Phil Gould has lambasted the NRL following the forced contract upgrade of Parramatta playmaker Jakob Arthur ahead of this weekend's Magic Round.
Arthur, son of Eels coach Brad, was signed to a development position at Parramatta when he was named at five-eighth to face the Warriors this Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.
Due to the league's regulations of not permitting clubs to utilise development players outside of special circumstances, the Eels signed the 18-year-old to a Top 30 contract.
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A position in Brad Arthur's senior side was recently opened up after Michael Jennings and the club parted ways.
The Eels were originally forced to field Arthur given their list crisis ahead of the trip to Queensland, with Dylan Brown and Marata Niukore suspended while a number of players were considered 'dirty' after playing reserves grade last week and not remaining in the club's bubble.
Speaking on The Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus podcast, Gould slammed the NRL for not allowing clubs to field development contract players when required.
"It's a farce, it's an absolute farce, it's a farce, the whole contracting model is a farce, absolute farce," Gould said.
"There is no one at the league - no one at the league - with any experience in clubland or developing rosters or coaching first-grade football teams.
"There is absolutely no reason why Parramatta should not be able to go out and play that boy (Arthur) this weekend. Absolutely none.
"You should be able to play whoever you want ... Doesn't matter if they're earning a million dollars or $10 ... What opposition is going to complain about you going and getting a second-tier player from St Marys who's earning $500 a week to play in the first-grade side at the Panthers? Who's going to complain about that? No one.
"Anyone from opposition teams who is complaining about them getting dispensation to do it doesn't understand it, because you're all going to be in that position at some stage.
"It is the most ludicrous of rules and it is the most ludicrous of contracting systems. The whole thing needs to be blown up."
The Eels announced on Wednesday that Arthur signed a Top 30 deal with the club until the end of next season.
The highly-touted five-eighth will pair with star Mitch Moses in the halves on the weekend as the Eels look to improve on their 8-1 start to the season.