After speculation about Matt Peet, Sam Burgess, and Brian McDermott, the Parramatta Eels shortlist was reduced to two names.

NRL side Parramatta Eels have cut their shortlist down to two names in their search for a new head coach, following the loss of Brad Arthur.

Arthur had been the head coach for a decade in Parramatta and has never taken on the role anywhere else.

His dismissal came in May as the Eels had just three wins all season and sat in 14th place in the table.

Former Wigan Warriors star Trent Barrett has taken over the role as interim coach, but Matt Peet, the side’s current head coach, was linked with the vacant role recently, with Code NRL suggesting that “Rumors are circulating that Peet is interested in the Eels position, even though he’s extended his deal at Wigan.”

However, he’s under contract with the Warriors until 2030, meaning that was never very likely to happen.

Another Super League name mentioned in the running for the job was Sam Burgess, who, it seems, will be linked with every single NRL head coaching role going until he does inevitably head there – likely after his contract with Warrington is up.

Wide World of Sports and Channel Nine both named him in their shortlists for the job, but he will remain in his contracted job with The Wire.

A third Super League head coach linked was Catalans Dragons’ Steve McNamara, with The Roar suggesting he was the ideal candidate: “On CV alone, he should be the top of anyone’s list for the next NRL head coaching job that becomes available and if McNamara had been born in Hurstville rather than Hull it wouldn’t even be a debate.”

The Eels really seem to have exhausted a huge list of names, and had interviews with former Australia head coach Michael Cheika, recently-sacked Jason Demetriou and Trent Barrett.

Senior players in the side had spoken out in support of Barrett, including half-back Mitchell Moses, but the Eels have decided their new man will be one of two other names.

Jason Ryles and Josh Hannay, according to The Australian, have been identified as the leading candidates by chair Sean McElduff, chief executive Jim Sarantinos and head of football Mark O’Neill.

Ryles, who spent his entire playing career in NRL apart from a season with Catalans Dragons, has never been a head coach before, but has held roles with sides such as Sydney Roosters, his current side Melbourne Storm and even the England rugby union team.

Meanwhile, Hannay ended his own playing career with Celtic Crusaders before being deportedfrom the UK alongside five teammates for breaching visa regulations’.

Since then, he’s held interim roles for the North Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks.