Parramatta will rely on Dylan Brown to make a seamless return to the NRL if they are to keep in touch with the top eight, but coach Brad Arthur believes the entire playing group is under pressure.
Sunday's clash with St George Illawarra is Brown's first game since pleading guilty to two counts of unwanted sexual touching following an incident at a Sydney pub on June 3.
The five-eighth received an 18-month community corrections order, a seven-game ban and $60,000 in fines from the NRL and Parramatta, with $20,000 of that total suspended.
The Eels initially flourished without the in-form Brown but hefty losses to the Warriors and Melbourne in the past month have pushed them to 11th spot on the ladder with five rounds remaining in the regular season.
Two points out of the top eight and with matches against heavyweights Brisbane and Penrith awaiting, Parramatta will need Brown to hit the ground running against the Dragons.
"I'm sure Dylan knows that he's let his teammates, his club and people down but we have to move past it and the best way for Dylan to do that is how he plays," Arthur said.
"But not one individual can own the result. He needs to contribute but the pressure's on all of us. It's really simple - we've got to win."
Brown was able to continue training with the Eels while subject to the NRL's no-fault stand-down policy, the five-eighth's fitness and attitude leaving Arthur confident of a busy first game back.
"He's one of our fittest players, he always has been, at our club. He's done more than enough running. He'll be nice and fresh," Arthur said.
"He might blow at times but he's a competitor and that'll take over.
"Dylan will try really hard in effort areas and the physicality. For him, what that looks like is owning his edge defensively and his line speed and his movements, which will help that left edge.
"That's what he'll focus on and then with the ball, we know he's a great runner."
The Eels face stiff competition to secure a spot in the bottom half of the top eight, with North Queensland's form, Newcastle's resurgence and the return of injured South Sydney talisman Latrell Mitchell all spelling trouble.
Last year's runners-up are keeping the faith despite a tough draw to finish the year.
"We know that our best footy is good enough. It's making sure we deliver on that," Arthur said.
