Brad Arthur leading his charges.
The recent images and videos made available from the Parramatta Eels Media Department have made for interesting viewing. We’ve been given unprecedented access as the players have been pushed through a searching fitness program designed to both increase their stamina and to challenge their limits. Although this is an anticipated component of pre-seasons across all of the 16 NRL clubs, the involvement of Brad Arthur has caught my attention.
Why would the coach participate in the most gruelling aspects of the pre-season? Surely it’s not necessary for the coach to achieve the same fitness levels as the players? Dig a little deeper into the performances of the team over recent history and the answer becomes a little clearer. Listen to the calls of the senior players at training and that answer is underlined. Push yourself! Dig deeper! Don’t let your team mate down! Work harder! Body language! Don’t show them you’re hurting!
WATCH BRAD ARTHUR IN ACTION IN THE PRESEASON.
Parramatta’s results over the last 6 years have proven one very clear fact. We have not been tough enough to win the requisite games to feature in finals football. Sure there have been some highlights, but we have to be honest about our lack of success. When the matches were in the balance, we came up short.
Discipline, or the lack of it, has rightly been highlighted. However, Brad Arthur has not shied away from acknowledging that the team has needed to develop match winning toughness and has stated that this has been a work in progress since his arrival.
There’s been no quick fix. The recruitment has targeted hardheads such as Anthony Watmough, Danny Wicks and Beau Scott. Experienced and talented players such as Keiren Foran and Michael Gordon are already demonstrating to their colleagues that there are no shortcuts in personal and team preparation. It has taken two years under the stewardship of Arthur to reach this point. It is time for the team to stand up and show how far they have come.
The playing group listening intently to the words of their coach.
So back to those images of Brad Arthur hitting the limits of his endurance alongside the players. Why do it? Obviously, there’s the simplest element of demonstrating to his charges that he’s in the trenches beside them. But dig further into his psyche and the “toughen up” mantra at training and we find a coach who is setting benchmarks in toughness for his team to witness. Recent footage of the players on the bikes in the gym shows the name “Arthur” at the top of the computerised leaderboard. Already regarded as probably the fittest coach in the NRL, Brad Arthur has, through his own actions, emphasised to his squad that when each of them reaches that point where they feel like they can’t give any more, every player in the blue and gold can reach inside and find something extra – that last ditch tackle, that chase for a ball, that support play for a break. It is an attitudinal benchmark that is being set by the coach and demanded of the players.
As the 2016 Parramatta Eels attempt to convert second half leads into Premiership points, that physical and mental toughness could just provide the club with the edge that brings success.
Sixties
