Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur has confirmed Isaiah Papali'i will front up for his Tigers contract in 2023.
Papali'i has signed a mega deal to make the switch to Concord from the start of next year following his stint with the Eels, but has spoken openly about being unsure if he will be willing to honour the deal moving forward.
The second rower, rated as one of the best in the competition and set to play his first grand final with the blue and gold on Sunday, was speculating about his future as recently as this week, suggesting he would confirm his decision for next year following the decider against Penrith.
But Arthur's comments will allow Tigers fans to breathe easy, suggesting the forward will make the move to the joint venture, where he will be coached under Tim Sheens.
“He would have liked to have stayed but he has made his decision and he has too much integrity as a person to renege on his Tigers deal.
“He is going and I wish him well.”
The Tigers have all but confirmed they will be unwilling to give Papali'i a release from his deal should he request one, with the gun forward effectively set to replace Luciano Leilua at the club next year after his move to the North Queensland Cowboys.
It's understood the Eels would have the cap space to keep Papali'i should he want to make the switch, although that would still need the blessing of the Tigers.
Zerotackle
Replies
DCE and Papalli over the years have done the same have pulled pin on deals they won't be the last.
Why though did it take BA the coach to come out and confirm it and not Papali'i himself
BA is doing it to shut up the media in the wake of the GF doesn't want distractions which is great managing but why couldn't Papali'i just say "yeah I'm going, leave me alone" even if he didn't mean it he can then come back in off season and go through it but he has handled it poorly that have added distractions to him and the club in the biggest week in 13 years, talk should be about us, which some has been but added is talk about him
Penrith have had hardly any publicity, of course we are a bigger outlet, but they are going in unnoticed.
Papali'i is being selfish atm just man up and confirm it then deal with it if you want to after GF
"Penrith have had hardly any publicity, of course we are a bigger outlet, but they are going in unnoticed."
You and I must view very different media sources LB.
Pretty much everything I have seen, read or heard via media has been about Penref and how good they are and how they are building a dynasty like the Eels of the 80's and how their is zero possibility of them losing on Sunday and how they are our daddy.
If anything, I would say it's the reverse and it's definitely us flying under the radar.
When you have a good team with players ever improving, you're always going to lose players in this day and age. Look at the Storm. They have been gutted losing the Bromwich's, Kaufusi, Hynes, Cheese, Vunivalu, the Fox, Tino, Finucane. That's 9 players and they are also looking at losing Munster. The Panthers lost Burton, Naden, Capewell, Kikau is following and so is Martin and there is a good chance they'll lose Chrichton when someone will go in with fullback money.
Stuff the 2nd rowers. They don't win you comps. Your spine does. We're still got Lane, Matto, RCG and Junuz. Lane both won and saved us vs the Cows and by the looks of it, he's going to be in the Kangaroo squad and rightly so. Massive improvement. Moses and Dylbags must be financially appeased. The offers they receive should not make them think twice about staying. Dylbags will be the best player in the comp in the next couple years. Many say the Munster is the best player in the comp but Dylan has pretty similar numbers for a guy thay hasn't even played 100 NRL games (82). Munster has 173.
This seasons stats:
Brown: 27 games, 11 tries, 17 try assists, 16 line break assists, 11 forced drop outs, 15 offloads, 93,3% tackle efficiency, 125 ave/ run metres.
Munster: 22 games, 11 tries, 16 try assists, 15 line break assists, 9 forced drop outs, 34 offloads, 85% tackle efficiency, 145 ave. run metres.
This......
And....
This.
Re-sign Brown and Moses and let's develop some 2nd rowers for cover...
Spot on
Yep...
Booooooo
I heard Eels offered Nathan Brown instead of Papali, they knocked it back
It would make sense, Wests are very keen for Brown. But we would need to offer another player on top I reckon.
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