From The Daily Telegraph.
Facing a horror run and at least the next six weeks without general Mitchell Moses, Parramatta’s season is slipping away. Brad Arthur has a highly rated halfback but will the coach pull the trigger?
Boom halfback Ethan Sanders and his closest confidantes walked out of a contract meeting with Parramatta powerbrokers last year confident he was closing in on an NRL debut. If injury was to hit either of the Eels halves, Sanders and his people were of the belief that he was next cab off the rank.
Two weeks after a foot injury sidelined Mitchell Moses for up to three months, Sanders is still waiting. Coach Brad Arthur has instead paired the equally-talented Blaize Talagi with Dylan Brown in the halves as he looks to save the Eels’ season - and potentially his job.
The Talagi-Brown combination is yet to bear fruit, Parramatta slumping to consecutive defeats in the absence of Moses. Sanders, meanwhile, has been biding his time as part of a NSW Cup side that is yet to win a game this season.
Sanders is everything Talagi and Brown are not. He has made his name in the lower grades as an organising half - former Eels pathways boss Nathan Brown has compared him to throwback No.7s in the way he dictates the tempo of a game.
https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/ce1169d3f0b140f8b1576e90823b72ed?width=150 150w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/ce1169d3f0b140f8b1576e90823b72ed?width=320 320w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/ce1169d3f0b140f8b1576e90823b72ed?width=650 650w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/ce1169d3f0b140f8b1576e90823b72ed?width=1024 1024w" alt="Ethan Sanders during pre-season." width="1024" height="768" />“For Ethan, I have no doubt at all he is going to be a long-term player,” Brown said. “To me he is a genuine halfback who needs to touch the ball multiple times and not be stuck on one side of the field. Just like an old school halfback – if you see one of them play, that is how I see Ethan playing. “It’s early days. I am sure he will knock on the door.”
If not now, when? The Eels’ impotent attack was best summed up by this statistic on Sunday night - they were tackled 25 times in Canberra’s red zone, double their opposition, but finished with only two tries as they were thrashed in the nation’s capital.
Their attack has been rudderless without Moses and there has been little over the past fortnight to suggest the answer lies in Brown and Talagi.
Life doesn’t get any easier this weekend as the Eels host the high-flying North Queensland at Commbank Stadium. Arthur has a decision to make and it may dictate his future.
LIFE WITHOUT MITCHELL MOSES
Parramatta’s win record dips to 38.9 per cent without Moses on the field to direct the side around the park. The Eels talisman is at the centre of everything at the club and in his absence, the responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of Brown.
Not only has Brown had to adapt his game, but he has had the additional burden of guiding a teenager in his first foray in the NRL.
“If you’re Mitch Moses you are probably going in for a pay rise today,” Mitchell Pearce told Footy Talk on Triple M on Monday.
“I feel for Dylan Brown a little bit. Trying to expect him to be Mitch Moses or Nathan Cleary and go out there and run the team when it is not his style, I don’t know how much you are going to get out of him with that.”
Talagi, like Brown, plays on instinct and is the biggest threat when he is running the ball. Neither player is renowned as being the biggest or loudest voice on the field.
A mute halves pairing is a recipe for disaster. Parramatta need someone to take control and run the show. Sanders isn’t the only option - in the past Arthur has called on Daejarn Asi.
Sanders, however, is the most natural fit given his playing style. The elephant in the room is his future. Sanders was on the verge of joining Canberra last season before the NRL changed the rules, meaning he couldn’t negotiate with a rival club until the completion of round six.
That means from next week he can start talks and the expectation is that he will quickly strike a deal with the Raiders for 2025. Parramatta wouldn’t be the first side to go slow with a junior who has committed elsewhere - the Panthers were accused of something similar when local junior Isaiya Katoa defected to the Dolphins.
Unlike Penrith, Parramatta’s season is on the line.
“Knowing the Parramatta club and working there last year, watching Brad operate, I am sure if Ethan is going to help him win some games, I have no doubt Brad will play him if he thinks he is ready,” Brown said.
“He is naturally a calm kid. So he doesn’t (get) flustered. Technically his catch, pass and kick – his skills – are technically very, very good.
“As he develops his game and confidence, he is going to hold up under pressure.”
THE DRAW
At some point, Parramatta officials should take their South Sydney counterparts out for a slap-up dinner given the travails at the Rabbitohs have largely overshadowed the developing story at Parramatta.
If Souths were cruising, the Eels would likely be back page news. They are a big club but they haven’t played like it over the past fortnight.
The Eels missed 44 tackles and conceded 10 line breaks against the Raiders. If Arthur’s men dish up that defensive effort against Cowboys, Dolphins, Sea Eagles, Broncos and Storm in the next six weeks – they could be staring down the barrel of two-straight seasons without a finals appearance.
The Dolphins are injury-hit but plucky and pack plenty of pace – an area that the Eels lacked against Canberra. By the time round 10 rolls around, the Broncos will be close to full strength with Payne Haas, Reece Walsh, Deine Mariner and Brendan Piakura all due back before then.
It’s a killer draw and it has the potential to end their season before it has even begun.
