Eels’ recruit endures horror debut amid halfback headache

The Panthers have beaten the Eels 22-16 in the grand final rematch after Parramatta star recruit Josh Hodgson endured a horror start in his club debut.

Eels new recruit Josh Hodgson. Fox Sports

The Panthers have beaten the Eels 22-16 in the pre-season grand final rematch with most stars sitting out the clash.

But Parramatta star recruit Josh Hodgson stepped out in his first match for the club and endured a horror start in his club debut.

The Eels were pushing for a try when Hodgson threw an intercept to Penrith centre Tom Jenkins who ran 95 metres and scored in the 21st minute.

“Hodgson out of dummyhalf and showing the ball with two hands, they would have scored if they got it on the outside there but (they didn’t),” Steve Roach said.

But Eels captain Clint Gutherson backed Hodgson to make a huge impact at the club in 2023.

“He’s been around the game a long time, a couple of years ago he was one of the best hookers in the game and we’ve seen that in pre-season,” Gutherson said.

“He wanted to play tonight and he’ll go again next week.”

Hodgson missed almost all of last season after rupturing his ACL just six minutes into Round 1, but he survived the trial unscathed.

It’s still early for Hodgson. Picture: Jonathan Ng

It was ultimately far from a true test of what the season will bring for either side with so many of the stars sitting on the sidelines but the match showed the need for the Eels to hang on to Mitchell Moses.

Despite not playing a minute on Saturday night, Moses value was clear.

Jake Arthur is still in the infancy of his career so comparisons to Moses are unfair but he looked out of answers alongside veteran Jordan Rankin in the halves.

Parramatta had more possession and territory but simply couldn’t convert inside Penrith’s 20m line.

They conceded two length-of-the-field tries after coughing up the ball while pressing the Panthers’ line and it was largely due to the indecision of their halves.

The selection of Arthur, son of coach Brad Arthur, ignited a barrage of criticism last season and his performance on Saturday will do nothing to quell it.

Moses is contracted until the end of the season but will have to leave to earn his market value as the club has already re-signed five-eighth Dylan Brown.

Originally published as Eels’ recruit endures horror debut amid halfback headache