- Rising Apa Twidle will leave the Parramatta Eels at the end of 2026 after agreeing to a three-year deal with the new Perth Bears (joining in 2027).
- The deal is in a cooling-off period, but he’s expected to go ahead with it because the offer is significantly better.
- Twidle burst onto the scene with a standout debut (2 tries in 3 minutes), which attracted strong interest from multiple clubs.
- Parramatta reportedly only offered a low-value development contract (~$80k), while Perth provided better financial security and opportunity.
- A key factor: the Bears are offering him a chance to play in the halves, rather than being used as a utility/backline option.
- He becomes one of the early signings helping build the Bears’ inaugural squad under coach Mal Meninga.
Bottom line:
Parramatta unearthed a serious talent, but underpaid and under-positioned him—Perth stepped in with money, role clarity, and long-term security, and likely pinched him.
Replies
Agreed and that is the thing Daz, these guys are quite young - and I know Apa is about 21; i would rather have developed him albeit with Lorenzo, than bring in Pez, who is here for a year. Blaize started in our team in 24, when we had some issues. I was undecided about Pez tbh and would have hoped he played for the year but even his defence was at times avg. All young halves will be worked over, as Saints will know this weekend with Reed starting at half. I get we cannot keep them all, but as some have said you would prefer to keep a developed junior.
But it seems memories are conveniently short, in all these critiques of club mgmt. Talagi accepted a 3-year offer from Panthers in July 2024. Reports at the time show Eels had offered a multi-year deal and said he was their long-term fullback. Talagi had Gutho in front of him at FB and Brown in front of him at 5/8. BA had just been sacked in May 2024 and Luai had announced he was leaving Panthers at end of 2024. If I'm Talagi I'm opting for Panthers, a much clearer path to 6 and more stability and current success at team-level.
With all the talk inferring straight from players staying or going or switching to Eels or not, to club mgmt and R&R, I'm just saying it's just not credible to imagine there is a deterministic and linear relation from club mgmt to outcomes of all those choices.
The Talagi example shows so many other factors involved. The more examples we dig into the more complicated those outcomes probably become.
It does and we are all guilty of being fickle at times Daz.....I still come back to the club with their D Brown contract and this for me messed up the backflow of players coming through. Talagi made a call i am assume on the better organised club top 8 / 4 chances and also development.
Russell had a stellar year in 25 and we were keeping him but Perth got in a good offer as they should as they had no-one nd need to pay more.
It would not be an easy job at all with the lists and kids in Flegg / Reggies but I feel the club pre-Ryles made a bad call on the Brown contract, and I satnd by that and ask we he did to be offered that.
It is about keeping the right ones people mention how poor Talagi is and forget how Moses used to be it's just a continual moveable narrative by fans.Every player is flawed in some manner or another everyone of them.Thats the trick here if you can live with the flaw and improve it like the above example then your onto something.Making FG doesn't mean a player is a finished product all it means he's reached Basecamp and there's still the mountain to climb.
Talagi had FG potential written all over him the issue is fans are living in the right now where if he's good enough you project what he can be work on the flaw and then you have a player it's much like the DB critiques now everyone understands the hole he's left now he's gone I'm like SMH.
The critique of Dylbag$ was NEVER that he was not a great 5/8. It was that he kept promising to "step up" to be a 7 if Moses was out but never did. Now Brown is at Knights with 7 on his back and billions of dollars, and the Knights have played Ponga, Smith and Sharp at 7 (effectively). Go figure. Knights swallowed Dylbag$ self-hype about 7 and their experiment to see if it pans out has begun.
Talagi had Brown in front of him at 6. Luai left 6 vacant for him at Panthers. It's a no-brainer and using Talagi to impale club mgmt is a fools errand IMO
Daz, respectfully, the criticism of Dylan Brown on this site was absolutely ridiculous, and far exceeded some 'promise' of stepping up as a halfback. It was relentless.
DB said he needed to 'step up' wth Moses out, which he did in spades, his effort areas in 2024 were off the charts, he’s just not a game manager / halfback - when did he claim to be? Where was his 'self-hype' as a 7, can you show quotes?
You mentioned scapegoating previously Daz, you should read over some of your previews & comments around Dylan Brown - were you not scapegoating?
See this is the thing much like Moses DB potentially could grow into being a 7 but because fans wanted to see a finished product right now it was automatically assumed DBs not a 7.
I always said it's the reason why the club gave him that long term deal as I thought he'd do what Moses did grow into the position much like he could well do at Newcastle.That's the problem with all players there not finished products so why all of a sudden when the mantle was thrown to DB he all of a sudden needs to be upto Moses level when he'd never played 7 or given the mantle of running the team at nrl level.I'm not even going to mention structure the left and right BS the fowards getting beaten every other week injury and alike and DB is supposed to hop into the phone booth and go from Clark Kent to Superman tha imo was the issue.
I've always said this he has the traits to be a 7 he just has to be entrenched in the position not roll bowel and arseholed like he was here those last 2 years that was the real issue.You look at Moses even he struggles under similar circumstances and he's the #2 or 3 #7 in the game.
But look at him at the spooners and pacific cup they have now bet on DB we straddled the fence on him and now look 2 years he's been gone for and we still haven't got a replacement.It's so farken infuriating because if we had DB and Moses for the next 3-5 seasons I'd give us a real shot at ending this drought now we are back to square one with half a spine and burning our best players prime because of a poorly constructed contract structure.
Jesus that's seriously the issue everyone's buying the JR magic dust BS but make no mistake JR isn't winning a premiership with out real talent it's ok to have the worker type talents but in key spots you need real talent and we lost a good one in DB potentially a great one.
Sing it loud.
There are only so many 'effort' wins in a season. We just had one against the Dogs. But you can't win a comp on effort alone, you need talent. And when you're lucky enough to obtain or grow elite talent you don't let it walk out the door. If you do that you're not going anywhere as a club.
Wonder if Apa didn't come off injured after his debut, if Ryles would've given him a bash at 6 last week?? Very unfortunate timing with his injury perhaps? Or would we have never given him a chance there?
from what we've seen of gutsy Joash he ain't the one in that posi yet, Volkman did well in his opportunity. Hope he continues. Lorenzo will need to get on there very soon but understand at same time, can't just throw him into a mess either (as it was v titans).
Clearly, this year ain't gonna be our gf contest ... my hopes for this year are our young keepers get a good shot and hold them in good stead for future with some experience under their belts. The ones that are worthy are then immediately locked up.
So when back, that would Pezet hangs out in reserves until Moses is out for origin or injury and we prioritise our perceived keepers only.APA no more air time either sadly.
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