Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has lamented the players the club lost in the off-season as the Eels face the prospect of missing the top eight just one year after reaching the grand final.
After falling to the Panthers in the 2022 decider, the Eels saw the likes of Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali’i Oregon Kaufusi and Marata Niukore join rival clubs in the off season.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Arthur said it was difficult to watch players the Eels had nurtured helping rival teams.
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“You’re changing combinations, changing players. We had a lot of players that were here for four or five years in our systems and structures and knew exactly how we did things. When you bring in new players it takes time,” Arthur said.
“It’s not an excuse, you asked the question, it’s just the truth. You can’t keep them all.
“We would have loved to have…