Confirmed! Eels young hooker set to join his father at Leeds after confirming his release.

Brad Arthur’s son has been granted permission to speak to rival clubs as he prepares to leave Parramatta Eels. Matt Arthur, 19, is set to leave the club, just months after his father was sacked by the club.

A hooker, Arthur has played three NRL games in the early stages of his career, but is now set for pastures new, with Eels officials confirming he will be allowed to speak to the club.

The development comes in the same month that Brad Arthur has arrived in England to take over as Leeds Rhinos head coach for the remainder of the season. However, despite the inevitable links, reports in Australia claim that Newcastle Knights are the early favourites to secure his signature for the 2025 season.

Parramatta chief Jim Sarantinos said in a club 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.”

There is another Arthur playing in the NRL. His eldest son, Jake, plays for Manly Sea Eagles, having also started his career at the Eels. He has slightly more experience, with the 21-year-old amassing 26 NRL appearances so far in his career.