Brad Arthur will be the coach of Parramatta until 2024 after signing a two-year contract extension with the Eels.
Having already been contracted until the end of 2022, the Eels decided to put their faith in Arthur after his future was a big talking point throughout the 2021 season.
While some raised their eyebrows at the early extension, The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio believes it was a necessary move to help the club offer stability to the playing group.
“I think that (the length of the deal) gives the club security from a player contract point of view,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“I’ve spoken about this on the program previously, the point of re-signing Brad Arthur was not only getting a decent coach to take the club forward.
“But it was telling the 14 players off-contract at the end of next season that we know where we’re heading as a club.
“That is key.”
With several stars coming off-contract at the end of next year, Riccio says the club’s in a better position to keep them with the coach’s direction locked in for seasons to come.
“They have got big names off contract,” Riccio explained.
“There’s Clint Gutherson, Marata Niukore, Ryan Matterson, Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali’i, Junior Paulo, Ray Stone, Jakob Arthur, Haze Dunster … the list goes on and on.
“Players want to know who the coach is, and if they’re extending their lives and careers to a club for two, three, four years in some cases, knowing that Brad Arthur is seemingly the coach for the next three years helps those players make clearer decisions.”
With such a glut of players off-contract, Riccio says Arthur understands they won’t be able to re-sign all of them with a forward already linked to the Warriors from 2023.
“I think in the article in today’s Telegraph, Brad Arthur indicates and he knows the club won’t be able to keep all of those players,” Riccio added.
“I can tell you Marata Niukore is right on the Warriors’ target list come November 1.
“Watch that space with Niukore and the Warriors.”
Arthur’s Eels made it to week two of finals in 2021 where they were knocked out by eventual champions Penrith.