NRL 2020: Clint Gutherson, Brad Arthur have reshaped Parramatta Eels
Together they have helped reshape Parramatta from basket case into a genuine premiership force, a side playing a style of footy that is a joy to watch — but it didn’t get off to the smoothest of starts.
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“Bloody hell, why have you signed him?”
Brad Arthur was thinking back to the first few games Clint Gutherson played for Parramatta.
It’s worth revisiting this week as the man now hailed ‘King Gutho’ prepares to run out for his 100th NRL game on Friday night against North Queensland.
Because, in many ways, Arthur’s opening thoughts back in 2016 go to the heart of the underappreciation the inspirational Eels captain has received throughout his somewhat turbulent NRL career so far.
Peter Sterling said this week Gutherson was now as influential to Parramatta as Tom Trbojevic is to Manly and James Tedesco to the Sydney Roosters.
Yet last year Gutherson was being ridiculed when his management chased $700,000-a-season.
Gutherson was even portrayed as being greedy in some quarters.
There was also a subtle message planted in the media that some people at Parramatta were cautious offering Gutherson a long term deal because he was considered a risk due to two previous ACL knee operations.
But then last Saturday night Gutherson showed why Arthur’s long held faith was absolutely bang on the money in the thrilling golden point win over Canberra.
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Which is what also should be celebrated in the countdown to what is often perceived as a relatively minor milestone. How this unbreakable bond between captain and coach has in essence resurrected a rugby league heartland that had been underperforming for way too long.
Because the truth is, if it wasn’t for Arthur, Gutherson probably wouldn’t still be at Parramatta today — and might not have even made 10 NRL games.
Likewise, without Gutherson, Arthur most probably would be just another sacked coach.
But together they have helped reshape Parramatta from basket case into a genuine premiership force — a side playing a style of up-tempo footy that is just a joy to watch.
Arthur can still clearly remember those first few games when he brought the youngster across from Manly.
At the time Gutherson was coming off his first ACL and Parra fans weren’t exactly thrilled by his arrival.
“His first couple of games he played for us, I played him on the wing, out of position, so I didn’t do him any favours,” Arthur recalled, with his typical honesty.
“And I remember even going, ‘Bloody hell, what have you signed him for?’
“He was getting hammered on social media: ‘Why have we signed this bloke?’
“But I always knew, long term, he was going to be good.”
Arthur went on to explain what made Gutherson so special was not necessarily his God-given talent.
Rather, it was this extraordinary desire and determination — to physically push his body to a place where the majority of players just don’t want to go.
“And because he works so hard, in those times of fatigue when people have got no clarity because they are out on their feet, he has put himself in that position where he is always in good shape,” Arthur said.
“He is always thinking clearly.”
Like last Saturday night when he had the presence of mind to take that step back and catch the ball with his foot planted on the tryline, to give his side a seven tackle set and an opportunity to set up for a field goal.
Then, with six Raiders charging down on him, he calmly slotted his first ever field goal to clinch victory, with his injured playmaker Mitchell Moses watching from the sideline.
It’s astonishing to think that, at 25, Gutherson is still the NRL’s youngest fulltime captain, yet has now been in the position for more than two years.
When Parramatta management opened negotiations last year it was with an offer of $450,000 for this 2020 season, and $500,000 for next year.
Talk about low-balling. That would struggle to get Gutherson in the NRL’s top 100 paid players.
While Gutherson eventually signed for a reported $650,000 for three years after months of negotiations, that still makes him the NRL’s bargain buy.
As Sterlo marvelled on Channel 9: “He is not spoken about in the same terms, or carries the profile of Tom Trbojevic or a James Tedesco.
“But the influence and significance he has on this Parramatta team, it is up there with what Turbo means to Manly and Teddy means for the Roosters.”
Arthur agreed: “You know what, Trbojevic and Tedesco are the best in the game, and he has held his own against both of them (in recent weeks).
“He is just different, a different type of player to those blokes.”
And it’s about strength of character as well.
