Parramatta or Penrith? Eels stars compare Ivan and Nathan Cleary to Brad Arthur and Mitchell Moses
Liam O'Loughlin
25-07-2023•6 min read
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Bryce Cartwright and J'maine Hopgood both kick-started their NRL careers at Penrith - but the in-form duo are now plying their trade at fierce rivals Parramatta.
After coming through the lower grades at the Panthers, Cartwright debuted for the club in 2014 and became an integral part of the side until his departure in 2018,
where his career was hindered by an ill-fated Titans stint.
Bryce Cartwright & J'Maine Hopgood | Ebbs & Flows
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Hopgood on the other hand was part of the Penrith dynasty in recent years, captaining the NSW Cup outfit to a premiership and adding depth to the first grade lineup in their back-to-back premiership-winning campaigns.
But the back-row duo now find themselves in the blue and gold jumper, helping the Eels remain in the finals hunt and becoming a focal point of the side's attack this year.
MORE: Billy Slater's warning to NRL and RLPA | Will Jarome Luai leave the Panthers?
Ivan Cleary vs Brad Arthur comparison
Cartwright began his journey under the tutelage of Ivan Cleary, but has now found a home at Parramatta and credited head coach Brad Arthur for his career resurgence.
In an interview with
The Sporting News/YKTR's Ebbs and Flows, the 28-year-old compared the two coaches and the differences between them.
“Ivan gave me my debut and I had him for a couple of years there," Cartwright said.
"He was really relaxed and really calm, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him yell. He was always very composed and very smart… you don’t understand when you’re young back then coming through, you’re just excited to be in first grade.
"You don’t understand the lessons he was teaching you until I got older, just with the style of play I used to play – he sort of compared me to gambling, he said I was a gambler on the field.
"Brad is just very honest and very passionate, and I’d seen that before I came to Parra. You would see him on TV and you could tell he cared about his players and it was always somewhere I would have liked to have been, and I’m very grateful that I’m there now.
"I feel very comfortable with him as my coach, and I feel like he’s getting the best out of me and making me more of a complete player and more of a team player."
Cartwright has gone from a Gold Coast discard to an integral part of Parramatta's forward pack over the past couple of years, filling the void left by Isaiah Papali'i and Marata Niukore throughout the 2023 season.
Off-season recruit Hopgood revealed his early discussions with Arthur tempted him to make the tough decision and leave the Panthers in the rear-view mirror.
“When I met Brad, he’s just a straight-shooter and tells you how it is, he’s not gonna bulls**t or lie to your face," the lock-forward said.
"I think that’s something that has been good for me – someone that will tell you when you’re doing well and when you’re not doing so well, he’ll tell you straight as well.
"Half the time these days, you know when you’ve done something wrong anyway… you know it’s coming and I think that’s the thing with footy. You know if you’ve f****d up or done something wrong.
"That’s one thing, when you’ve got guys that you know are going to be honest with you, that’s half the reason you don’t want to let anyone down because you’re gonna know about."
Cleary and Arthur have been among the elite coaches in the NRL for many years, with their showdown in last year's grand final another chapter in the rivalry between the two western Sydney clubs.
Nathan Cleary vs Mitchell Moses comparison
At the forefront of the growing feud between Penrith and Parramatta have been the halfbacks, with both Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses the most influential players in their respective teams.
While it's the 'prince of Penrith' that has two premiership rings to his name, Moses has been chipping away and replaced Cleary in the NSW lineup for the final two games of this year's State of Origin series.
Hopgood believes the added pace and ball-running of Moses is the major difference between the two playmakers.
“They’ve got different attributes on the field... Moses is probably a bit quicker and runs the ball and if you give him some space, he’s gonna make you look silly," he said.
"Nathan is always going to make the right decision or option in terms of passing and will break you down that way.
"They’re both ultra-competitive and professional at the end of the day. Professionalism is a big thing, especially in their position… Nath used to be the first guy there and last guy to leave. Their knowledge of the game is something that they have that’s similar.
"He’s just so quick [Moses], especially for a half… that’s the only thing that separates them a bit."
Nathan Cleary vs Mitchell Moses 2023 NRL stats
| Nathan Cleary | Mitchell Moses |
| Games | 13 | 16 |
| Tries | 3 | 7 |
| Goals (%) | 46 (87%) | 64 (81%) |
| Try Assists | 9 | 14 |
| Linebreak Assists | 10 | 9 |
| Offloads | 9 | 5 |
| Forced Dropouts | 11 | 12 |
| Avg. Kick Metres | 440m | 444m |
| Avg. Run Metres | 119m | 101m |
| Avg. Tackles | 18 | 16 |
| Tackle Efficiency | 89% | 83% |
After falling short in last year's decider, Moses has returned this season in great form and was impressive for the Blues in the dead-rubber victory at Accor Stadium a number of weeks ago.
Cartwright believes the disappointment of the grand final defeat and his growth off the field have been a major reason for Moses' continued success.
"I think obviously being in the grand final and losing one – everyone says you’ve got to lose one to win one," he said.
"He’s obviously had his first kid this year, I think that’s made him grow up a little bit more.
"He just seems so in control of his game at the moment and it’s been really helpful for me playing outside of him.
"Baz [assistant coach Trent Barrett] has helped him out a lot and calmed him down a bit, and he’s choosing the right option nearly every time on the field."
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