There is no worse time to be an NRL coach than when Wayne Bennett, the game’s most successful mentor, is looking for a new job.
A disastrous start to 2024 at South Sydney, on the back of a late season implosion last year, has Jason Demetriou on borrowed time and looking over his shoulder as Bennett’s name is bandied about as his eventual successor.
Parramatta’s Brad Arthur can’t be blamed for doing the same even though club bosses insist his job is safe at the Eels.
The longest serving Eels coach is under the pump after a humiliating loss against Bennett’s undermanned Dolphins last week has raised questions about whether his tenure has finally run its course at the western Sydney powerhouse.
Arthur has the unwanted record for most games coached at a club without a premiership (261) ahead of Canberra’s Ricky Stuart (254) and Brian Smith who was in charge of 243 games at the Eels without winning a competition.
CoachTeamNumber of games
Brad ArthurEels261
Ricky StuartRaiders254
Brian SmithEels243
John LangSharks198
John CartwrightTitans192
EELS
Brad Arthur
Rating: E
Contract situation: End of 2025
Analysis: The Eels have a convenient excuse in an injury to Mitch Moses, but a second-half capitulation against the Dolphins hammered home just how little they’re getting from other star players. Arthur has been around for a decade now and while the club back him, eyebrows are raised around the game.
Next four games: Sea Eagles (A), Bye, Broncos (H), Storm (A)