Brad Arthur opens up on Matt Frawley axing and outlines return ‘process’

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur has outlined the process for Matt Frawley to get back into the first team after his axing from the starting 13.

Frawley was reduced to the unused 18th man role for Leeds‘ 12-10 win against Wigan Warriors at Headingley last weekend, with Jake Connor moving into the halves and Lachie Miller starting at full-back.

Connor yet again played a crucial role in the Rhinos’ attack in the win over the reigning Super League champions, looking settled alongside partner Brodie Croft in the halves, and will almost certainly start there again tonight against Warrington Wolves.

Leeds Rhinos boss Brad Arthur opens up on Matt Frawley axing and outlines return ‘process’

Frawley ran out for Leeds’ reserves on Thursday evening as they took on St Helens, and Arthur feels his fellow Australian is dealing with the situation as professionally as possible.

“He’s handling it professionally, like I’d expect he would,” Arthur told members of the media in his pre-match press conference on Thursday morning ahead of his side’s trip to Warrington.

“He trained against us the last two weeks and lifted the standard of the opposition, so that’s the professional man that he is.

“He’s obviously disappointed, I’d be worried if he wasn’t, but he hasn’t shown that through his attitude or his actions.”

Arthur feels having a player of his calibre competing for a spot will only drive standards across the team, with the door still open for Frawley to return to the first-team sooner rather than later.

Outlining what the ‘process’ of a return might look like from here on in for the playmaker, Rhinos boss Arthur continued: “The process for him now is he’s got to train well and play well (for the reserves).

“Things chop and change, look at how it’s taken me this long to get the same team two weeks in a row for the first time since arriving.

“Injuries happen and form drops off, but it then provides good, healthy competition when you’ve got a credible player trying to force his way in.

“It’s great (to have this competition), and I’m grateful to our performance guys who’ve got all these guys fit and firing.

“It’s my job to get them playing their best footy and put pressure on each other (for selection).

“Having a healthy squad creates good competition for spots, I would hope.”

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