Dropped Eels winger Bevan French too good for reserve grade, says skipper Tim Mannah
PARRAMATTA captain Tim Mannah says his exiled teammate is too good for reserve grade. But Bevan French has only played one NRL game since telling The Daily Telegraph earlier this month he would be willing to quit the Eels to become a fullback elsewhere.
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PARRAMATTA captain Tim Mannah says his exiled teammate Bevan French is “too good” for reserve grade as the Eels flyer eyes a return to the NRL.
French has spent the last two weeks playing for Eels feeder side the Wentworthville Magpies in his preferred position at fullback — where he’s scored two tries in two games.
“I’ve gone out and watched his last couple of games for Wenty and he’s too good for that level,” Mannah said.
“He’s put on some clinics down there [in the Intrust Super Premiership] and really shown the kind of talent he has.”
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But French’s name again appeared on the extended bench for Brad Arthur’s team sheet on Tuesday, handed the number 21 jumper with key players in doubt.
Backline stars Jarryd Hayne and Corey Norman have been managing “niggling” injuries this week and have only trained in no-contact vests.
French has earned a reprieve as a back-up to Hayne and Norman and it’s expected he will travel to Townsville for Friday night’s game against North Queensland.
The Tingha product has only played one NRL game since telling The Daily Telegraph earlier this month he would be willing to quit the Eels to fulfil his desire to wear the No. 1 jumper long-term.
Eels centre Michael Jennings said the timing of the demotion was coincidental and that Arthur isn’t playing mind games.
He said the axing was purely motivated by the need for French to work on certain skills.
French only made 12 errors from 16 games last season but his tally this year is almost double that with 23 errors from 17 games. Four of those mistakes came in the match preceding his axing against the Titans in round 21.
“He just needed to clean up a few minor skill errors and that was it. It’s just a few minor fixes,” Jennings said.
“He knows he has to get his spot back by working on the little things in premier league and he’s been fine with that.”
Veteran forward Mannah revealed he had reached out to support French and to help him navigate through a rough patch of his young career.
“He’s attitude has been great since he has been playing for Wenty,” he said.
“I think it has been a chance for him to refresh and not have the kind of pressure he’s had on him over the last couple of months.
“I really admire the way he’s handled himself over the last couple of weeks.”
French’s ambition to play at fullback has hit a roadblock at Parramatta, where he has dropped down the pecking order behind the likes of Clint Gutherson and now even Corey Norman, who has been named at the back for the third week running.
Mannah says the quality of outside back’s available to Arthur has meant French will need to earn his first-grade recall on merit.
“We’ve got some guys doing a good there at the moment and that’s the way it works sometimes. He’s got to wait for another opportunity to open up,” he said.
French’s manager told The Daily Telegraph that his client’s contract situation remained unchanged and that he fully expected the 22-year old to be at Parramatta next season.