Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has put star playmaker Dylan Brown on notice ahead of the 2024 season, stating the 23-year-old needs to bring his best each week after signing a lucrative extension with the Eels.
Brown would show glimpses of the star talent he provides in the No.6 jumper across his 17 appearances this year, with a seven-game suspension from the NRL limiting the half’s contribution.
Brown pled guilty to two counts of sexual touching in June, and wouldn’t return until Round 23 when the Eels were struggling to remain in the finals race.
His lengthy absence played a part in Parramatta falling out of the September bracket, leaving Arthur frustrated to consider what might’ve been.
Heading into a new season where the pressure has mounted on his shoulders, Arthur is hoping Brown can reach his full potential in 2024 and help steer the Eels back toward the top of the competition.
Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, Arthur said his star five-eighth needs to be a consistent performer for his side after inking a sizeable long-term deal late last year.
“Dylan is 23 now, and he hasn’t really lived up to his potential yet,” Arthur told the publication.
“Before Dylan was rubbed out last season, he was one of the best players in the competition. Then look what he did in that last Test for the Kiwis [in November].
“We just need Dylan to play like that all the time. When you’re getting paid the sort of money he is, we need him in the team every week.
“If you talk about X-factor, Dylan has that, he brings that to our side. It’s what he does for us defensively as well.
“He’s so important to this team, and he needs to understand that. We’ve had some good conversations about it.”
Arthur added that Brown is seeking to “repay” the club, his teammates and Eels fans following his ban this year.
“He wants to repay his teammates for what happened last season, he wants to repay the fans and repay his family,” Arthur said.
“He’ll be very good for us next year.”
Parramatta face their first challenge comes Round 1 when they host a new-look Canterbury outfit at CommBank Stadium on Saturday, March 9.
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