NRL 2023: Parramatta Eels star Dylan Brown admits not realising he was missing big moments

The stats show he’s the most dominant five-eighth in the NRL right now, but Parramatta star Dylan Brown has made a candid admission about his form, after the Eels’ winless start.

Ryan Matterson returns against Penrith. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Parramatta’s weekly spine video review sessions have been tough viewing for Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown.

A candid Brown has ‘put his hand up’, admitting he has failed to capitalise on the big moments in the Eels’ three straight losses to start the NRL season.

Not only that, he hadn’t realised those moments had slipped through his fingers until he watched them back.

“Obviously there are moments we are missing and a lot of those are from the spine. So, that’s me putting my hand up and saying there are moments where I could have helped put us in positions to win,” Brown said.

“I’m happy but I’m not content with how I am playing.

“When you are in the game there are things you don’t see, and you watch back in video and you go ‘oh, I missed it.’

Dylan Brown is taking ownership for his role in the Eels’ losses. Picture: Richard Dobson

“Being more game aware, that’s part of me growing as a player. I’m still young and not that’s an excuse but I‘m still learning every week.

“I don’t think I am anywhere near my potential.”

However, the stats say Brown is being too hard on himself.

According to Fox Sports Lab, the 22-year-old is leading all five-eighths in possessions, runs and run metres, line engagements, try assists and tackles.

But those statistics don’t quantify the part of Parramatta’s game of which coach Brad Arthur has been most critical — the lapses in concentration that are robbing them of the ability to seize the big moments.

Champion former Newcastle five-eighth and Fox League expert Matthew Johns said that would come with experience, but encouraged Brown to heed the coach’s assessment.

“Owning the big moments is a reward for staying focused for 80 minutes, staying in the contest. That is your bread and butter as a playmaker. The flashy stuff, the no-look pass, they aren’t the big moments, that’s for aesthetics,” Johns said.

“But Dylan is exactly right, when you‘re in the midst of a big moment, most times you don’t know.

“Playmakers get better at the big moments as they get older because they recognise situations through experience and recognise their own games a lot better.”

Statistically, Brown is the leading five-eighth this season. Picture: by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Johns believes the wholesale changes to Parramatta’s back-row personnel, compounded by Shaun Lane’s unavailability with a broken jaw, is the biggest reason the Eels are staring down the barrel of an 0-4 record ahead of Thursday night’s grand final rematch in Penrith.

Ryan Matterson returns from suspension on the right this week, but Johns said missing Lane on the left edge had contributed to Brown not icing the match-defining moments.

“What’s really hurting them for me, and it will help this week with Matterson back, is their back row,” Johns said.

“The lifeblood of a playmaker like Brown is a good back-rower. It’s been hard, they've had so much disruption there. You are at the mercy of what you have around you.”

While Brown conceded he missed Lane on his outside shoulder, the combination with Bryce Cartwright was a work in progress.

Brown concedes he has been missing the presence of Shaun Lane, who is currently sidelined with a broken jaw. Picture: AAP.

“Laney is a world-class player, I love playing with Laney, he offers a different kind of attack. Playing with Bryce, we just haven’t iced movements,” Brown said.

“I’m looking forward to when Laney comes back, whenever that may be, no rush. We have players there that can fill the spot.”

Another key difference for Brown has been the addition of veteran hooker Josh Hodgson to Parramatta’s spine, which had the luxury of the same combination for four straight seasons before Reed Mahoney defected to Canterbury.

“What people don’t understand is that a person‘s pass is their thumbprint. There is a certain rotation on the ball, some hookers pass and the ball is dipping down or it’s between your eyes. Over time you get that feel for the nuances,” Johns said.

“Whenever we get a knew hooker at Newcastle, we’d get there and just go ‘mate, before the session, after the session … it’s a hundred passes. Just keep firing the ball at me, let me get a feel of how the ball rotates at your hands’.”

HOW MATTERSON BLOCKED EELS’ ATTEMPTS TO OVERTURN BAN

—Dean Ritchie

It might not be the only time the Eels go 0-5 this season.

Parramatta tried and failed five times to backflip on Ryan Matterson’s bizarre decision to accept a three-game ban over a $4000 fine, with revelations the back-row star’s own comments helped cement his fate.

Matterson has been named to return to Parramatta’s line-up in their grand final rematch against Penrith on Thursday night after watching his teammates struggle to a winless start to the NRL season.

The Eels’ premiership hopes go on the line against the Panthers in round 4 because the only team that has started the season 0-3 and won the comp in the NRL era was the Cowboys in 2015.

Things don’t get any easier next week when they face the Sydney Roosters.

Ryan Matterson will play for the first time since the grand final. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the five different ways the Eels attempted to overturn Matterson’s decision to accept a ban for his grand final crusher tackle.

However, the NRL code states when a player determines his plea, and a penalty is applied, there is no legal avenue for the matter to be reopened.

