Brad Arthur had become accustomed to seeing his side play finals football and compete for NRL premierships - but a disappointing 2023 campaign has forced a shift from the experienced coach. After four consecutive years playing in September and one grand final appearance, Parramatta finished outside the top eight due to roster changes, injuries and suspensions throughout the year. Dylan Brown and Ryan Matterson both spent time on the sidelines, while second-rower Shaun Lane was restricted to just 10 appearances for the Eels in a horror season. And while the excuses could have flown in from Arthur, a new-look approach in the off-season has Parra humming ahead of the trial period, according to Lane. "I think he has understood more so than ever the importance of being unified as a team and all working together towards the same goal," Lane told Wide World of Sports. "I know he's been doing a lot of work on himself too, it doesn't just stop with us - it starts with our leadership and he's done a great job working on himself over the off-season and figuring out what he needs to do better for us. "I think it's coming out in our pre-season training program, it feels like the best program I've ever been put through. It's actually been quite enjoyable considering the fact you're getting flogged every day. "I've been really impressed with Brad in this off-season and I'm confident in what he's been feeding to us." The 49-year-old has been at the forefront of the blue and gold franchise for the past decade, reaching the 250-game milestone last year, but Arthur yet to lead the Eels to a drought-breaking title.
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