Why Matt Arthur's NRL debut for Eels was years in the making - as his father Brad eyes off coaching role in Perth with proposed new NRL franchise

Long earlier he was named to make his NRL debut this week, Parramatta's players knew who Matt Arthur was.

The boy of former Eels caput coach Brad Arthur was a regular from nan property of 12 astatine nan club's Kellyville training headquarters, usually shadowing his aged man successful fittingness drills.

While Trent Barrett is now astatine nan helm successful an interim capacity arsenic nan nine proceed to deliberate who will return complete successful 2025, it is clip for different Arthur to beryllium ushered into nan spotlight.

And his caller teammates person nary uncertainty nan 19-year-old will grip nan juncture connected Saturday against nan Knights.

'When I first started training NRL, Matt was location doing fittingness pinch us. He was ever successful and amongst nan club,' five-eighth Dylan Brown said.

'He was bully to person around, watching him tally past each nan forwards.

'He's a awesome practice of his dad....he useful difficult and he puts everything into everything he does.'

Backrower Bryce Cartwright stated nan NSW under-19s dummy half is 1 to watch.

'He trained really difficult successful nan pre-season. We each astir apt knew that he was going to get a changeable this twelvemonth astatine immoderate stage,' Cartwright said.

'It's a typical infinitesimal for him and his family.'

Barrett pointed to nan teenager's beardown shape successful NSW Cup that has impressed them nan most.

'He's been astir apt 1 of our champion and astir accordant players. I deliberation it's important we reward that shape arsenic well,' he said.

'Matt deserves his spot. We person known that his debut would come. It was astir picking nan correct time.'

Meanwhile, it is understood Brad Arthur this week met pinch representatives from Perth's description bid to talk a return to coaching pinch nan mooted 18th NRL team.