Eels Blogs

The Eels are poised to rock the November 1 contract market by going all-in on signing a representative centre, a prop-forward and potentially a backrower to catapult the club back into premiership contention.

Code Sports NRL has been informed that Parramatta’s elite-level target list includes Jack Bostock, Bradman Best, Herbie Farnworth, Jack Howarth, Stefano Utoikamanu, Spencer Leniu and Jeremiah Nanai.

Currently sitting 13th with games against the Sharks and Dragons remaining and having failed to make the finals for a fourth consecutive season, Parramatta senior management is under no illusion the current roster and salary cap are disproportionate to competing for the premiership.

The Eels’ salary cap has only one player on the entire roster earning seven figures in 2027 - club captain and star halfback Mitchell Moses, who is on $1.3 million.

The next highest-paid player in 2027 will be Dragons recruit and back-rower Jaydn Su’A at $750,000, followed by Jarome Luai at $700,000 for his one-year deal.

Club stalwart and off-contract prop Junior Paulo will need to take a huge pay-cut from his previous $975,000 contract to remain at the club next year.

The rest of the Eels roster is constrained by too many players earning between $400-$600k.

The club has already begun shedding mid-tier players.

Dylan Walker, Sean Russell, Kelma Tuilagi and Ryan Matterson have all been let go.

The club has a strategy to reshape its salary cap by acquiring elite talent to support its rising stars and chosen blend of mid-tier players.

The elite stars on the Eels’ hit-list - including Bostock, Best, Farnworth, Howarth, Utoikamanu, Leniu and Nanai - are among the most in-demand players in the NRL, with their respective clubs working overtime to keep them from hitting the open market on November 1.

They are each contracted to their club for 2027 with the Eels hope to secure their signature for 2028 and beyond.

INS AND OUTS

The Eels seemed destined to lose two of their most competitive performers in 2026 in Ronald Volkman and Junior Paulo.

Now with only two matches remaining on his contract, the club is working overtime to ward off interest from the Bulldogs in Volkman and keep the 24-year-old in blue-and-gold.

The Perth Bears decision to move away from Paulo and sign Corey Horsburgh has led to the prospect of the Parramatta leader staying for a further season at significantly reduced rate to his previous deals.

Meanwhile, utility Joash Papalii has been granted permission to play elsewhere despite being on-contract for 2027.

Apa Twidle (Bears), Jonah Pezet (Broncos), Sean Russell (Bears), Dylan Walker (Leeds), Ryan Matterson (retired), Kelma Tuilagi (Storm) and Toni Mataele (Sea Eagles) are all departing.

Jack De Bellin is also likely to be without a contract, with the club unlikely to activate an option in their favour for 2027.

THE SPINE

The Eels are hunting the NRL for elite talent, but what they won’t be changing is their fullback, halfback and hooker.

Head coach Jason Ryles is throwing his full support behind Isaiah Iongi, Mitchell Moses and Tallyn Da Silva as the club’s long-term one, seven and nine.

With Luai signed for a short one-year stopover before joining the PNG Chiefs, the Eels are banking on young half Lorenzo Talataina being developed and ready for NRL in 2028.

The Eels are also still fighting to keep Ronald Volkman, who has proven more than capable of playing five-eighth this season.

Another possibility is that Blaize Talagi returns to the club, with the super talent currently being overlooked in the halves at Penrith and is off-contract at the end of 2027.

LEADERSHIP CHANGE

The exit next month after eight seasons as CEO of Jim Sarantinos may not be the only change in the front office for the Eels.

Chairman Matthew Beach is currently scouring the landscape of sports administration for a replacement CEO, who may look to inflict further change of the football structure.

GM of football Mark O’Neill is safe, but the hard-working list manager has also been around long enough to know that results matter in the NRL.

Head coach Jason Ryles remains contracted until the end of 2028.

However, after a honeymoon period that included finishing 11th in his rookie 2025 season and to be currently 11th in 2026, the 47-year-old understands that his squad must be pressing for finals in 2027 to ward off extra pressure.

Ryles’ assistant coach Sam Moa could be on the way out of the club as he is on the radar of Trent Robinson at the Roosters.

THE KIDS

Alongside Moses, Luai, Iongi, Sua and the recruitment of elite talent, Parramatta are banking on the potential of their young crop of successful pathways players.

In 2025 and 2026, the Eels have blooded Teancum Brown, Jake Tago, Sam Tuivati, Araz Nanva and Saxon Pryke.

The latter was among a trio of crucial re-signings for the club on Friday.

Pryke, who has developed through the Eels academy, has committed to the club until the end of 2028.

Against the Sharks on Sunday, the Eels will debut Ryda Talagi, also an Australian Schoolboys player and younger brother of Blaize, who many view as a future starting prop for the club. Ryda has re-signed until the end of 2029.

Waiting in the wings are Talagi’s SG Ball and NSW Cup teammates including Lorenzo Talataina (half), Chris Petrus (backrower), Jackson Coina (lock), Lincoln Fletcher (half), Lachlan Coinakis (hooker) and Chris Petrus (backrower) who has just re-signed until the end of 2028.

INJURY TOLL

One thing you can’t take away from the Eels is their massive injury crisis.

At one point this season the club had 14 of their top 30 players unavailable for selection.

The club’s injury crisis was never more highlighted than in their round 13 loss to Newcastle, where a separate mini-bus was hired to transport their injured players to the Hunter.

It is estimated that over $5.5 million of their salary cap has been sidelined throughout the year with Mitchell Moses, Isaiah Iongi, Will Penisini, Junior Paulo, Kitonie Kautoga and J’maine Hopgood all having extended periods on the sideline.