Injured Paramatta hooker Reed Mahoney has emphatically shut down rumours of a rift between Eels players
With the Eels mired in a form slump that has seen the side drop four straight matches, fingers have been pointed everywhere, including at coach Brad Arthur who has fielded a number of questions surrounding his future at the club.
Rumours of a rift between players have been rife after a Daily Telegraph report claimed that a number of individuals were left frustrated after certain players were given better hotel rooms based on their standing at the club.
However, according to Mahoney, that particular rumour couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Mine [hotel room] is fine. I’ve been in a few other boys’ rooms and they’re pretty much all the same,” he told 9News Sydney.
“I’m not too sure where that’s come from. We’re really close, we’re a really good bunch of fellas. Everyone gets along.
“I think the things that are being said have come from an outer source that is jealous or something like that.
“People can say what they want, we will get on with the job.”
Parramatta’s contingent, like the rest of the competition, is staying in a Queensland hub and is living out of hotels until the conclusion of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacting other states across the nation.
Mahoney also opened up on the moment he suffered his season-ending shoulder injury, which at the time left the hooker shattered as he fought back tears out on the field.
“As soon as I did it, I knew I was going to be done for the year,” Mahoney said.
“Obviously we haven’t been going great over the last few weeks, I wear my heart on my sleeve, for that to happen to me – I broke out in emotion and that’s how I play the game.
“I felt like I let the boys down … I’ve accepted it now and it’s going to make me a stronger person and going to make me more hungry for next year.”
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