Matterson was granted an extension to enter his plea. A hearing was offered before a result was reached but Parramatta declined.

“If a player, after receiving a notice of charge, elects within the meaning of Rule 57 to: (a) Plead guilty to the offence and accept the grading, he shall be allocated the ‘Early Plea’ penalty for the offence provided for under the Second Schedule and, subject only to Rules 47E and 47G, the proceedings will thereby be concluded,” the code reads.

It’s claimed Matterson was suffering from concussion and had been enjoying post-grand final beers when he made his decision.

While acknowledging that may be the case, the NRL was legally unable to change Matterson’s plea.

The Daily Telegraph has been told Parramatta management – through barrister Stephen Stanton - lodged an application to revisit Matterson’s decision.

Eels chairman Sean McElduff and general manager of football, Mark O’Neill, attempted to meet with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and ARLC chairman Peter V’landys over the matter. However, they were unable to intervene given the judiciary is independent.

Parramatta also sought to meet with judiciary chairman, Geoff Bellew, who rejected the application.

After being charged, Matterson gave reasons behind his decision to accept a suspension over a fine, which NRL insiders say show the back-rower reached a clear decision.

“I just feel that $4000 is pretty hefty considering I have already paid close to $4000 in fines this year for things that are absurd,” Matterson said.

“At the end of the day I have personal things I need to worry about outside of rugby league. I just didn’t think it was warranted. If you do something wrong at work they don’t take money off you. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m playing rugby league.”

Matterson and Parramatta incorrectly thought trial matches may be included in the three-game suspension.

Privately, Parramatta felt Matterson wasn’t given natural justice, something the NRL quickly denied.

IN DEFENCE OF THEIR TEAMMATE

- Fatima Kdouh

Dylan Brown has defended Parramatta star Ryan Matterson’s call to cop a three-match ban over a fine, saying he was “pretty sure they rushed him into making a decision” after the grand final.

Matterson’s move has been placed further under the microscope with every match this season as Parramatta go into the round 4 blockbuster grand final rematch against Penrith on Thursday night without a win.

Brown insists there is no bad blood with Matterson.

“Nah we obviously made fun of him but at the same time, no one knows what he was going through at the time when he made the decision so whatever the reason was, I’m sure it was valid for him and his family,” Brown said.

“We support him either way.

“Things would have been racing through his mind (after the grand final).

“I’m pretty sure they rushed him into making a decision, which is something I personally don’t agree with.”

Skipper Clint Gutherson said Matterson will return with a point to prove after the criticism.

“Hopefully he plays well and we can all move on from it. It was after the grand final, when you don’t want to be around footy … and that’s the way it went. We moved on,” Gutherson said.

“He’s a competitor. He wants to go out there and win. I think him in the team will add a lot of confidence to the boys around him. That’s what we need.”

Matterson raised eyebrows when he opted to sit out the first three rounds instead of paying a $4000 fine for a crusher tackle on Penrith’s Dylan Edwards in last year’s grand final.

Ryan Matterson is returning from a three-game ban after opting not to pay a $4000 fine. Picture: Richard Dobson

Already without Shaun Lane (jaw), Isaiah Papali’i (Wests Tigers) and Marata Niukore (Warriors), Matterson’s availability would have been shot in the arm for the Eels in the opening rounds.

Where Matterson is named in coach Brad Arthur’s 17 on Tuesday could depend on the health of back-rowers Mat Doorey and Jack Murchie.

Doorey picked up a knee injury against Manly, the same knee he did an ACL injury in 2021.

Thankfully for Eels fans Doorey has been cleared of a serious injury but is racing the clock for the Penrith game. So too, Murchie, who must complete return-to-play protocols after he suffered a category two head knock on the weekend.

But if Doorey is cleared to take the field, it’s expected J’maine Hopgood will start at lock with Matterson to be used in a similar fashion to last season, where he would come off the bench to play both in the middle and on the edge.

Brown revealed Parramatta’s big men had admitted to being overrun and overpowered by Manly’s forward pack last Thursday.

Reagan Campbell-Gillard is belted by Moses Leota and James Fisher-Harris in the grand final. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

It was a similar scenario for Parramatta’s engine room in the grand final when Penrith’s enforcers led by James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota bashed the Eels into submission in the opening exchanges.

Not only does Brown want to see his forwards make amends for last week, but has tipped Matterson to play a key role in Parramatta’s go forward on Thursday night at Commbank Stadium.

“I feel like he (Matterson) is a leader in our group, he’ll bring some leadership into the group and he’ll show us how to get going forward again. You know, just some hard running,” Brown said.

“He can obviously ball play as well, he grew up as a halfback.

“They (forwards) weren’t happy with their performance on the weekend, and this is a perfect example for them to make up for it.”

Originally published as NRL 2023: Parramatta Eels star Dylan Brown admits not realising he was missing big moments