Eels lose French before facing Foran

Apr 8, 2017 - 4:47 AM Parramatta coach Brad Arthur is more concerned about injured fullback Bevan French than his ex-star halfback Kieran Foran.

Foran will come up against the Eels on Sunday at Mt Smart Stadium for the first time since walking out on the club amid turbulent circumstances last year, before eventually joining the Warriors.

He won't come up against the club's next star though as Bevan French has been ruled out after injuring his knee at training on Thursday.

The fullback is expected to be out for at least six weeks while the Eels wait on scans to determine the full extent of his injury.

"We're still waiting on some more results but we're probably thinking he'll miss a month of football," Arthur said.

"We've got a few options in our 21-man squad."

The Eels would likely swap Josh Hoffman from the wing to the back and bring in George Jennings, who was included in their extended bench.

Arthur is wary of a resurgent Foran, who lifted the Warriors to just their second win of the season in his return from suspension and injury last week.

"He's a class footballer," Arthur said.

"Straight away he made a difference for them. A lot of control in the way they played.

"I'm sure now he's had a run under his belt he'll be better for them this week."

Arthur and Foran both worked together at the Sea Eagles in 2013, and he managed to lure the New Zealand five-eighth to the Eels in 2016.

However their relationship is understood to have soured after Foran was sanctioned by the club for missing a recovery session for his season-ending shoulder injury, before he eventually left the Eels citing personal reasons.

But Arthur insisted there was no extra motivation to knock over the Warriors on Sunday.

"He's a quality footballer, we wish him well," Arthur said.

"He's a threat so we need to be good defensively on the right edge. He's going to test us a bit there.

"There's motivation for us. We need to get back in the winners' circle."

STATS THAT MATTER:

* The usually all-powerful Warriors have made the least tackle breaks in the NRL this year.

* The Eels are aiming to win back-to-back games at Mt Smart Stadium for the first time since 2005-06.

* Semi Radradra will aim to avoid going a fourth-straight match without scoring a try. He has never gone so long in his career without a try.

Source: Fox Sports Stats

Source: AAP