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https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ev...into-arthur-s-good-books-20190206-p50vyx.html
Evans faces uphill battle to get back into Arthur's good books
Christian Nicolussi
February 9, 2019 — 3.05pm
Parramatta giant Kane Evans admits his first year out west was ordinary and he was basically told by coach Brad Arthur to improve every area of his game if he wanted to get back into first grade.
The towering former Roosters prop made headlines during the off-season when he appeared in an lewd Dylan Napa video shadow-boxing, but it is on the field where he wants to be a real knockout.
Evans has been training with the seconds team during opposed sessions at the Eels and knows he has it all ahead of him to live up to the hefty price tag that lured him away from the eventual premiers to the wooden-spooners.
The 27-year-old featured in an unofficial trial on Thursday night against a South Sydney team.
"It got me down a bit last year, but I can't feel sorry for myself, I wasn't good enough, I have to own it. I was shit," Evans told The Herald.
"Last year I was too worried about goals and what I wanted to achieve.
"Now I just have to get ready for every day. I'm not looking at round one. My goal is to finish this interview, go get a good feed, have a good night's sleep and then get ready for the captain's run."
Evans said training in a lot of sessions with the fringe players only made him hungrier to succeed – and the coach's message was fairly wide-ranging.
"He's told me what I need to work on. There are a lot of things,'' Evans said.
"My fitness, my tackling technique, my attacking game. There are areas in all of my game I need to improve, and if I do that it will put me in the best position.
"Brad will do what's best for the team and the club to get the wins we need. If anyone isn't good enough he won't add them.''
Evans eight games for the Eels and ran for more than 100m just twice.
To cap what was a trying season, Evans was also at the centre of an alleged on-field racial slur during a reserve grade midway through the year. The complaint was later withdrawn.
Evans knows first-hand how passionate the blue and gold faithful are, especially when the club forever breaks their hearts. But he also said the players did not need reminding, and they were their own harshest critics.
"Fans don't see the ups and downs, when we get injured, if there are family problems, or if you have a bad year,'' Evans said.
"Someone could have a bad year like me for instance, a fan could spray me online or in front of my family, but they don't know how much that affects a player. They need to wake up to themselves sometimes.''
Parramatta recruited former favourite Joseph Paulo to add some grunt up front, and the 25-year-old has impressed those at the club with his leadership skills. Shaun Lane, who like Evans is more than two metres tall, can also play in the front-row or an edge and had no problems sniffing out the tryline for Manly.
The Eels are clearly in the market for another big-money front-rower after they thought they had George Burgess signed only for Souths to block an early Redfern exit.
Evans faces uphill battle to get back into Arthur's good books
Christian Nicolussi
February 9, 2019 — 3.05pm
Parramatta giant Kane Evans admits his first year out west was ordinary and he was basically told by coach Brad Arthur to improve every area of his game if he wanted to get back into first grade.
The towering former Roosters prop made headlines during the off-season when he appeared in an lewd Dylan Napa video shadow-boxing, but it is on the field where he wants to be a real knockout.
Evans has been training with the seconds team during opposed sessions at the Eels and knows he has it all ahead of him to live up to the hefty price tag that lured him away from the eventual premiers to the wooden-spooners.
The 27-year-old featured in an unofficial trial on Thursday night against a South Sydney team.
"It got me down a bit last year, but I can't feel sorry for myself, I wasn't good enough, I have to own it. I was shit," Evans told The Herald.
"Last year I was too worried about goals and what I wanted to achieve.
"Now I just have to get ready for every day. I'm not looking at round one. My goal is to finish this interview, go get a good feed, have a good night's sleep and then get ready for the captain's run."
Evans said training in a lot of sessions with the fringe players only made him hungrier to succeed – and the coach's message was fairly wide-ranging.
"He's told me what I need to work on. There are a lot of things,'' Evans said.
"My fitness, my tackling technique, my attacking game. There are areas in all of my game I need to improve, and if I do that it will put me in the best position.
"Brad will do what's best for the team and the club to get the wins we need. If anyone isn't good enough he won't add them.''
Evans eight games for the Eels and ran for more than 100m just twice.
To cap what was a trying season, Evans was also at the centre of an alleged on-field racial slur during a reserve grade midway through the year. The complaint was later withdrawn.
Evans knows first-hand how passionate the blue and gold faithful are, especially when the club forever breaks their hearts. But he also said the players did not need reminding, and they were their own harshest critics.
"Fans don't see the ups and downs, when we get injured, if there are family problems, or if you have a bad year,'' Evans said.
"Someone could have a bad year like me for instance, a fan could spray me online or in front of my family, but they don't know how much that affects a player. They need to wake up to themselves sometimes.''
Parramatta recruited former favourite Joseph Paulo to add some grunt up front, and the 25-year-old has impressed those at the club with his leadership skills. Shaun Lane, who like Evans is more than two metres tall, can also play in the front-row or an edge and had no problems sniffing out the tryline for Manly.
The Eels are clearly in the market for another big-money front-rower after they thought they had George Burgess signed only for Souths to block an early Redfern exit.
