- Parramatta have extended their search to replace Brad Arthur
- Josh Hannay, Jason Ryles and Dean Young, the favorites
- Eels interim coach Trent Barrett has called for clarity
Parramatta interim coach Trent Barrett has called on club officials to make a decision on who will officially replace Brad Arthur as soon as possible after arriving at work on Wednesday without knowing about his own long-term future at the Eels.
Barrett said getting everything “out in the open” could also be crucial to ensuring NSW State of Origin winger Zac Lomax does not change his mind about his decision to join the club next year.
The Parramatta board held a meeting on Tuesday night at which it was reported that a decision would be made on whether Barrett, Jason Ryles, Josh Hannay or Dean Young would take the reins for 2025.
It is understood the board will not make any public announcement until after Thursday’s clash with South Sydney, and that cannot come soon enough for Barrett.
“I think so. I think it’s for everyone, for the club and for the players,” Barrett said when asked if the club should make an announcement as soon as possible.
“But the players have not been affected too much. They are professionals. It is not something that is experienced every day, but they have to live with it. Their job is to play and play well.”
Barrett’s cause has not been helped by three consecutive defeats which have left the Eels second from bottom in the NRL standings, with just four wins on the season.
But the interim coach is convinced his team is playing better than the results suggest.
Parramatta interim coach Trent Barrett has asked club officials to make a decision on who will officially replace Brad Arthur as soon as possible.
Barrett also fears NSW State of Origin winger Zac Lomax could go back on his decision to leave the Dragons and join the Eels as uncertainty continues.
“We haven’t gotten the results we wanted in recent weeks, but they are playing good football at the moment. We can’t get over the line,” he said.
“We’ve been pretty unlucky over the last three weeks. We had a really good win against Cronulla and we could have won the last three games, particularly at the weekend against Newcastle.
‘There were three tries that we thought were tries and three of their tries came from our dropped balls and from 90m out.
“If you watched the games, I was pretty happy with the performances, we just couldn’t get the win.”
Lomax signed a four-year deal to move to Parramatta when Arthur was still the coach.
Amid reports the in-demand St George Illawarra star was wavering, Barrett said a coaching decision could help allay any fears and declared “I hope not” when asked if he feared a change of heart.
“I know Zac very well, he needs to know that too,” Barrett said.
“He probably signed here under the assumption that Brad was the coach. It’s always tough for people when things like that happen. Once everything comes out into the light, it will be better for everyone.”