“It didn’t get to me, so that in itself tells probably says I don’t how much was there or what wasn’t there,” O’Brien said. “It didn’t get through to me to make any decision on. Whether it was stopped from David’s end, or it was just an inquiry. I think it’s dead and buried at the moment.”
The Knights have been in freefall with pressure mounting on O’Brien to avoid being the fourth coach sacked before the season is out.
Meanwhile, Jake Arthur returns to the halves for Parramatta with Mitchell Moses sidelined for up to a month with a broken middle finger.
The coach’s son was subjected to boos when his name was read out on the big screen a fortnight ago at CommBank Stadium, but has been backed by his teammates to handle whatever comes his way.
“He’s played there [in the halves] before, he’s a really good defender and a competitor and that’s what we love about him,” Eels hooker Reed Mahoney said.
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Stephen Crichton has been named in the centers for Penrith ahead of Saturday’s clash against Canberra, but will be given until kick-off to make sure his left ear, which underwent emergency plastic surgery last week, is at no risk of splitting.
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