NRL legend Laurie Daley nearly breaks down over heartbreaking comment from Eels star Jake Arthur
Footy legend Laurie Daley nearly collapses after heartbreaking comment under fire Eels star Jake Arthur made when a fan asked him for an autograph
- 20-year-old playmaker was mistreated by fans
- Couldn’t believe then that someone wanted his autograph
- Daley has described the incident as distasteful
Former NRL champion Laurie Daley has seen it all on and off the football pitch, but the Canberra Raiders legend admitted he came close to tears last weekend when he heard about the bullying Parramatta halfback who knocked Jake Arthur off.
Arthur is the son of Parramatta coach Brad and has been slandered by some of the Eels fan base who believe he was only picked because of nepotism.
That reached a boiling point on Saturday in Canberra when the Eels lost to the Raiders with Arthur in halves to replace concussed star Mitch Moses.
Ticket holders were waiting outside the sheds who taunted him despite the fact that he played a decent game.
Even worse, when a legitimate Parramatta fan asked the 20-year-old for his autograph, the young playmaker couldn’t believe anyone would want his autograph after the treatment he’d received and asked, “Are you sure?”
Jake Arthur is only 20 years old but has already endured a barrage of abuse in his short NRL career from fans who believe he was only chosen because of his father
A Parramatta fan posted about the incident in a fan group, sparking a wave of fan support for Arthur
NRL champion Laurie Daley said the behavior of the Parramatta fans was distasteful and the incident almost brought him to tears.
Speaking Sky Sports big sports breakfast Daley called the incident “distasteful” on Tuesday.
“It will be great to have Mitch Moses back, but I feel sorry for Jake Arthur,” he said.
“He was harassed by Parramatta supporters after the game there in Canberra.
“I find it distasteful when people do that. He’s a young boy who tries his best and people want to criticize him.’
‘How was he afterwards, Gutho? Is he doing okay?’ Daley asked Eels skipper Clint Gutherson.
“Jakob is fine, he has a very strong character,” Gutherson said.
“He’s a lot of a cop…he doesn’t make any of what he’s got.
‘It’s never just anyone’s fault that you lose a football game, that’s why you play a team sport, you need everyone on the team to win.
“I thought Jakob was good on the weekend. He played good football, he probably missed a kick early in the second half there.
He is his own harshest critic.
“We will all stand by Jakey when he comes on the team. It certainly wasn’t his fault that we lost over the weekend.’
Arthur has been abused in Darwin when he was called up to play against the Cowboys and also in Brisbane when he made his NRL debut on Magic Round
The young utility has shut down his social media accounts to shut out the trolls, while his teammates describe him as a strong character
Daley went on to explain how emotional he was when he read about the treatment Arthur underwent.
“I was just reading the article and honestly it almost made me cry,” he said.
“He was mistreated and then they told those guys to move on and get out. Then another Parramatta supporter said ‘mate can I have your autograph’ and he said ‘are you sure?’.
‘Terrible, terrible. Hopefully that won’t happen again.’
The incident involving Arthur has also sparked a wave of support from Parramatta fans who have rallied behind the young playmaker.
“This is so sad for me to hear this. Packing him in from the sidelines makes me so mad,” one fan posted.
“This is so sad for me to hear this. Packing him in from the sidelines makes me so angry,” another posted.
“Keep it up Jake you are a great player and you put your heart on your sleeve when you take the pitch, don’t let those disrespectful fans take that away from you,” added another.