Eels’ mentor aims to emulate Manly culture, by beating them
Brent Read
The Australian
March 22, 2014 12:00AM
BRAD Arthur spent only 12 months at Manly but it was more than enough time to develop a deep appreciation for what makes the club tick.
“It was a good 12 months. It was a great 12 months,” said Arthur, who will make his premiership return to Brookvale Oval as coach of Parramatta tomorrow afternoon.
“I really enjoyed working with the playing group there. There was such a strong culture towards their training. They worked hard and they played hard.
“Regardless of how their bodies were or the physical workload or their mental state from week to week, they just kept finding stuff.
“Backs against the wall, they found something extra. I think with the senior playing group it was their belief, regardless of the situation.
“You could come in the sheds at halftime and be 40-0 up or 40-0 down. Those blokes - their composure wouldn’t change and their ruthlessness wouldn’t change.
“If they were 40 points up they would want to put you away and if they’re 40 points down they would believe they could still beat you. That’s just them.”
Arthur has already been back to Brookie once already - the two sides played a pre-season game there - but this time it’s for real.
The two sides are coming off contrasting performances. Manly could scarcely have been more impressive in beating South Sydney last weekend and Parramatta could scarcely have been more disappointing in its heavy defeat at the hands of the Sydney Roosters.
Arthur concedes the Sea Eagles’ mentality is something he would like to infuse in Parramatta.
“It’s a lot easier said than done,” he said. “The secret with them is those blokes have been there for a long time and they have come through that club.
“It takes time and the commitment and buy-in from your core group of players. It was similar to the culture at Melbourne where they work hard.
“The Manly boys just had a really strong bond, that core group of players. You could just tell they had been mates for a long time.
“They had been through a lot of hard times together and a lot of good times together. They would just die for each other.
“They spent time together away from training. And then when they played they just know each other inside out.”
Arthur also appreciated the way the club handled his departure.
He was under consideration for the top jobs at North Queensland and Parramatta, the speculation reaching fever pitch in the lead-up to last year’s grand final.
At one point, he appeared bound for the Eels, only to seemingly lose the job. Within days, he was back in the frame and eventually he was offered the position.
The support of Manly coach Geoff Toovey and football manager Steve Gigg never wavered during that period.
They kept an assistant coaching job open for him until the moment he accepted the top job at the Eels.
“They were outstanding,” he said. “There was the Cowboys thing, the Parramatta thing, we were trying to prepare for a grand final. At times I was a bit confused with what was happening but they were supportive.
“I tried to focus as much as I could on the job at hand, trying to win a grand final. The club was great for me. Even right at the death once I said I was staying, and then the last little change, not at any stage did they begrudge me.
“I left them in a bit of a hole trying to fill the void and they didn’t at any stage think about their needs. They were happy for me to go ahead and pursue it.
“Whatever was best for me, even though it wasn’t the best for them moving into the next year, they stood by me.
“I am so grateful. It shows you the type of people they are and the club they are. People know that they’re a good strong club and they have a good culture, but you don’t know until you live it every day.
“I got plenty out of it too in terms of seeing a different way they do things. Hopefully it’s helped me become a better coach.”
A coach now plotting the downfall of the side he holds in such esteem.
“It was a tough day on Monday,” he said of his side’s loss to the Roosters. “It’s not the end of the world. It’s only round two. The last thing we want to do is sweep it under the carpet. We have to be honest with ourselves.
“I know 50 points is not a good scoreline but there’s only a few things there we have to get right. A bit of an adjustment there with our attitude to defence and we will see an improved showing this week.
“It’s a change of attitude towards defence and a consistency week to week. You can’t be able to do it one week and then not the next week.”
