Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has put star playmaker Dylan Brown on notice ahead of the 2024 season, stating the 23-year-old needs to bring his best each week after signing a lucrative extension with the Eels.
Brown would show glimpses of the star talent he provides in the No.6 jumper across his 17 appearances this year, with a seven-game suspension from the NRL limiting the half’s contribution.
Brown pled guilty to two counts of sexual touching in June, and wouldn’t return until Round 23 when the Eels were struggling to remain in the finals race.
His lengthy absence played a part in Parramatta falling out of the September bracket, leaving Arthur frustrated to consider what might’ve been.
Heading into a new season where the pressure has mounted on his shoulders, Arthur is hoping Brown can reach his full potential in 2024 and help steer the Eels back toward the top of the competition.
After signing a big long-term contract towards the end of last year, Arthur stated in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald that his star five-eighth must continue to be a reliable player for his team.
“At 23 years old, Dylan hasn’t fully fulfilled his potential,” Arthur stated to the newspaper.
“Dylan was among the greatest players in the competition prior to being wiped out the previous season. Then watch what he did for the Kiwis in the final Test [in November].
“We just need Dylan to play like that all the time. When you’re getting paid the sort of money he is, we need him in the team every week.
“If you talk about X-factor, Dylan has that, he brings that to our side. It’s what he does for us defensively as well.
“He’s so important to this team, and he needs to understand that. We’ve had some good conversations about it.”
Arthur added that Brown is seeking to “repay” the club, his teammates and Eels fans following his ban this year.
“He wants to repay his teammates for what happened last season, he wants to repay the fans and repay his family,” Arthur said.
“He’ll be very good for us next year.”
Parramatta face their first challenge comes Round 1 when they host a new-look Canterbury outfit at CommBank Stadium on Saturday,
