Parramatta coach Brad Arthur will draw on his experiences during Melbourne's salary cap scandal, believing there are "similarities" with the situation now facing the Eels.

The Eels are still reeling from the loss of 12 competition points, a $1 million fine and the likely departure of five key officials. However, there is still a chance they could squeak into the eight if they can become cap compliant before their next clash with South Sydney and then win a dozen of their remaining games.

Arthur was an assistant to Craig Bellamy when the Storm were busted for systematically rorting the cap, resulting in mammoth fines and the stripping of major and minor premierships. Unlike the Eels, Melbourne were forced to play out the remainder of the 2010 season for no competition points. In a mark of their resolve, they still managed to win more games that season than in the previous year, when they were crowned premiers. The Storm then regrouped from the scandal to legitimately take out the title in 2012.

Arthur, credited as the man keeping the blue and golds together, believes senior players will again help an embattled club through a cap scandal. "[Melbourne] had a real strong group and we have a real strong group," Arthur told Fairfax Media. "There are some similarities there. We're going to have to lean on our senior players, those with experience are going to have to lead the way for us.

"I was assistant coach [at the Storm], it was a while ago. That experience was helped by the players they had there. Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk – there's three influential, key and senior players that did a good job to hold the group together. There was [also] Brett Finch, Ryan Hoffman,some really good senior players that managed to pull them together.

"The players and the team will earn some trust when we find out who is prepared to roll their sleeves up when the going is really tough.

"We saw that the other night [against Canterbury], but this will test us even further. Maybe what's happened in the past [the endless negative headlines] has got us ready, given us the hardness for this. We've had a few things we've had to deal with of late and over a period of years with a lot of those players. They just think 'well, another day at Parramatta'."

Sacked Storm director Peter Maher described Arthur as "as good a leader of young men as I have seen".

"They are very fortunate to have someone like him there," Maher said.

Long-suffering Eels fans were hopeful of breaking a three-decade premiership drought after an impressive start to the year. While that task has become more difficult, Arthur asked supporters to stick solid. "They need to support their team still," Arthur said.

"I know it's a big ask but they've been very good in their support for us. The news is not great but there's still a glimmer of hope there. There's something we can hang onto for the minute."