NRL legend Laurie Daley nearly breaks down over heartbreaking comment from Eels star Jake Arthur

Former NRL champion Laurie Daley has seen it all on and off the footy field but the Canberra Raiders legend admitted hearing about the bullying Parramatta halfback Jake Arthur copped last weekend nearly brought him to tears.

Arthur is the son of Parramatta coach Brad and has been maligned by a segment of the Eels fanbase who believe he is only picked because of nepotism.

That reached a boiling point on Saturday in Canberra when the Eels lost to the Raiders with Arthur in the halves to replace concussed star Mitch Moses.

Waiting outside the sheds were ticket-holders who hurled abuse at him despite the fact he played a decent game.

Worse still, when a legitimate Parramatta fan asked the 20-year-old for his autograph, the young playmaker couldn’t believe anyone would want his signature after the treatment he had copped and asked them, ‘Are you sure?’

Jake Arthur is just 20 years old but has already copped a barrage of abuse in his short NRL career from fans who reckon he is only picked because of his dad

A Parramatta fan posted about the incident in a fan group which led to a wave of fan support for Arthur

NRL champion Laurie Daley said the behaviour from the Parramatta fans was unsavoury and that the incident nearly brought him to tears.

Speaking on Sky Sports Big Sports Breakfast on Tuesday, Daley called the incident ‘unsavoury’. 

‘It will be great to have Mitch Moses back but jeez I feel sorry for Jake Arthur,’ he said.

‘He was harrassed after the game down there in Canberra by Parramatta supporters.

‘I find that unsavoury when people do that. He’s a young boy out there doing his best and people want to be critical of him.’

‘How was he after that, Gutho? Is he OK?’ Daley asked Eels skipper Clint Gutherson.

‘Jakob’s fine, he’s a very strong character,’ Gutherson said.

‘He cops a lot … he doesn’t deserve any of what he’s got.

‘It’s never just anyone’s fault that you lose a game of footy, that’s why you play a team sport, you need everyone on the team to win.

‘I thought Jakob on the weekend was good. He played good footy, he probably mis-kicked one kick at the start of the second half there.

‘He’s his own toughest critic.

‘We all stand by Jakey when he comes into the team. It definitely wasn’t his fault that we lost on the weekend.’

Arthur has been subjected to abuse in Darwin when called up to play against the Cowboys and also in Brisbane when he made his NRL debut at Magic Round

The young utility has turned off his social media accounts to block out the trolls while his teammates have described him as a strong character

Daley then detailed how emotional he felt reading about the treatment Arthur copped. 

‘I was just reading the article and honestly, it nearly made me cry,’ he said.

‘He was getting abused and then they told those guys to move on and go away. Then another Parramatta supporter said ‘mate can I have your autograph’ and he goes ‘are you sure?’.

‘Terrible, terrible. Hopefully that doesn’t happen again.’

The incident involving Arthur has also prompted a wave of support from Parramatta fans who have gotten behind the young playmaker.

‘This is so sad for me to hear this. Bagging him from the side line makes me so angry,’ one fan posted.

‘This is so sad for me to hear this. Bagging him from the side line makes me so angry,’ posted another.

‘Keep up the great work Jake you are amazing player and you put your heart on your sleeve when you take the field don’t let them disrespectful fans take that off you,’ added another.