Parramatta Eels tell Chris Sandow he's free to leave after questioning coach Brad Arthur's tactics
Date
Adrian Proszenko
Chris Sandow reckons his style of footy wins games, but he won't be playing them for Parramatta for much longer after being told he is free to pack his bags immediately.
Sandow cost himself any chance of a contract extension when he publicly challenged coach Brad Arthur's game plans on Wednesday. The club is also considering sanctioning the enigmatic halfback for his comments at the inaugural Parramatta Girls Rugby League Day at Richie Benaud Oval, which included: "If he lets me play how I want to play, we'll win more games."
The 26-year-old added: "It's tough because last year I played my own footy under Brad. Something must have changed his mind about how he should play me … I just want to play my own footy … I think it's something people come to watch."
While there has been a falling out between the parties, they appear to be stuck with each other in the short term. The Eels' much-publicised salary cap problems - they were handed a $525,000 breach notice for overspending last year - means that dropping Sandow back to Wentworthville is no simple matter. Arthur's preference for much of this year was to play Luke Kelly at No.7, but the fact the Eels are on the limit for the second-tier cap means they require special dispensation from cap auditor Jamie L'Oste Brown to select him. The Eels want Kelly to play against his former club Melbourne on Monday night but it remains to be seen whether they will be granted permission to do so.
And even if the Eels stand Sandow down for a week for breaching the club's code of conduct, they will probably have to reinstate him in first grade the following round or face the prospect of again breaching the cap and starting the 2016 competition four points in arrears.
Eels powerbrokers have told Sandow he is free to leave before the June 30 transfer window expires. However, they will be unable to force him out if there aren't any takers, as his management will demand he be paid out for the rest of the season.
Arthur was reluctant to comment when asked his reaction to Sandow's comments. "There's no problem with our attack and how we play with the football," Arthur said. "Our deficiencies are all based around defence."
Statistics back up Arthur's view. Figures provided by Prozone show Sandow has missed 41 tackles this season, more than any other No.7 in the competition. The Cherbourg product's tackle efficiency of 78.1 per cent is the fourth lowest of the halfbacks, while he is ninth highest for tackles made with 171.
Sandow is better known for his work with the Steeden in hand and remains a contender for the Dally M medal despite already spending time with the Magpies this season. He is the seventh-ranked halfback for line breaks with seven, ranked fifth for offloads (eight) and third in tries scored with three. However, the huge disparity between his best and worst performances have been an issue for the past three Eels coaches and Sandow's winning percentage since 2013 stands at just 38 per cent.
Sandow had the better of Johnathan Thurston in the clash against North Queensland until it mattered. The Cowboys targeted Sandow's side in defence and staged the third-biggest comeback in NRL history in overcoming a 24-point deficit.
With Kieran Foran and Corey Norman locked in as the Eels halves for next season, Sandow is deemed surplus to requirements. However, there are few halves vacancies at rival clubs for 2016. A return to Queensland with the Gold Coast appears Sandow's best option, but the latest dramas are unlikely to boost his asking price.
Sandow's fallout with Arthur rekindles memories of other famous feuds between halfbacks and coaches. Warren Ryan and Steve Mortimer also had different philosophies on the way the game should be played, while Ricky Stuart and Brett Kimmorley fell out at Cronulla and Origin level. The latter have mended their differences and now work together at Canberra.
