Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh says he was “baffled” when he heard that Ryan Matterson had accepted a three-game ban instead of paying a fine in a move that could hurt the grand finalists dearly in the opening rounds.
Matterson had the chance to pay a $4000 fine for a crusher tackle on Penrith’s Dylan Edwards but copped the ban instead in a move that shocked fans around the country.
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It might be too late though, with Matterson set to miss games against the Storm, Sharks and Sea Eagles in a bitter blow for the blue and golds who have lost grand final forwards Isaiah Papali’i, Oregon Kaufusi, Marata Niukore and Reed Mahoney.
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“You want to be a team player, so that decision baffled me. I was shocked to find out that he took the suspension instead of the fine. It was all very weird,” Hindmarsh told the NCA NewsWire.
“I was surprised that anyone would take the fine considering the players we’re losing. Starting a season is so important, and Matto is one of our key players, so I wasn’t happy at all.
“We need the big boppers out there, so for him to miss the first three games of the year hurts because we need to start the season well. He’d make a big difference there because he’s an Origin player and has a lot of experience.”
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The Parramatta great also weighed in on the club’s fight to keep star halves Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown, with the pair free to negotiate with rival clubs for 2024 and beyond.
Moses has reportedly been linked with big money moves to Sydney clubs, while the Dolphins are desperate to land a big fish like Brown on a long-term deal.
Keeping them is imperative given they combined for 47 try assists last season and were a big reason why the Eels reached the grand final.
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The Eels are going to have to fork out the big bucks if they want to keep the dynamic halves pairing, but Hindmarsh says the club shouldn’t be held hostage if Moses and Brown aren’t willing to commit.
“It’s a tricky one,” the 330-game veteran said.
“I think it’s vital we keep at least one of them, but in saying that, if the boys decide they don’t want to play for the club, then that’s up to them.
“The club shouldn’t bend over backwards to keep players who don’t want to be there.
“It was a bit different when I was around. We enjoyed playing for the club and we tended to upgrade and extend our deals before it got messy.”
