Matt Arthur has been granted permission to speak with other NRL clubs regarding a move for next year.
Arthur will soon be a last name that doesn’t feature anywhere at the Parramatta Eels after Matt Arthur – the son of sacked coach Brad Arthur – was granted permission to find a new NRL club for next season. The 19-year-old is able to talk to rival clubs with immediate effect after the Eels accepted his request to leave on “compassionate grounds” in the wake of his dad’s axing in May.
Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos said in a statement: “Matt is a great young man and it was wonderful to see him make his NRL debut earlier this year. While we would love to see him stay at the Eels, we understand the unique circumstances involved with this request and our decision to grant permission to negotiate with other clubs is based on compassionate grounds.”
Parramatta officials suggested that Arthur’s sacking in May – after over a decade at the club – took its toll on Matt and that he has struggled to put his best foot forward since. That led to a conversation between Matt’s management and Parramatta, who on Wednesday granted the teenager permission to seek pastures new for next season.
The young hooker was seen as a star of the future for the Eels after representing the NSW State of Origin U19s side earlier this year. And his exit will mark the end of an era for the Arthur family as his older brother Jake, left for Manly last year and his father has since landed on his feet after being axed by Parramatta, joining Super League outfit Leeds.
Jake was subject to immense criticism largely due to fans’ claims that the only reason he was being selected was due to the then-coach’s nepotism. While Matt’s NRL debut came six weeks after his father was axed by the club, with the presence of both sons on the club’s NRL roster making the long-time coach a target of criticism. News Corp‘s Dean Ritchie reports Newcastle is favourite to sign the youngest Arthur.
Parramatta’s decision to allow the youngest Arthur to explore options for next year comes as Jason Ryles begins shaping the Eels’ roster for his first season as coach next year. The likes of Ryan Matterson and Maika Sivo have also reportedly been told they will be surplus to requirements, while co-captain Clint Gutherson is expected to be moved out of the No.1 jersey, with the hope that giving Blaize Talagi that spot will keep him at the club.
Talagi has attracted interest from multiple rival clubs and Ryles will undoubtedly wish to keep the 19-year-old at the Eels. It’s reported the Knights, Dolphins and Dragons are all interested in the talented youngster if he doesn’t pen a new deal with Parramatta.
Ryles’s top priority while working behind the scenes at the Eels this year is to tie down Talagi, who put a hold on contract negotiations with the club until a permanent head coach was appointed. But Ryles also faces a raft of other decisions on many of the club’s starting roster.
Only two of Parramatta’s top 30 are locked down beyond the end of this season, Mitch Moses and Junior Paulo. Others including five-eighth Dylan Brown have contracts for longer but have options in their favour that they must decide whether to take up. It means the vast majority of the Eels’ squad will become free agents in November, so Ryles must make swift and concise decisions on who he wants and doesn’t want moving forward.
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