It is quite rare that a coach admits that his sacking was "needed" to spark growth, but that is the belief former Eels coach Brad Arthur has of his recent NRL exit.
Arthur was dismissed from his duties as head coach of Parramatta in May last year and has since been working as head coach of Super League team, the Leeds Rhinos.
The 51-year-old admits his time at the Eels came to an end in just a couple of minutes after stepping into the room with club officials to discuss his future.
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It was then that it hit him that his 11-year tenure at the club was ending.
"You get sacked from your job that you've put a lot of time and effort into, it knocks you around a bit confidence wise," he told 9News Sydney.
"But the (Rhinos) giving me the opportunity to coach here and buying into how I want them to do things has given me a bit of energy again.
"It has also built back that confidence that I needed, which you know, you need that as a coach."
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Arthur admitted that the initial shock of his departure left him on an emotional rollercoaster for a short period of time last year.
But he also conceded it was a relief to finally have a change of pace to his routine.
"Waking up at 4am everyday to go to work … I missed that part straight away," he said.
"But I also felt like it was a bit of a relief. Maybe it needed to – well, it definitely needed to happen for both myself and the club.
"I had been there a long time, so a change (was needed)."
"I wouldn't change any of it at all," he continued, telling the Sydney Morning Herald.
"Probably there's some lessons there that I maybe knew or some things that I knew I needed to change or got wrong. But sometimes you don't make those until you get sacked or terminated.
"I've looked at it from a perspective of 'it is what it is, I've had a good life and enjoyed it, but what can I learn from it'? You don't learn from anything unless you make mistakes."
Arthur had lead the team to contest the grand final in 2022, but the Eels were unable to get the upperhand in that match against the eventual premiership-winning Panthers.
In 2023, Arthur and the Eels failed to make the eight, with 12 wins and as many losses.
Reflecting on that 2023 season, Arthur admits he may not have been his usual self.
"Michelle, my wife, said she could see changes in me," he told 9News.
"Maybe for the last six or 12 months there at the club after we got through to the grand final, I wasn't going through the emotions … I just maybe wasn't my normal self.
"I think maybe at times my loyalty, which was one of my strengths, might have been a bit of a weakness."
Arthur did apply for the head coach role at the Perth Bears but missed out, with Mal Meninga landing the job. He then inked an extension with the Rhinos.
Despite the rejection, Arthur has not ruled out a return to the NRL.
"I'm really committed to Leeds for another 12 months," he said.
"But if the right job did become available, I would definitely want to get back and test myself at the NRL level."
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