NRL 2021: Andrew Fifita close to recall as Jakob Arthur closes in on NRL debut

The Sharks forward pack lacked any punch or potency against a rampant Panthers on Friday night - leading to talk of one of their premiership heroes earning a recall

(From left to right) Jakob Arthur, his father Brad Arthur, Jordan Rankin and Dylan Brown.

Andrew Fifita is poised to return to the NRL after a seven-month stint in the rugby league wilderness.

The former Test and NSW State of Origin forward is available for selection for the Sharks after serving a three-week suspension from a crusher tackle in the NSW Cup.

It’s understood he is being strongly considered for Cronulla’s Magic Round clash with South Sydney by Sharks coach Josh Hannay.

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Andrew Fifita was in the crowd watching the Sharks play the Panthers over the weekend.

The Sharks forward pack lacked any punch or potency against a rampant Panthers last Friday with Braden Hamlin Uele (ankle), Siosifa Talakai (suspended) and Royce Hunt (knee) unavailable.

Fifita, 31, hasn’t played first grade since the Sharks qualifying final loss to the Raiders in October last year.

The 118kg prop-forward failed to make former Cronulla coach John Morris’ round one starting team and has been unable to break into the Sharks first grade side ever since.

Fifita played four games for the Newtown Jets in the NSW Cup before being suspended.

He has averaged 142 running meters and just under seven tackle breaks per-game for the Jets.

Linked to a move to the Dragons earlier this year, Fifita remains on-contract at the Sharks until the end of 2022.

“Possibly (I’ll look at him),’’ Hannay said on the issue of picking Fifita.

“Obviously Andrew has a lot of experience.

Fifita has played four games for Newtown this year.

“The thing that will count against Andrew is that he hasn’t played for a month.

“The speed of this game for a big body, it’s a challenge.

“But certainly in Andrew, it’s another fit body available and someone we know who has done the job for the club over a number of years.

“He‘ll certainly come into contention.’’

The Sharks’ backs are also stretched without Ronaldo Mulitalo (knee), Sione Katoa (knee) and Jackson Ferris (foot) while there are fears centre Jesse Ramien will be sidelined with a suspected fractured cheekbone.

Arthur’s son in line for Eels NRL debut

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur will decide between handing teenage son Jake his NRL debut or a player who has not played first grade in four years as the Eels deal with a halves shortage.

Regular five-eighth Dylan Brown will miss three matches with an early guilty plea but risks a four-match suspension if he challenges the grade-three dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary for his collision that left Sydney Roosters five-eighth Drew Hutchison hospitalised with fractured ribs and punctured lung.

Back-up half Will Smith is already sidelined for at least another three weeks with a broken thumb.

Parramatta half Jakob Arthur.

Eels coach Brad Arthur.

That leaves Arthur with a choice of picking Jake or journeyman Jordan Rankin, who last played in the NRL in May 2017 before making a mid-season switch to the Super League.

The 29-year-old was named as part of Arthur’s extended squad ahead of last Friday night’s clash with the Roosters.

Coach Arthur indicated he will spend the weekend mulling over the decision and if he will hand his son his first NRL match.

Under NRL rules, the Eels would need dispensation to play Arthur as he is a development player. Development players are free to play in the NRL after next week’s round of matches without permission.

Jordan Rankin is the other option for the Eels’ halves. Picture: Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos

Given their mounting injury and suspension problems Parramatta could make a case for Arthur’s inclusion for Sunday’s Magic Round clash with the New Zealand Warriors at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

It seems just a matter of time before the Arthur’s join the likes of Nathan-Ivan Cleary and Kyle-Shane Flanagan as recent father-son coaching and playing combinations. .

Bryce Cartwright is another option to replace Brown.

In a double blow for the Eels, centre Marata Niukore is facing a two-match ban after being charged by the match review committee.

Niukore will receive a two-match ban if he pleads guilty to a grade two careless high tackle on James Tedesco, and risks a three-match penalty if he loses at the judiciary.

The Eels are expected to be boosted by Waqa Blake’s long-awaited return from a calf injury.

The impending loss of Brown comes at bad time for the Eels, who face the Warriors, Manly and South Sydney in the next three weeks.

Dylan Brown faces a three or four-match ban. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Roosters, however, will be without Hutchison for even longer after he was injured from clear knees to his back from Brown just before halftime in the Roosters’ 31-18 loss to Parramatta.

To make matters worse, the incident was not penalised on the field.

Meanwhile, Roosters prop Siosiua Taukeiaho is facing a $750 fine for a grade one careless high tackle on Parramatta’s Keegan Hipgrave, with a discount for a seven-year incident-free record, and Penrith forward Liam Martin is facing a $1150 fine for a contrary charge over an incident involving Cronulla’s Mawene Hiroti.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Andrew Fifita close to recall as Jakob Arthur closes in on NRL debut