PARRAMATTA CRITICISED OVER DECISION TO LET INJURED YOUNG GUN MILLER-STEPHEN DEPART
Parramatta Eels have faced fresh backlash today after making another controversial call — allowing promising young star Arthur Miller-Stephen to leave the club following a string of devastating injury setbacks that have derailed his burgeoning career.
The 22-year-old’s time at Parramatta comes to an end after two seasons lost entirely to knee injuries. On 14 November 2023, he was ruled out for the full 2024 NRL season after suffering a serious knee injury at training. Then, in a cruel twist of fate, an ACL rupture on 8 April 2025 saw him sidelined for the entire 2025 campaign, halting his progress just as he appeared set to establish himself in first grade.
Miller-Stephen arrived at Parramatta with huge potential, having been named in the 2021 Team of the Year during his time with the Mackay Cutters in the Queensland system. He quickly rose through the Eels’ junior ranks, playing fullback for their 2022 SG Ball (U19) side before featuring in the NSW Cup in 2023, where he posted impressive attacking stats including multiple tries and line breaks.
His crowning moment came in Round 23 of the 2023 NRL season, when he made his first-grade debut against the St. George Illawarra Dragons — scoring a try in a winning side to mark a dream start to his top-flight career. The young fullback had also earned representative honours, selected in the Queensland Under-19 squad during his junior rise.
The decision to let Miller-Stephen depart has been labelled “short-sighted” by fans and pundits alike, who argue the club should have stuck by a talent who showed such promise before injury struck. As he leaves Parramatta to seek a fresh start elsewhere, Miller-Stephen now faces the daunting task of completing his rehabilitation and proving he can overcome two career-threatening ACL injuries to fulfil the potential that once made him one of the Eels’ most exciting young prospects.
