The NRL will ban Brad Arthur's son Jakob from playing in Magic Round unless he is upgraded to a top 30 contract in the next 48 hours, The Daily Telegraph reports.
The 18-year-old five-eighth is on a development contract and can't be used ahead of a top-30 player before Round 11 under NRL qualification rules.
Parramatta's termination of Michael Jennings' contract last week has opened up a spot in the Eels' top 30, opening a path for the club to upgrade Arthur's contract in a last minute scramble.
Both Jordan Rankin and Bryce Cartwright have experience at five-eighth and are part of Parramatta's top-30, which is why the club will not be given dispensation to give Arthur his NRL debut under the 'special circumstances' loophole.
However, Arthur is the Eels' first choice to fill in at No.6 while Dylan Brown is suspended, putting the club's general manager of football Mark O'Neill into quickfire contract negotiations with the coach's son.
According to the Telegraph report, Brad Arthur wants to stay out of it to defuse any possible suggestion of nepotism.
Jakob Arthur is one of several Eels players who is unable to train with his teammates in the lead-up to the game due to the club's bio-security bungle after leaving the bubble to play NSW Cup last week.
The Eels play the Warriors on Sunday.
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