Not long after Gutherson took over the captaincy in 2018, there was a game where the Eels were lapped 30-4 by then easybeats Newcastle.
I remember afterwards, Arthur and Gutherson sat side-by-side at the post match press conference, absolutely embarrassed.
But what they didn’t do was shirk their responsibilities like some coaches and captains, or turn on each other. Instead, Gutherson and Arthur manned up and owned their situation.
They took every question that was thrown at them, not once ducking for cover or trying to spin their way out of it.
And even though Parra went on to claim the wooden spoon, Arthur and Gutherson rode the rollercoaster together.
I asked Arthur about that, and if coming through those tough periods had made Gutherson a better player.
“Bloody oath it has,” Arthur said. “And he has made me a better coach.
“At the end of the day I might have got some things wrong. He might have got some things wrong. But we had each other’s back. He is one of those blokes that when you are down in the trenches, he is f...ing with you. And that’s what you need.”
You don’t have to be a Parra fan to cheer that.
CONTRACT CAPERS: AXED STAR IN DEMAND
Take it as read several NRL clubs are waiting anxiously to see if dumped Canterbury Bulldogs backrower Corey Harawira-Naera is allowed to return this year.
Harawira-Naera had his contract deregistered along with former teammate Jayden Okunbor for off-field behaviour while on a pre-season trip to Port Macquarie.
While the Bulldogs took a hard-line stance, others were not so disgusted with their alleged behaviour, including the NRL’s chief gender adviser Catharine Lumby.
Lumby said at the time “they have done nothing criminal as far as we know”.
Harawira-Naera’s appeal is set to be heard in the very near future.
Clubs have until August 3 to register players. If Harawira-Naera is allowed to return expect the chase to be immediate and frantic.
BRONCOS KIDDING OVER BENNETT BLAME
Brisbane chairman Karl Morris was kidding himself with his suggestion it was going to take Anthony Seibold two years to fix the problems inherited from Wayne Bennett.
The fact is almost everyone had the Broncos as top-four contenders for 2019. Andrew Johns for one tipped them to win the comp.
It was very similar this year with the majority believing the Broncos would be a huge threat.
Instead of trying to spin their way out of it, perhaps the Broncos need to face reality.
While Kevvie Walters is the most obvious choice to take over if Seibold is ultimately sacked, a left-field suggestion would be to swallow their pride and go back to Anthony Griffin.
Griffin has already lived the pressure associated with being head coach of rugby league’s biggest brand. He also would have learned plenty at Penrith with Phil Gould, when he was sensationally sacked despite the Panthers sitting equal fourth.
Since then Griffin has proven himself to have a strong media presence. And coaches grow from experience — they don’t get worse.
BULLDOGS HANG PAY OUT TO DRY
Canterbury officials might be acting as if they are handling the club’s predicament in a calm and calculated manner.
Don’t be fooled, behind the scenes there’s a mad scramble.
And it’s not just coach Dean Pay who has his work cut out.
Chief executive Andrew Hill has gone to ground and the mail is pretty strong some influential backroom powerbrokers are growing restless with chair Lynne Anderson.
This really has the potential to explode.
While all the heat has been on Pay publicly, at least he continues to take responsibility for where the team is placed.
Yet others don’t seem nearly as comfortable sharing accountability.
It makes you wonder how they could be leaving it to just the coach given the famous Bulldogs brand is still without a major sponsor, and others aren’t exactly lining up.
While the new board did not appoint Pay, they will want to make sure if they punt him they don’t just recruit another young coach to try and fix problems not of Pay’s making.
It is crystal-clear Canterbury needs experience in the key spine positions and if they don’t sign the right players for next year nothing is going to change, no matter who is coach.
Only now has Pay been in a position where he has the salary cap space to go fishing. But as if any player is going to sign if they don’t know who’s in charge.
It’s a joke that the club didn’t let Pay sign Josh Reynolds, even if it was for just this year.
I can’t imagine any other coach getting told he couldn’t bring in a player of his choice for such a bargain price.
Imagine pulling that stunt on Wayne Bennett or Ricky Stuart.