Sad news for Parramatta Eels: He will not return…

The truth regarding Eels star’s strange ban call as “dirty”: “Didn’t have a clear head” Buzz criticizes the NRL

Ryan Matterson’s return from suspension for Thursday night’s grand final rematch against Penrith gives winless Parramatta a much-needed lift. Additionally, fresh information on the star’s contentious three-match backrow has surfaced.

Many were taken aback when Matterson decided not to pay the $4000 punishment for the crusher tackle he committed on Dylan Edwards in the tournament final last year, instead choosing to miss the first three matches of the season.

Although Matterson has received a lot of criticism for his choice, which is still up for dispute, seasoned Daily Telegraph reporter Phil Rothfield expressed his support for the player on Monday.

When Matterson chose to accept the punishment in the days following the grand final, Rothfield said he “didn’t have a clear head” and he chastised the NRL for preventing him from changing his mind quickly.

“He’s received a lot of flak for choosing not to pay the fine and skip the competition’s opening three rounds last year. In an interview with Big Sports Breakfast, Rothfield stated, “I’m pretty dirty about the circumstances of that.”

“Parramatta were given 48 hours after the grand final to make a decision on what he was going to do. Like other grand final teams, they now indulge in alcohol consumption for two or three days, thus Ryan Matterson’s comment to “bugger the NRL” wasn’t entirely rational. I’m tired of having to pay fines; they can be very expensive. The first three games I’ll miss.

“Now, shortly after the grand final, Parramatta went straight to the NRL after realizing his mistake and told them he wanted to change his mind, but they wouldn’t let him.”

Rothfield emphasized Matterson’s point that the NRL’s hard line would have probably been to avoid creating a precedent for players to make different judgments.

Rothfield remarked, “He had a pretty decent argument to be able to change his decision.”

“Neither Brad Arthur nor (chief executive) Jim Sarantinos had given him a chance to have a conversation. He’s been portrayed negatively, and it seems horrible that he selected three games costing more than $4500, but if he had his time over again…

Though Dylan Brown, a teammate, assured the Daily Telegraph there was no ill will, Matterson’s Parramatta teammates haven’t missed the chance to make fun of him for the decision.

No one knows what he was going through when he made the decision, so whatever the reason was, I’m sure it was valid for him and his family, Brown said. “Yeah, we obviously made fun of him,” Brown added.

“We back him in either scenario.

“Things would have been racing through his mind (after the grand final).

“I don’t personally agree with them pushing him to make a decision, but I’m pretty sure they did.”

Given that the Eels’ backrow options have been severely limited as a result of Shaun Lane’s jaw injury and the departures of Isaiah Papali’i (Wests Tigers) and Marata Niukore (Warriors), Matterson’s return is a major help.