TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 18: Eels coach Brad Arthur speaks at the post match media conference at the end of the round 10 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Parramatta Eels at 1300SMILES Stadium on May 18, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Parramatta Eels legend and one of the greatest players of all-time Ray Price has taken aim at Brad Arthur and the implementation of his son, Jakob Arthur.
If they want to win the comp, “they are going about it the wrong way”.
That is the blunt assessment from the legend, with Brown spending the last two weeks in the centres despite starting the season as one of the competition’s in-form five-eighths.
It was a move born out of necessity given Parramatta’s ever deepening backline crisis, but didn’t stop the critics from lining up in a long line.
Coming off a demolition job by the North Queensland Cowboys, the pressure and criticism of Arthur and the club has only grown.
Brown has been incredible this season and usually shifting a half out of position is a last resort. In eight games this year, Brown has seven try assists and three tries while averaging 123 metres a game, with most of that coming during his time in the halves.
A wave of negativity has flooded social media concerning Jake Arthur as the coach’s son, causing Nathan Cleary to reach out to Arthur with a word of advice.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 18: Jakob Arthur of Parramatta runs the ball during the NRL trial match between the Parramatta Eels and the St George Illawarra Dragons at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on February 18, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Price fired plenty of bullets at the former club he has often taken shots at over the past couple of years.
“Mate, they need to pull their heads out of their arse,” Price told the publication.
“Tell me, why would you change your half and five-eighth combination?
“I can’t believe that.
“This young kid who is now 21, Brown, he is just becoming a footballer.
“He is playing some bloody good football.
“Why push him out to the centre? Why keep changing.
“If you want to win the comp, they are going about it the wrong way.
“They keep changing the most important positions and they put inexperience in it. You can’t win with inexperience.”
With Tom Opacic, Waqa Blake, Sean Russell, Haze Dunster, Marata Niukore, Solomone Naiduki and Maika Sivo all injured, the Eels have run out of options, although some of those players will return in the coming weeks.
While some have suggested Arthur didn’t have any option but to move Brown for the two games, with Tom Opacic to return this week and allow Brown to play in the halves, others have suggested Ryan Matterson or Bryce Cartwright could have played in the centres for a fortnight.
Source:: ZeroTackle
