Ugly feud between Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur and Ray Hadley resurfaces before NRL Grand Final
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur and shock jock Ray Hadley have quite the long-running feud, but the rivals appear to have had a temporary ceasefire during a chance encounter at a Sydney restaurant on Tuesday.
The grudge between the pair has reportedly been going on for many years, but boiled over when Arthur appeared to refer to Hadley and journalist James Hooper during a fiery press conference after the Eels’ finals win over Canberra two weeks ago.
It came after a report on a leaked internal review the Eels had conducted, which had uncovered claims of nepotism through the club as well as other deep-rooted issues.
Given it was published just prior to the match – as Arthur coached opposite Hadley and Hooper’s mate Ricky Stuart – the Eels coach was fuming.
Brad Arthur, pictured on Dally M Medal night on Wednesday with wife Michelle, has reportedly offered a temporary ceasefire to long-time rival Ray Hadley
‘Someone’s got an agenda but they’re not going to break this group. We’ve worked too hard. There was no need [as a group] to even talk about it,’ a fuming Arthur said at the post-match press conference, appearing to reference Hadley and Hooper.
It was just the latest chapter in the book of the Hadley-Arthur feud.
Throughout the season, the shock jock continually suggested the Eels coach had a huge rift with $500,000-a-season forward Nathan Brown, saying that was why the talented second-rower wasn’t being picked.
That continually rankled the prickly Arthur.
Shock jock Ray Hadley has continued to target Arthur during his radio shows
But at a chance encounter on Tuesday there was reportedly no tense stand-off. Surprisingly though, there was a handshake.
Arthur and Hadley were both at a Bella Vista restaurant called Jags, which is north-west Sydney, to celebrate family birthdays, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Arthur was there to celebrate son Jake’s birthday; who has unfortunately become the symbol of the nepotism claims at the club.
Hadley was there to celebrate his own birthday, and by all reports the encounter was very cordial.
Jake Arthur recently celebrated his birthday – and it was the surprise catalyst for a temporary ceasefire in one of rugby league’s ugliest feud
‘Bolts [Hadley] isn’t all that talkative when he’s involved in feuds. Apparently Brad walked over, knew it was his birthday and said ‘happy birthday, Ray’,’ footy pundit Buzz Rothfield told the Telegraph’s NRL podcast.
‘And Ray replied “good luck in the grand final” and they shook hands. Ray Hadley and Brad Arthur — the ugliest feud in rugby league, I think it’s been settled.’
Given the long-running nature of their clash, Hadley’s penchant for deliberately riling selected people up and Arthur’s determination to stand up for himself and the club, it’s could be just a temporary cooling off.