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Matt Arthur, Parramatta’s latest debutant, has dealt with the changeless barbs astir his size and celebrated surname.
“Even from a young age, kids connected the tract would prime connected him, telling him, ‘your dada is astir to get sacked’, oregon ‘you’re lone successful teams due to the fact that of your dad’,” his mum Michelle Arthur said.
“He’s had to larn to grip that. But each clip he’s gone up a level, he’s proven himself and got better.”
In a bittersweet evening for the Arthur family, Matt volition debut for the Eels connected Saturday, five weeks aft the nine sacked his begetter Brad arsenic caput coach.
Brad volition beryllium astatine McDonald Jones Stadium for Matt’s game, but passed connected taking portion successful Friday’s jersey presentation.
He near that occupation to Michelle and Matt’s older brother, Jake, who plays with Manly.
Matt Arthur with his dada Brad successful 2011, and member Jake (right) and sister Charlotte.
Newcastle’s coach, Adam O’Brien, is simply a adjacent person of the Arthurs, and godfather to their youngest child, Charlotte, who volition besides beryllium astatine the game.
Brad was reluctant to speech astir Matt for fearfulness of taking the spotlight disconnected the 19-year-old’s debut.
“I bash judge my 2 boys person been astatine a disadvantage astatine times due to the fact that their dada was a coach,” Brad told this masthead. “They person had to enactment harder due to the fact that they’ve been nether the microscope much than others. They person to beryllium a 10 retired of 10 each clip they’ve played. That’s wherefore I’m truthful arrogant of some of them.
“If I was inactive coach, I astir apt wouldn’t person played Matt this year, purely due to the fact that of his surname. But I’m arrogant of him.”
Matt is simply a dummy-half who has been a standout successful the NSW Cup, and helped pb the NSW under-19 broadside to Origin triumph against the Queensland past Thursday.
Matt Arthur has been a standout successful NSW Cup this season.Credit: NRL Photos
NSW under-19 manager and erstwhile Eels prima Andrew Ryan said helium elevated Matt to co-captain due to the fact that of his professionalism and the mode helium brought the mediate forwards unneurotic successful a abbreviated abstraction of time.
Matt has a akin moving and passing benignant to Melbourne’s Harry Grant, 1 of 3 hookers, on with the Dolphins’ Jeremy Marshall-King and New Zealand Warrior Wayde Egan, helium makes a constituent of studying each week.
Known arsenic “Boods”, due to the fact that of his buddha-like chubby cheeks erstwhile helium was born, Matt was described by Michelle arsenic a “Brad clone”.
“They’re some intense, determined, and ‘Boods’ doesn’t uncertainty himself astatine each – if helium says helium volition bash something, thing volition get successful the mode of it,” Michelle said.
“He’s ever been the smallest connected the field, but he’s ne'er had immoderate fear. He’ll prime the biggest kid connected the tract and archer them, ‘I’m coming for you each game’, and get successful their face.
“He has wanted this forever. Football comes archetypal for him, nary substance what. It’s been an absorbing six weeks for the family. We’re OK with it [Brad’s sacking] now.
Matt Arthur arsenic a Parramatta shot lad successful 2014.
“We’re conscionable blessed for Boods. He’s been moving astir astatine that nine since helium was 5 years old. He was a shot boy. [Prop] Junior Paulo has been determination the full time, and guys similar him person had a manus successful helping america rise Boods.
“I tried to person Brad to travel [to the jersey presentation], but I recognize wherefore helium didn’t privation to bash it.”
Eels interim manager Trent Barrett said helium was much than blessed to springiness Matt his debut.
“We thought a fewer of the younger guys successful the NSW Cup would propulsion for a debut this year, and Matty has astir apt been their champion and astir accordant subordinate each year,” Barrett said.
“I deliberation helium tin assistance us. It’s arsenic elemental arsenic that.
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“He’s a pugnacious small bugger who competes connected everything. He’s got a beauteous implicit game.”
Arthur elder has since been linked to the caput coaching occupation astatine Leeds, portion helium besides met with officials linked to the Perth enlargement bid connected Monday.
Parramatta are inactive conducting their ain hunt for Arthur’s replacement, with Josh Hannay, Jason Ryles and Dean Young the front-runners.
The Eels caput into the play anchored astatine the bottommost of the ladder, but volition beryllium boosted by the instrumentality of NSW Origin II leader Mitchell Moses.
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