Parramatta NRL coach Brad Arthur says the Eels would be interested in regaining the services of star Semi Radradra if he returns to the NRL.
The Fijian winger, who scored 82 tries in 94 games over five years at Parramatta but has spent the past two seasons playing club rugby in France, is reportedly looking at returning to Australia after this year’s rugby World Cup.
Radradra has scored a try in each of the three union Tests he has played for Fiji.
“If Semi wanted to come back to the club, of course we’d be interested but I haven’t heard anything about it. It’s just all speculation,” Arthur said, on the eve of their home game against NZ Warriors at Bankwest Stadium.
Arthur joked Parramatta already had their own Radradra – Fijian winger Maika Sivo, who leads the competition with 13 tries heading into this weeks’ round.
He is hoping Eels and NSW Origin star Blake Ferguson may be released from hospital over the weekend, after suffering an allergic reaction to antibiotics for a knee infection.
“We’re certainly not going to look at rushing him back, he’s been in there for a week now,” Arthur said.
The coach says he is looking for a response from his side after their 36-24 loss to Manly snapped a run of three straight wins.
“They’ve been tough, they’ve had some tight close games where they’ve hung in and hung in and grinded away,” Arthur said of the Warriors.
“I’m expecting no different, they are obviously playing with a bit of confidence.”
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney, who won just 10 of 42 matches in charge of Parramatta in 2011-12, is wary of the Eels despite last week’s effort.
“We’re not caring too much about their Jekyll and Hyde performances, we’re anticipating their best game of footy,” Kearney said.
STATS THAT MATTER
*The Warriors are undefeated in their past five games outside of New Zealand (4W, 1D) and will look to extend it to six games for the first time since 2002 (six straight wins).
*The Warriors’ past five games have been decided by four points or less. Not since Souths in 1987 has a team been involved in six successive matches decided by those margins .
*The Eels are missing the most tackles this season, 30.4 per game.
