Parramatta are facing a battle to keep boom rookie Apa Twidle.
Sport Confidential can reveal Twidle has attracted interest from three NRL rivals in the wake of his stunning two-try debut against the Wests Tigers on Easter Monday.
Twidle’s management has fielded an inquiry from Phil Gould’s Bulldogs and the Dolphins, while Mal Meninga’s Perth Bears are also watching the young gun closely.
Twidle is off-contract at season’s end and has been offered a development deal by the Eels for 2027.
But the Eels may have to up the ante following Twidle’s brilliant baptism against the Tigers, which has piqued the interest of NRL suitors.
The 21-year-old Kiwi is one of the most versatile players in the league, capable of playing wing, centre and in the halves.
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I expect you must have seen a lot of this Twidle guy in the lower grades Jack, or did you make that judgement after 5 minutes last week. Young players can be classy coming through the grades, but very rarely a class player whilst within them. My experience is that it is very difficult to recognise class in grades where inferior players are supporting you.
He's a fullback, of course he'll leave.
He needs a lot of work defensively to be a center, which someone like Richie Penisini (who's younger than Apa) already is better at.
at 5/8 the defense will be an issue but we have Lorenzo, Fletcher, Risati, Joash too.
We will need to pick and choose who to keep. He's from the same class as Guymer/Talagi/Sanders, and those 3 are already established first graders.
He is quite good, but he is a fullback. Really dunno how to square it.
Ritchie can't stay fit for long enough to get a run.
I like what ive seen un attack from Apa id say wing would be a option to begin but if he chooses to go for a better opportunity and cash especially as a young father you can't blame
2024 was Richie's chance for FG. If he didn't do his ACL he would have gotten hefty game time, instead of the likes of Tago and Mulitalo.
Injuries are getting the better of him and it is a shame.
Yehez, he maybe a fullback and a winger. He may prove to be a better fullback than Illongi.....juniors careers can be moulded depending on the type of player you are working from. You are operating from a microcosm of what you have seen. Did you see Edwards in his early days at Penrith, just holding a spot at the beginning. There are currently fullbacks across the whole first grade spectrum running around in second grade trying to get a run in the ones!
You're not wrong of course and ideally I'd keep Twidle. But we have him, Papalii, Iongi, Bamblett and Davis who are all young. And Seuseu can play FB too.
The oldest one of those is 22 currently!
The club needs to plan it and find who plays where. This is the kind of things I grade Mark O'Neill on, and Ryles, not how many millions they throw at some flavour of the month "star".
Well done Parra see if you can loose this young star, as Parra's track record is not the best when it comes to signing & keeping talent.
Grow a set & show the other NRL clubs you mean buisness when it come to players recruitment
This time last week no one was talking about Apa and what his contract situation is.
He debuts and scores 2 tries and he's immediately apparently talking to other clubs.
His agent wouldn't be doing his job if he wasn't having some unofficial chats and leaking this to the media - the kid just debuted and scored 2 tries in no time at all and put himself on all the highlight reels.
It's just a bit disappointing that the headline wasn't a puff piece about a proud Parra boy who shared his awesome story of resiliance living away from home to pursue a dream and how much he loves the Eels for helping him realise that dream. And instead it leads with him effectively being a gun for hire and entertaining offers.
I don't blame Apa or his manager. Would have been nice if we'd been on the front foot with the narrative though.
Cappy, you don't blame Apa or his Manager but you blame MON.......Please explain what you would like for him to have done and now do?
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