NRL 2021: Why Parramatta Eels signed Keegan Hipgrave
He’s one of the most penalised players in the competition but Parramatta coach Brad Arthur had to have Keegan Hipgrave at the Eels.
Fatima Kdouh
7 min read
January 21, 2021 - 7:21PM
The Daily Telegraph
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Parramatta will be living on the edge this season with firebrand forwards Nathan Brown and Keegan Hipgrave ready to leave a bruising mark on the competition.
Brown’s confrontational style has earned the NSW Blues forward a reputation as one the toughest enforces in the game. Now Brown will have a bash brother in former Gold Coast hit man Hipgrave.
The Eels lost some mongrel from their forward pack when hardman Manu Ma’u departed the club for the English Super League at the end of 2019.
But coach Brad Arthur has helped reinject some aggression with Hipgrave’s signature for 2021.
“One of the main things he [Arthur] said was he liked my tough, aggressive nature,” Hipgrave said.
“He thought I‘d fit in really well in the side under him and with the players we’ve got around us.
Eels players Tom Opacic (left) and Keegan Hipgrave (right) at Centenary Square in Parramatta. Picture: Jonathan Ng
“I had a really good conversation with Brad a couple of weeks after the season. I think with a couple of finishing touches this year we can have a really successful season.”
Keeping the whistle blowers busy, Hipgrave was pinged just over once on average in every game he played between 2017 and 2019.
According to Fox Sports Lab, Hipgrave was penalised 30 times in 27 games played during that time.
The forward was penalised five times in his debut, and only match, in 2017.
In 2018, Hipgrave well and truly lived up to his reputation as firebrand when he was sin-binned twice in the same game.
Despite being binned last season, Hipgrave showed a turnaround in discipline and was only penalised five times in 13 games.
Nathan Brown gets into it with Victor Radley. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty
The 24-year old has assured Eels fans he has learned to harness his unbridled aggression in a way less damaging to his side.
“He [Arthur] loves the tough, aggressive nature, it‘s just a matter of picking the right times,” Hipgrave said.
“I’m a lot better now with treading that line.
“I think last year was a good example of that.
“When I first came into grade a couple of years ago I trod the line pretty closely just because I wanted, I don‘t know, I was really competitive and wanted to win everything.
“Obviously I’m still competitive and want to keep that competitive nature because that’s a strength of mine but treading that line, I think I’m fine with that.”
LIKELY EELS TEAM – ROUND ONE
1 Clint Gutherson
2 Maika Sivo
3 Waqa Blake
4 Michael Oldfield/Tom Opacic
5 Blake Ferguson
6 Dylan Brown
7 Mitchell Moses
8 Junior Paulo
9 Reed Mahoney
10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
11 Shaun Lane
12 Ryan Matterson
13 Nathan Brown
14 Bryce Cartwright
15 Isaiah Papali’i
16 Keegan Hipgrave
17 Oregon Kaufusi
Hipgrave said he has been training both on an edge and in the middle during the pre-season as he pushed for a place in Arthur’s 17.
But the Nerang Rooster faces stiff competition for a place on the bench with the likes of Bryce Cartwright, Isaiah Papali’i, Ray Stone, Oregon Kaufusi and Marata Niukore, who won’t be available in round one due to suspension, all vying for a spot.
Hipgrave revealed Cartwright, his former Titans teammate, has been leading the charge for round one selection.
“He came back so fit. He‘s leading all the fitness stuff with us forwards. He’s a skilful player. He’s in a great environment here, he’s been training well and killing it,” Hipgrave said.