EELS' KNIGHTMARE DRAW
- R6 v Cowboys (h)
- R7 v Dolphins (Darwin)
- R8 v Sea Eagles (a)
- R9 v Bye
- R10 v Broncos (h)
- R11 v Storm (Magic Rd)
- R12 v Rabbitohs (a)
ARTHUR’S FUTURE
The Eels are not just playing for a finals berth but for the future of their coach beyond 2024. Arthur might be the longest serving Parramatta coach but that won’t be enough to avoid the blowtorch if the side misses a finals series and the premiership window starts to look more shut than ajar.
Already the club has been forced to deny an approach master coach Wayne Bennett, who is on the lookout for a job in 2025. But Bennett is famous for taking established rosters, like the one at Parramatta, to the next level.
If the Eels are to contemplate an approach for Bennett, they may need to act fast given South Sydney are lurking with intent when it comes to the seven-time premiership winner.
Arthur has plenty if supporters in his corner who laud the work he has done over the past decade. Others point to that tenure and the lack of a premiership, not to mention the absence of finals football last year.
There is a view that the players have too much power under Arthur and he lacks the ability to take them to the next level. He has entered a crucial juncture in his coaching career.
Another finals miss will be deemed a failure and it may end up costing him his job.
https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/38fb675606b61034e736387df939b3e4?width=150 150w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/38fb675606b61034e736387df939b3e4?width=320 320w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/38fb675606b61034e736387df939b3e4?width=650 650w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/38fb675606b61034e736387df939b3e4?width=1024 1024w" alt="Eels coach Brad Arthur is under mounting pressure. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images" width="1024" height="768" />LOMAX X-FACTOR
The announcement of Zac Lomax’s signature is believed to be imminent with the two parties in the midst of finalising the finer details of a contract for at least three years and potentially four.
Eels officials have gone into lockdown over negotiations, an indication of the mounting pressure at the club to quickly turn around their season.
The last thing they need is to be talking about Lomax when they are in the midst of a two-game losing streak. Lomax’s addition will, however, be a significant boost to Parramatta’s outside back stocks but he won’t arrive until season’s end.
Canberra’s speedy outside backs delivered a powerhouse effort on Sunday night, churning out 731 metres and making 24 tackles busts.
Maika Sivo, Will Penisini, Bailey Simonsson and Sean Russell could only manage 312 metres in response. Arthur chose Talagi in the centres a fortnight ago and that shapes as an option that would allow him to hand Sanders a debut in the halves.
The ball is in the coach’s court.
Replies
Trent we have covered this...
He's gone after round six
Mate I'd be dancing naked in the street if this was true.. thankfully for the neighbours though ..
Put talagi in centres, bring in lomax for matterson next round, put sanders at 7.
watching the replay we have plenty of attack and scoring oppertunities our problem was poor ball securities as everdent in all the drop balls and the breakdown in our attack. Blaise is not the answer at 6 as he is too raw and shouldn't have that much pressure puton him in such an early stage of his carrea. He should not be in the centers as well as he is extremely poor in defense and reading the defence, he needs to go back to reserve grade for 1 to 2 season. Don't know much about Sanders but if he is an old style 7 needs to be given a chance as we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Hopefully BA relise this and don't stop him from having a game to see how he goes because he seems to be going next year, that would show how petty and spiteful BA really is if thats the case. To change so we have a chance of changing our fortunes we need a controling 7 and Sanders is said to be that plus aving our experienced players on the field which means we should have 7 Sanders 6 Brown 5 Russell 4 Penisini 3 Simmo or Harper 2 Sivo or Simmo if Sivo is carrying an inyury. That is the only way to fix our poor exacussion in attack.
NOS I honestly do not believe it's time to debut another poor youngster in the current messy state we are in.
i truly feel for Talagi whom much like Jakes debut is currently waaaay out of his depth...tbh I reckon worse and not ready than Jake was. Then to expect another young in to save us and dump the other is too much.
i also feel for Dylan also...think it's pretty clear he is not and never was the 'boss' type character. Let him just play his own game without forcing the unwanted 'boss' tag on him. He is trying his heart out and it isn't working.
my thoughts are that we should try either lussick or Hands in the spot at very least they have plenty of fg experience and it takes much pressure off ...let us try defend our way out of it with these two in place. I'd prefer Hands at dummy and Lussick (who's actually been very so so at dummy) in at half back.
trouble is Brad needs to let his stubbornness subside. He has shown before that he does not like to show up his previous errors and change...maybe he fears it would show up his errors if he rennigs or maybe he is blindly loyal I honestly don't know? But he needs to adapt now!!
Mace, this was a DT story, not my personal opinion. I agree with you, well said, a baptism by fire of a 19 year old who look sno further developed than Talagi at this stage, will not solve the deeper issues we face.
Oh sorry mate.
yeah think they are wrong ;)
At very least. Lussick (half) and Hands can defend and hopefully we would not be humiliated too much further.
NOS guess we were lucky it was raiders...imagine what Melb Broncos or Cows Holmes would have done to us ?
No all good Mace, my fault, should have added that in title from the get-go.
Would be great to see you post more, you have a really great / interesting perspective.
With that effort, the Cows / Broncs could have put 60 on us Mace, agree.
....really really hope to see some major change to the line up announced tonight ie Hands to 9 and lussick to 7 ;) ...Talagi poor kid at least needs some practise at 7 in reserves (don't think he has had much) there is not much else I think he can do but the odds are prob 50-1 and he remains as is with his pick and stick attitude :((
You are an absolute asset to have on the site ... 🙏
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