Eels star ‘on the radar’ of rival as ‘concerned’ teammates talk to club: Transfer Whispers
https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/81b5b65ee3ed40c597a67b45effc2254?width=640 640w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/81b5b65ee3ed40c597a67b45effc2254?width=768 768w" layout="responsive" attribution="test" i-amphtml-ssr="" data-hero="" class="i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-built i-amphtml-layout" i-amphtml-layout="responsive" i-amphtml-auto-lightbox-visited="" lightbox="i-amphtml-auto-lightbox-0">
https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/81b5b65ee3ed40c597a67b45effc2254?width=640 640w, https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/81b5b65ee3ed40c597a67b45effc2254?width=768 768w" alt="SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 07: Dylan Brown of the Eels reacts before the round nine NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Sydney Roosters at Bankwest Stadium on May 07, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)" data-hero="" />SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 07: Dylan Brown of the Eels reacts before the round nine NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Sydney Roosters at Bankwest Stadium on May 07, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesParramatta’s pain could get even worse with a rival circling yet another star, while the club is going to have to “pay overs” to keep a big-name player.
Meanwhile, the loss of Marate Niukore, Isaiah Papali’i and Reed Mahoney for the 2023 season is reportedly worrying other players and they have raised their concerns with the club.
And three star hookers have already been shopped to the Eels as a replacement for Mahoney.
The 2023 roster is a sore point for Eels fans and things could get even worse.
Social media was sent into a spin when it was revealed on Thursday that star hooker Reed Mahoney had signed a four-year deal with the Bulldogs, to begin in 2023.
The news came exactly one week after fellow Eel Isaiah Papali’i signed with the Wests Tigers and two weeks after Marate Niukore signed with the Warriors.
And now gun five-eighth Dylan Brown is the latest Eel to be linked to a rival club, with Channel 7’s Michelle Bishop tellingSEN: “Dylan Brown is another one, the Warriors are keen, he is on their radar.”
Brown comes off contract at the end of 2022 and has flown under the radar with much of the attention being on the future of Mahoney, Niukore, Papali’i, Junior Paulo and Clint Gutherson.
It’s been a bloodbath at Parramatta headquarters lately, however there was one positive when Gutherson finally signed an extension after drawn-out negotiations.
But the skipper’s lengthy talks, as well as reports about what the Eels offered Papali’i and Mahoney, has put the club under intense scrutiny for lowballing players.
Papali’i knocked back Parramatta’s two-year extension offer at $425,000-per-season. The Tigers pounced and locked in the Dally M Second Rower of the Year on a three-year deal at $600,000-per-season.
It was a similar scenario with Mahoney who the Eels tabled an initial offer to and then upped it but it still fell close to $100,000 short of the $650,000 salary the Bulldogs offered.
The attention now turns to Paulo, who has had interest from Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins.
Bishop told SEN that she believes Paulo will likely stay at the Eels but the club will have to fork out the cash now that they’ve lost so many players.
“If I’m Parramatta I’m escorting (Junior Paulo) into the boardroom and ask him how much does he want. They’ll have to, they’re in no other position, they’ll have to pay overs for him,” she said.
“I can’t see him moving on to be honest. That’s one player I believe will stay, that’s my gut feeling.”
Bishop also revealed that there is concern amongst some players around what the 2023 roster will look like.
“There were reports around Parramatta not being interested in Nick Cotric. I can tell you now there’s some players that are asking ‘please, can we do something? We need to bring someone here.’
“That’s what level of conversation that players are getting involved in. They are concerned.”
Replies
I'm sure I've heard that before.
It feels like we are on the retention slide in the media cycle and there looking for anything to keep it going.They very rarely bring up the fact we have retained RCG or Gutho and if they do they do its in a singular context.But as for losing players they mention all 3 we have lost now Brown and possibly Paulo to sensationalise there story narratives.
I wouldn't be paying overs for anyone.
Why isnt the NRL doing more to ensure that juniors stay loyal to their clubs.
Aracom, If they did, Nick Politis would stop loosing games of golf to them.
Because the NRL doesn't care. They know some clubs are nursery clubs and some aren't. They don't want nursery clubs stronger than others because it'd imbalance the clubs even more. They have one instrument to enforce a close competition and that's the salary cap.
The nrl activly want it to be like this
How can a RL club be run with zero RL experience on the board?
No wonder players are going to other clubs where they can be persuaded by guys like Gould.
We have no figurehead on board with any RL knowledge or pull.
When this whole new system was bought in to select a board, i asked many times, where is there space for footy knowledge?
People said 'you dont need it, these guys are professional business men, hand picked, we dont need frooty knowledge''
Well now its coming back to bite is.
Its so bloody narrow minded and arrogant to have a board with zero positions for footy smarts.
Id like the board and club to answer why that is the case.
You nailed it snake! , we don't have the ability to get the balance right and now it's hurting
O'Neil an BA are footy people but I do agree with the premise.They don't need 5 on that committee.
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