NRL 2024: Eels coach Brad Arthur has backed Blaize Talagi as the side’s long-term fullback after signing Dragons star Zac Lomax
Blaize Talagi has joined Ethan Sanders as an Eels junior on the hit list of rival NRL clubs, now Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has made a shock call on the future of one rising youngster.
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Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has anointed boom rookie Blaize Talagi as the long term successor to Clint Gutherson at fullback.
Talagi, the brightest prospect at the Eels, has played most of his junior representative football at five-eighth and centre but the youngster has now told Arthur he has ambitions to wear the No.1 jumper.
Last year, Arthur revealed the club was searching for an X-factor fullback that could see skipper Gutherson shifted into the centres.
Arthur was quick to point out that Talagi’s desire to play at fullback would not trigger that backline reshuffle anytime soon.
But given halfback Mitchell Moses is signed until the end of 2028 and five-eighth Dylan Brown until 2031, the 19-year old Talagi is being groomed to take over from Gutherson.
Arthur conceded Talagi’s versatility meant the coach is still working out his best position in the NRL side but is confident fullback is where the playmaker can add the most value.
“None of us (know his best position) and I don’t know if Blaize does,” Arthur said.
“We’ve talked to him about it. He is very keen to see how he goes in the fullback role and often their best position is the position they like. He likes fullback.
“We are not in a hurry to replace Gutho because he is our captain and we can’t win without him, he’s pretty important to us.
“But Blaize is 19 and has 15 years ahead of him and has plenty of time to learn that role.
“I’m probably thinking that fullback long term will suit him, especially in our team where we have two halves that are going to be for a long time. The club has done a good job in locking them down, but they are going to be there for a while.”
Already Talagi has played three games at fullback in NSW Cup this year.
He trained at fullback during the week ahead of Friday night’s clash against the Dolphins with the club managing Gutherson’s workload in 2024.
“Gutho wasn’t able to train during the week so he was able to fit in there,” Arthur revealed.
St George Illawarra star Zac Lomax will join the club in 2025, where he is likely to play at centre but he too has also expressed a desire to be an NRL fullback.
The decision to back Talagi at fullback in the future could play a significant role in keeping the local junior at the club.
Like Ethan Sanders, Talagi hit the open market after round six and rivals are free to approach the youngster.
Talagi has a player option in his favour for 2025, but is yet to take it up.
New NRL rules prevent players who are off contract and have limited experience in senior rugby league negotiating with rival clubs prior to round six.
Talagi made his NRL debut at centre back in round three before Arthur handed him the no. 6 jumper back in round five after halfback Mitchell Moses suffered a broken foot but was dropped back to NSW Cup after just two games.
The coach has recalled the boom teenager into the side this week but on the bench.
Arthur was reluctant to label Talagi as ‘the’ x-factor he was searching for but said the club was willing to do what it takes to find out.
“At the moment it’s about giving him experience that you can’t take off him. You only get experience if you give it to them. It comes with its challenges. Often they can come up with a big moment in the game, or a negative moment and cost you a game of footy,” Arthur said.
“So that’s a risk we are prepared to take as a club and a team because we know that long term he’s got a future for us.
“In terms of whether he can provide that X-factor, I don’t want to put that label on him yet. He doesn’t want to be a bench player and we don’t want him to be a bench player but that’s just another part of his development process.”
Brown conceded Talagi’s natural ability made him suited to the no. 6 role but despite the roadblocks in that position he urged the youngster to commit his future to the Eels.
“I just think he should stay where he knows he is going to learn. There is myself and Mitchy he can learn off but we don’t know if that’s going to be his best position. But his opportunity is going to come.
Brown is well aware of how quickly things change in the NRL. Brown was behind Corey Norman in the pecking order and spent all of the 2018 pre-season training with the NSW Cup side before Norman parted ways with the club in late December that year.
“With me, I got thrown in the deep end, the same with him. Mine was a bit different though, Corey left the club and it was like, ‘This is yours’. You jump in and learn how to swim.”
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Originally published as NRL 2024: Eels coach Brad Arthur has backed Blaize Talagi as the side’s long-term fullback after signing Dragons star Zac Lomax
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