‘I don’t know what he’s talking about’: Dylan Brown hits back at Paul Gallen’s claims the Eels won’t make the finals

Dylan Brown will play with a point to prove after an NRL legend wrote off Parramatta’s chances of playing finals footy.

Dylan Brown has fired back at Paul Gallen over his claims the Eels won’t play finals footy this year. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Dylan Brown doesn’t keep a folder with all the hot takes from people who criticise him or the Eels, but the Parramatta five-eighth is fired up by Paul Gallen’s comments suggesting his side won’t make the top eight.

The Sharks legend said the Eels would likely miss out on the finals with several of their key players from last year’s decider no longer at the club, which has resulted in their poor start to the season.

But Brown isn’t buying that and says the 4-6 Eels can recover from 13th to make a charge towards the top eight, starting this weekend in Canberra where they’ll be without halfback Mitch Moses.

Sharks legend Paul Gallen doesn’t think the Eels will feature in the 2023 finals series. Picture: Tim Hunter

“Apparently Paul Gallen said we'd miss out on the eight,” Brown said.

“I don’t know what he’s talking about. It’s pretty damn early to be saying that I reckon.

“We’re good at blocking stuff out and it just makes me laugh, to be honest. Some people like to keep receipts and do all that stuff, but it’s not really me. I’m more in the moment and just focus on next week. I don’t look in the past.”

The Eels are coming off a shock 26-24 loss to the Titans at Magic Round that left coach Brad Arthur perplexed given they’d dominated in so many key areas.

Brown was also shocked at the result in which he had arguably his best game in a blue and gold jersey.

Sunday’s loss to the Titans leaves Parramatta outside the top eight despite Brown’s brilliant performance. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“We were a bit baffled by it,” said Brown, who ran for 208m and set up two tries.

“We went out there with a game plan and we've done everything we were supposed to do and stood in the wind, so I guess it’s just credit to the Titans. They scrambled well and they put in a good performance.”

Brown’s performance came a few weeks after Arthur challenged him, with the five-eighth returning to his running best against the Titans.

“I was just sort of going with the flow and not dominating the game. I don’t know why I wasn’t. It obviously took me a few weeks to realise that. I’m happier with where I am at the minute,” he said.

“Footy is a simple game and he told me, ‘you're an important player in the team and if you’re not playing well, your edge isn’t going to play well’. He put an onus on me to own my edge and owning my running game and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Moses will be allowed to return for next Friday’s game against the Rabbitohs if he clears concussion protocols. Picture; Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Brown and the Eels will look to bounce back against the Raiders, but they’ll have to do it without Moses, who will miss the game under the NRL’s mandatory 11-day stand-down policy after he was forced off late against the Titans due to a head knock.

It means Jake Arthur will return to the side for the first time since last year’s grand final.

“I think he is very similar to Mitch. He owns the game and he dominates,” Brown said.

“He is very vocal, me not so much as everyone knows, but he's a very smart player. His intelligence shows on the field, he’ll come in and he won’t be shy.

“He comes in and out of training with first grade and if you look at his reserve games he dominates.”

Arthur, who is still only 20, had to deal with ugly claims of nepotism last season given his dad is the coach, but his teammates have rallied around him, with Brown describing Brad as a father figure for everyone at the club.

Jake Arthur featured in the pre-season challenge and has been 18th man this season, but Saturday’s game will be his first NRL appearance since the grand final. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

“I didn't deal with nepotism, but coming through the ranks, it’s obviously hard when you first come into first grade, whether you’re playing good, bad, whatever, there’s going to be people’s opinions,” he said.

“I think Jake’s learned to deal with that and obviously his dad deals with it a lot. I’m sure they have each other’s backs and the whole team does too.

“Honestly, I don't know how he does it, but he’s obviously a very strong kid.

“You spend a lot of time away from your family here. We're here almost half the week. For him to be able to do that is amazing.

“It’s very important because you don't want to be coming to work and not relating with your coach. It’s like happy wife, happy life with the coach, you want to be playing well.”