CAIRNS RUGBY LEAGUE LEGEND TAKES ON COWBOYS
BROTHERS diehards will be torn between supporting the Cowboys or one of their most successful captain-coaches this weekend.
Eels coach Brad Arthur spent eight glorious seasons guiding Cairns Brothers to six grand finals, including four premierships, between 1999 and 2006 and he could well be responsible for sinking the Cowboys on Saturday.
The club was considered an inconsistent underachiever in A-grade before the now 43year-old turned them around and he has done something eerily similar rebuilding the Eels in 2017.
Brothers president Paul Fowler spent most of those good times alongside Arthur at Stan Williams Park and said while he might “get crucified” for it, he was tipping his former teammate to end the Cowboys’ dream run.
“I’d love to see Brad Arthur make it to the grand final,” he said.
Fowler said the attitude that earned Arthur the Gold Medal in 2000 and 2002 was much of the reason behind his success as a coach, particularly after the salary cap drama.
“He’s done really well hasn’t he? If he doesn’t get coach of the year, there’s something wrong,” he said.
“You look at the team list he’s got and what he’s done with those players and they’re just playing for each other.”
Fowler said as a player, Arthur always aimed to be the best player in every aspect of the game, something that has translated to the coaching arena and he now has Eels players believing it.
“He wouldn’t make anyone else do anything he wouldn’t do himself,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it’s a rugby league thing. It’s not necessarily a Brothers thing.”
Arthur is not the only exBrothers player helping the Eels of their charge.
Mick Obodin played hooker for Brothers in the early 2000s under Arthur and is now a trainer for him at Parramatta.