Parramatta legend Nathan Hindmarsh has called for his former club to allow Dylan Brown to walk away, admitting it “makes sense” for an early split.
Brown will join the Knights next season on a 10-year deal worth $13 million, but will see out the remainder of this year in a blue and gold jumper.
The five-eighth has struggled for form in the early rounds, with the Eels suffering three-straight losses without star halfback and skipper Mitchell Moses.
In the wake of the latest defeat – a gritty 16-8 scoreline against Canterbury – one of Parramatta’s favourite sons has questioned whether it’s time for change.
“Is it better to just move him on? I’m getting to that point now where it makes sense,” Hindmarsh told The Bye Round.
“He’s not offering much at the Eels, to be honest. We know the brilliance is there … I want to see more from him.
“It was easy for me to do my job, cart the ball up, tackle someone, where he’s got to organise the whole shit show that it is there at the moment.
“The pressure has come in now that he’s signed with the Knights on that huge deal, but I think regardless anyway, the pressure would’ve been there without the huge price tag.”
In the opening three games of the season, Brown has registered two try assists and forced one dropout, but it hasn’t led to wins on the board for the Eels.
English great James Graham is concerned by Brown’s mindset and believes the Kiwi international has “gone into his shell” since the deal was announced.
Dylan Brown will leave Parramatta at the end of the year. Getty
“He just looks lost,” Graham said.
“He looks like he is scared to fail, he is scared to make a mistake.
“You look at Nathan Cleary, the best halfback in the game, he makes mistakes and he’s not afraid to make mistakes, where I feel Dylan Brown has gone into his shell
“He’s shitting himself about making a mistake.”
Parramatta will take on the Manly Sea Eagles in round four.