Just three days out from Sunday's clash with Manly, the Eels' opposed session on Thursday turned physical with several players putting big hits on their teammates.

The session was a significant move away from regular opposed sessions, which often involved light contact and players grabbing teammates rather than putting shots on them.

Players didn't shy away from the facts afterwards, with prop Kane Evans among those to detail the most-physical session since the pre-season.

"Someone hit someone and they dropped the ball and the other team was yahooing and it was on," Evans said.

"A few boys got pumped. I got pumped too.

"Haynesy (Jarryd Hayne) was firing up coming back; Daniel Alvaro, Timmy (Mannah) was bleeding. Everyone was going hard. It was mad."

Coaching staff and players embraced the session, after the Eels turned in one of their most-disappointing performances of the year in Saturday's loss to Canberra.

Parramatta rank last in the NRL for attack and third worst for defence, and have slumped in almost every key statistical category from last year despite their largely unchanged roster.

"He (coach Brad Arthur) said that he saw our identity and who the Eels were," Evans said after training.

"To see everyone fired up and flying at the line, hitting each other, was pretty good.

"The frustration is building up. It's doing heads in.

"It was intense. If we play the way we trained today, we will be on fire."

It comes just days after veteran broadcaster Ray Hadley claimed Arthur had lost the Eels' dressing room after the 0-6 start.

But players have firmly shut down the suggestions, after Arthur had helped lead them through the salary-cap saga and into last year's finals series.

"It's crap, mate," fullback Clint Gutherson said.

"He's got so much respect here at the club and around the NRL. We don't want to hear it ... it's absolute rubbish.

"Brad goes out to bat every week for us and we're letting him down and letting the whole staff down. Going out there and putting these performances together, it's not good."

Gutherson said he had pulled up fine from his first game on return from a knee injury in the Raiders loss.

He forms part of a new-look backline this week, with Hayne rushed back from a hip injury to play on the wing. Five players were dropped including young star Bevan French.

"You've seen him play Origin and stuff on the wing and he's been the best player on the field," Gutherson said.

"He's still going to inject himself on the wing ... and bring the spark that he has."

Australian Associated Press