murphy, he would have been reading it, who ever put it together from the club for the media has done a poor job with articulation.
  
  No doubt his letter was cropped a bit for the media to remove anything really private if there was anything but theres no reason to believe keiran didnt give them a letter, its great that he did, shows what a thoughtful bloke he is.
- Kramerica > eels_brad May 1, 2016 at 9:26am
  
  Yeah mate, the picture of the letter is a fake. It's not actually written on a piece of paper half the size of Kenny E, and the piece of paper isn't all torn around the edges, and it's not written on a PC with computer generated font....
  
  It's just a graphic.
  
  Ahulp.
- eels_brad > eels_brad May 1, 2016 at 10:06am
  
  It's obviously just a graphic, but the graphic is supposed to be representative of the actual letter, so doubt it included the reactions to said letter being read..
Alan Hunt May 1, 2016 at 8:56am

Agreed Shane, this was meant for his team mates and no one else.
Alan Hunt May 1, 2016 at 9:32am

lol Kram.
fishbulb May 1, 2016 at 10:13am

Again keiran shows himself to a completely class act and quality person. And the dt again shows it's the total anathema of those qualities.

Just because the public might be interested does not make the publishing of something in the public interest...
DDay May 1, 2016 at 10:52am

Fact or fiction? Looks fake, sounds fake...

Where is the Media's (MEAA) Code of Ethics:

1 Report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts. Do not suppress relevant available facts, nor give distorting emphasis.

5 Pictures and sound should be true and accurate. Any manipulation likely to mislead should be disclosed.
- ParraTime > DDay May 1, 2016 at 2:01pm
  
  Assuming Eels actually edited and provided the letter.