EELS ASK DRAGONS FOR SU’A IN 2026!
Reports circulating that the Parramatta Eel’s have made new discussions with the Dragon’s to allow Eel’s new signing for the 2027 season Jayden SU’A join the club early in 2026, off the back of many injuries this is a call for help.
Parramatta Eel’s General Manager of football, Mark O’Neill has stated yesterday in a stadium tour with fans that Eel’s are actively looking at options before the June 30 deadline.
Mark was also asked about Herbie Farnworth, which he indicated that it’s something the club could look at or would love to have on board.
Replies
Pay him the dollars and put him at FB. Iongi is good but he's not and never will be world class like Herbie. Iongi can move to the wing
Yeah that will go down well. Just move him to the wing he should be grateful.
Why wouldn't he be. Fullbacks are a dime a dozen, there's that many good fullbacks in the game. Many players are moved positions for the good of the team why should Iongi be any different. There wouldn't be a huge amount of clubs where Iongi would walk into as 1st choice fullback
You're kidding yourself. Firstly, he's signed long term to be our Fullback. Second he's came through the grades as a Fullback and sees himself as a Fullback.
Thirdly, though not the best in the competition, we are much better with him in the team. Against Brisbane he was the difference.
But you are saying he should be grateful for playing Wing at Parramatta a bottom 4 team? We are not in the position as a club where players that are at least decent should be happy to just have a spot.
So if Iongi was available you are saying Perth wouldn't want him? Or Dogs wouldn't look at him and move Tracey which they thought of with Bula? Or Dragons before going for Drinkwater? Think they would. If Iongi was available a handful of clubs would go for him.
If you get a Fullback better than Iongi, you either move him to 6 or let him leave and use his coin elsewhere.
Bro, you can disagree without being an arrogant knob about it. And no I'm not kidding myself. 1stly he signed long term to play footy at Parra. Last time I checked players and their contract do not determine what number goes on their back.
Secondly I never said Iongi wasn't a very good fullback but we are talking about elite talent in Herbie. We only have 1 elite player at the club and that is Moses. Herbie is a different gravy and is exactly the elite talent this club needs. From what I can tell playing fullback would be a draw card for Herbie and if Iongi needs to check his ego at the door than so be it. Sure the bulldogs or Perth or even PNG could be interested but he is signed with us. If Iongi wants to kick stones so be it, we would have still made an upgrade in Herbie
Sorry mate you are kidding yourself if you think Iongi would be happy playing Wing. If that came across that way i apologise.
Players sign contracts having an idea of where they will be playing. Iongi signing for as long as he has and for the money he likely has shows intention of it being Fullback. If he is not playing Fullback he will look to see where he can play Fullback as teams would want him.
He signed with the intention of being Fullback. If he is not Fullback he will be leaving. That is how it works.
Also, Farnworth has played 126 NRL games, 25 QLD cup games and 13 tests for England. You know how many times he has played Fullback? Once. How do we know he would be a world class Fullback? Just because a player is world class at one spot doesn't mean they will be at another. Playing Fullback and Centre are entirely different as you would know of course.
You are right, saying to Herbie we want him to play Fullback that would get him interested. But we will lose Iongi in the process, but it is a risk with the limited football Farnworth has played there. If we signed Farnworth to play 1 and Iongi went i would be open to see how it goes but also no proof it will work out. The Dolphins even experimented with Fuller at 1 and Hammer at Centre. Why didn't they swap Farnworth and Hammer then? Again, not saying Farnworth cannot be a great Fullback, saying at the moment there is no proof and risky to lean on when we already have a great, young Fullback. If we didn't have Iongi then yes 100% you give Farnworth $1.5 mil and say Fullback is yours.
What do you mean Iongi check his ego at the door? He has been a Fullback all the way through, of course he would expect to be Fullback til 2030, that is why he signed. We are not the Roosters where a Fullback will toe the line and just take what is given cause told. Other clubs will want him to be Fullback and he will go.
Yes he did stay with us, as we are playing him at Fullback. My point is if he was to be available other clubs will want him to play Fullback. You said wouldn't be a huge amount of clubs that would want Iongi as Fullback, i disagree that a think a good chunk would.
How do know Herbie will kill it at fullback? You just know. Herbie is on another level. Moving to fullback isn't as complex as say moving to the halves although the workload is massive which Herbie would adjust to easily enough (something Latrell struggled with)
To be quite honest with you I'd prefer to leave Iongi at 1 and still have Herbie in the centres. Herbie, like Latrell are once in a generation talents that can impact the game from centre like no other player which is why the Phins didn't experiment with that (Fuller cant play centre)
In saying that our club desperately needs elite talent. As previously stated only Moses is elite. If Herbie is available I think we have to try and make the pieces fit. Of course I expect Iongi to be disappointed (any winning athlete should be) but I don't believe we lose him. Many players have moved from their preferred positions for the betterment of the team and in some cases themselves for example Lomax centre to wing (became a rep player) Latrell more suited to centre. Isaako played a lot of fullback before moving to the wing. Sharpe and Hunt are shifting positions to accommodate players. AJ Brimson, Jack Wighton, the list goes on. It's incumbent on us to communicate well with Iongi about the situation
The only way you keep Iongi is if he moves to 6. That is a learning experience for him too. But I disagree I think he leaves as other clubs will say to him we will give you Fullback.
As for Herbie at Centre and Ipngi at 1? I would be calling you an idiot if you didn't say that would great. I would legit run down my street with no clothes on up and back 3 times if we got Herbie to play Centre.
But as for how do we know Herbie will be good at Fullback? We just know? I myself cannot feel comfortable with that. Again, do I think he can be a great Fullback? Yes. Are we in a position to take a risk when we have a great Fullback? No. But if Herbie wants to play Centre? I would do some unthinkable things for that to happen.
Yeah Dolphins didn't move Herbie as he was so good at Centre but maybe that's it? He is a better Centre than Fullback. But I think he would make a great Fullback. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if he turned into a decent 6.
I just do not see any risk at all. Herbie's skill level is off the charts, he's probably better than Iongi in nearly every metric and he just moves better than Iongi. I don't ever see Iongi becoming elite. He's very good through effort like Gutho but not elite. He just doesn't move the way Herbie Ponga, Walsh and Turbo do. The difference between elite and very good is huge in the current game
Doesn't mean Herbie will be a great Fullback though. I think he could very well be but we have nothing to show he can be. He's always been a Centre. Even for England he hasn't been moved to Fullback. If anything I though they would put him there.
The risk I see is if he doesn't work out, which is a possibility no matter how slim, what do you then? When we had Iongi who is great. Plus I think Iongi can be elite. Yeah he's not Walsh but what he can do with balm in hand, passing, making plays with offloading and metres. I mean Edwards doesn't move like Walsh, Ponga and the likes and is elite.
Can be, not will be.
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
-
9
of 10 Next