How Eels’ Jakob Arthur has spent five years preparing for NRL chance

His NRL debut for Parramatta has been five years in the making but coach Brad Arthur has revealed why it was so difficult to select his son to face the Warriors.

Jakob Arthur’s NRL debut for Parramatta has been five years in the making. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Jake Arthur may have only had one training session with the rest of the squad ahead of his NRL debut but he has been preparing for this moment for the past five years.

From ball boy, to sitting alongside his dad Brad in the coaches’ box where he collected statistics and shadowing his dad at training, Arthur has been a constant in and around the Parramatta team.

Unable to sit in the coaches’ box last season because of the bubble he messaged key statistics at half-time from home.

Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Coach Brad Arthur with son Jakob, whose NRL debut has been a long time coming.

Brad was emotional when Mitchell Moses presented his son with his debut jersey on Saturday. It was Moses and Clint Gutherson who rang Arthur on Tuesday to tell him of his inclusion to play the Warriors on Sunday.

Jake trained with the side for the first time this week on Saturday because of COVID protocols when the team arrived in Brisbane.

“It was the toughest decision I’ve had to make as a coach,” Brad said.

“At the start of the year did I think he would be making his debut in round 10? The boys wanted him to play. The assistant coaches and everyone at our club and the players would’ve played him five weeks ago.

“If I considered all the reasons why I wouldn’t pick him there would only be one – his surname. It’s Dylan (Brown’s) jersey – he is borrowing it for a couple of weeks.”

Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur at his Rouse Hill home with his family. Picture: Toby Zerna

Those close to the family say the 18-year-old has the temperament of his mother Michelle – far more measured than Brad and younger brother Matthew who is also an emerging first grader.

Just six months ago Arthur was running around with his schoolmates at Patrician Brothers‘ College Blacktown leading them to a NSW Schoolboy Championship.

Coach Greg Beacroft also taught Arthur.

“He rarely talks,” Beacroft said.

“He is just a really quiet kid. He is a really strong defender, great kicking game and passing game.

“At school level he was a couple of plays ahead of the kids. He was too advanced at times. He has put the time and effort into his football but he still put the time and effort into his study.

“He is very level headed. He would never walk around the playground saying ‘my dad is an NRL coach’.”

When Arthur was overlooked for a NSW team in 2017 that made him more determined. The selectors did not make the same mistake two years later and he shone at the national championships against the likes of Sam Walker and Reece Walsh.

“He is unique that he knows how to do everything right,” Beacroft said.

“No matter what level he plays, he handles. When it comes time to talk he will talk. He was a captain that wouldn’t say ‘go do this’ he would lead from the front.

“He is really good at maths. In six years at school he wouldn’t have got in trouble once.”

Jakob Arthur had his first training run with the Eels the day before his NRL debut. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Arthur is expected to come face-to-face with another Patrician Brothers‘ College Blacktown alumni in Warriors’ Josh Curran who is expected to throw plenty of traffic down his way. Arthur was the school’s ball boy when Curran was in year 12.

While the day is significant for the Arthur family it is also a big moment for his junior club the Rouse Hill Rhinos.

Arthur will become the first player from the club to crack the NRL and it is where his dad first coached him. They won three titles in under 14, 16 and 18 with Brad as either coach or trainer.

Jakob Arthur, sitting on the floor with the shield looking up to his dad.

Rhinos president Paul Fuda said the Arthur influence on the club was huge.

“You have an NRL coach who is giving back to his local club where his kids play – it was invaluable,” Fuda said.

“Jake is very polite and always says hello and will thank you if you’ve done something as a volunteer.

“He has grown over time. He was quite small and then he shot up and he has gotten a bit bigger in the chest. He was always a good game manager.”