NRL 2021: Jakob Arthur, son of Eels coach Brad, cleared for Magic Round debut

Parramatta have cleared the way for coach Brad Arthur’s son, Jakob, to make his NRL debut after a late drama threatened to block his dream.

NRL players have been placed back into tough COVID-19 restrictions.

Jakob Arthur has been cleared to make his NRL debut this weekend despite a late drama threatening to block his appearance at Magic Round for Parramatta.

The Eels were forced to upgrade the young playmaker’s deal to a top-30 NRL contract less than 24 hours after naming him at five-eighth to face the New Zealand Warriors at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

The NRL had threatened to ban Brad Arthur’s son from playing unless his contract status was upgraded in the next 48 hours.

The 18-year-old was on a development contract and could not have been used ahead of a top-30 player before Round 11 under NRL qualification rules.

That left the Eels desperately trying to sort out a new contract on Wednesday.

The termination of Michael Jennings’ contract last week opened up a place in Parramatta’s top 30.

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Jakob Arthur is set to make his NRL debut against the Warriors this weekend. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

Under NRL rules, development players can be used under special circumstances only when there are no other options available.

This was not the case at the Eels because Jordon Rankin or Bryce Cartwright could have been picked at five-eighth.

Parramatta’s general manager of football Mark O’Neill handled Jakob’s contract negotiation and said he deserved his opportunity in first grade.

“Jake has impressed the coaches, staff and players across the 2021 season. He has an incredibly calm demeanour and talented football brain,” O’Neill said.

“You would have to search a long way back to find another player with the same passion and determination to succeed.

“Jake has developed through our pathways program and is currently studying a Bachelor of Sports Coaching at university which is important to ensure his life is balanced off-field so he can perform at his best on-field.”

Obviously his father wants to stay out of it to defuse any possible suggestion of nepotism.

It has been an eventful week for Jakob in the build up to the game.

He can’t train with the team or be in contact with the players until the Eels arrive in Brisbane because he left the bubble last week to play NSW Cup.

Earlier: Arthur to hand son debut

Earlier, Arthur had been set to claim his maiden NRL jersey under remarkable circumstances as the Eels scrambled to cover the ravages of suspension and navigate a host of COVID complications.

Arthur was named at five-eighth as a replacement for the suspended Dylan Brown for the match against the Warriors, but he was not be permitted to train alongside his new teammates until Saturday as part of the NRL’s biosecurity protocols.

Throw in the prospect of a heaving Magic Round crowd at Suncorp Stadium and it promised to be an NRL debut unlike any other in recent memory.

But Parramatta skipper Clint Gutherson was certain the 18-year-old could step in and do the job as the Eels look to overcome the chaos.

Eels coach Brad Arthur has selected his son, Jakob, at five-eighth for Parramatta’s clash against the Warriors. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“He’s just a young kid, he’s been training hard,” Gutherson said.

“It seems like he’s been training here since he was 12 years old. He’s got some great players around to help him.

“Brad rides him pretty hard, as all dads do, but it’ll be a pretty special moment if he thinks he’s ready to go. He’s pretty good at training, he keeps his head down and works hard.

“During the pre-season and at the start of the year we’d always chuck different people in with different combinations for situations like this.”

Arthur has been in sharp form this season for the Eels’ NSW Cup side, scoring five tries, set up six more and made five linebreaks in his seven reserve grade appearances.

Jakob Arthur accelerates past senior Eels during a training session in 2018. Picture: Foxsports

The youngster has a cool head for a player of his experience, as well as a strong kicking game, and he’s combined well with veteran five-eighth Jordan Rankin, who has been named on an extended bench for first grade and could yet be a late inclusion.

“Jake is really mature for his age, real calm under pressure. He’s been killing it in Cup. I have big wraps on him,” reserve grade teammate Haze Dunster said.

“He’s definitely a controller. He’s real quiet off the field but on it he’ll demand what he wants off you. He knows how to flick that switch on the field.”

Gutherson was adamant there would be no excuses for Parramatta despite the COVID disruption.

“It is really confusing, but whatever they want us to do we’ll comply by and whatever keeps the team on the field we’ll do,” Gutherson said.

“There’s no excuses for us this week. We’ve been training together for years, or at least a pre-season, so we just have to get on with the job.”

Inside the COVID nightmare

Parramatta was earlier cleared to name a squad of 21 players for Magic Round, under new COVID-19 restrictions announced by the NRL.

The Eels had feared their decision to pull 10 top-30 and development players from a NSW Cup game last Friday – after the NRL warned clubs any player that took part in reserve grade competitions over the weekend would not be allowed back into the bubble under the game’s level three restrictions – would leave them without enough player for this weekend’s Magic Round.

However, the Eels managed to avoid falling short of naming a 21-man squad after the NRL announced a reduction from level three to level one restrictions once teams arrive in Brisbane for Magic Round.

“All Sydney clubs will remain under Level 3 Biosecurity Protocols until they arrive in Brisbane for Magic Round,’’ the NRL statement read.

“The National Rugby League (NRL) today gave approval for all 16 clubs to return to Level 1 restrictions once they have arrived in Brisbane.

“Clubs travelling to Brisbane will fly on commercial flights and must comply with public health orders which include wearing a mask in the terminal and on board the aircraft.

“Players that have not been part of the Level 3 Protocols continuously since they were introduced last week will not be permitted to re-join the NRL squad while still under Level 3 Protocols.

“Therefore, the request by the Parramatta Eels to have players who played NSW Cup matches last weekend to immediately re-join the squad has been denied.

Eels have been cleared to name 21 players for Magic Round this weekend. Picture: Brett Costello

“Once a team has arrived in Brisbane, the applicable Protocol will revert to Level 1.

“Therefore, all NRL clubs seeking to have additional players added to the squad in Brisbane for matches will need to comply with stringent biosecurity measures including immediately commencing observing Level 3 Protocols in isolation from the NRL squad and returning a negative COVID-19 test on the day of departure.

“Players seeking to join the NRL squad in Brisbane are not permitted to attend training prior to departure to Brisbane.

“The team lists this afternoon will act as the deadline for naming potential additional players to the NRL squad but does not guarantee approval for the players to join the squad unless the strict biosecurity conditions are met.

“Approval will not be granted for any impacted players to train with the NRL squad or to travel to Brisbane until all conditions have been met including negative COVID-19 test results the day before the relevant game.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Jakob Arthur, son of Eels coach Brad, cleared for Magic Round debut