The Parramatta Eels have confirmed young winger Arthur Miller-Stephen will miss the entirety of the 2024 NRL season after suffering a 'serious knee injury.'
It's unclear how or when the injury occurred for the NRL rookie, after he played to the end of the season with the Parramatta Eels' NSW Cup side failed to make the finals in that competition.
A young fullback who can also play on the wing, Miller-Stephen made his NRL debut in Round 23 of the 2023 season against the St George Illawarra Dragons, crossing for a try.
His primary position is fullback, however, where he played nine games for the NSW Cup team this year, scoring four tries and laying on another five try assists. In those nine games, he came up with 23 tackle busts and ran for an average of 137 metres per game.
The injury is a devasting setback for the young gun who could have found himself in line for more first-grade action this year with Parramatta still facing significant questions over their outside backs.
Also in the outside backs, Parramatta has confirmed that Daejarn Asi has ruptured a tendon in his finger while playing for Samoa in the recent Pacific Bowl tournament, and is expected to be back training in the new year after surgery.
Forward Makahesi Makatoa was also injured during the Pacific Bowl while playing for the Cook Islands, suffering a torn pectoral muscle - he has had surgery and is also due back in the new year.
Junior Paulo will also not train until the new year after having surgery for a chronic toe injury, while Clint Gutherson could be in a race against the clock to be fit for Round 1 after suffering a knee injury in the final round - the club is hoping he will be back running by Christmas.
In better news, Matt Doorey and Zac Cini have returned to full fitness and are already back training.
