Parramatta are facing another contract fight as they prepare for their blockbuster against Melbourne on Thursday night after it emerged that representatives of Ryan Matterson had contacted rival clubs asking for expressions of interest in the boom backrower.
Matterson has an option in his contract for next season and The Australian has been told by several clubs that his management circulated an email last week requesting interested clubs to come forward.
Matterson is only in his second year at the Eels, having departed the Wests Tigers in acrimonious circumstances at the end of the 2019 season. He is one of several big-name players at the Eels who are off contract at the end of the season, the group headlined by halfback Mitchell Moses and NSW backrower Nathan Brown.
Like Matterson, Moses has an option in his contract for next season with the Eels and has been offered an additional year by the club as they attempt to convince him to stay. Brown has been linked with Manly, although he has also been offered an extension by the Eels.
Aside from Moses, Brown and Matterson, Maika Sivo and Blake Ferguson remain off contract and open to offers from rivals. Sivo, who shares the same management company as Matterson, has been actively offered to rivals, but it appears there have been few takers given the salary demands.
Ferguson wants to show Parramatta that he deserves another deal and he made a solid start in the win over Brisbane, scoring one try, running for more than 150m and busting seven tackles.
Matterson is only 26 but already at his third club, having started his first-grade career at the Sydney Roosters before shifting to the Wests Tigers and then Parramatta.
His departure from the Tigers was one of the stories of the 2019 season, Matterson effectively forcing his way out for reasons that he never fully explained. At the start of least season he spoke about the change of clubs and insisted he wanted to stay at Parramatta for the long-term.
His management would appear to be on a different page as they scour the NRL for offers for the two-time City Origin representative. Matterson has been earmarked as a future NSW representative and Parramatta would be loath to lose him given the uncertainty that surrounds a number of their high-profile players.
The ongoing negotiations with nearly half their starting side have cast a shadow over the club’s start to the year and prompted some experts to suggest that things could rapidly go pear-shaped if the Eels hit a rocky patch.
Backrower Keegan Hipgrave is another player with an uncertain
Before we go calling a current player names, let's see how this plays out first.
future — the Eels have an option in their favour for next season with the former Gold Coast backrower. He made an impact off the interchange bench in his first game for the Eels against Brisbane last weekend and is relishing his move to Sydney.
“I did a bit of time in Brissie with the Broncos in under-20s and then came home to the Gold Coast for a couple of years,” Hipgrave said.
“I feel like if I want to play my best footy I have to be at a successful club like Parramatta. Parramatta were a top-three team last year and I think they are going to have a good shot at winning a premiership this year.
“No way am I having a dig at the Titans — it is about focusing and getting out of my comfort zone.”
Hipgrave was convinced to move to Parramatta after talks with coach Brad Arthur. While he has settled in Sydney’s northwest, he has been getting his fix of surfing at least once a week by travelling to the eastern suburbs.
“I had a really good conversation with Brad towards the end of last season and everything he said to me was on line with what I wanted to do,” Hipgrave said.
“He is a really tough and honest coach and I think that will get the best out of me.”
The Australian
Replies
Agents are always going to see wat else is out there. That is their job. This is not news and doesn't mean he wants out.
He has history I guess, If he gets more consusions this year, he will be a hard sell for any agent.
To me I would not be to fazed if matto up and left, one of those players that show potential but to me has not deleverd, loling after the young pragade coming through would be more important to me
What I see in this is another agent/company wanting to look after their pockets without too much regard for the players, the more they can get for him at clubs the more they get as their cut.
If Matto wants out, same with Sivo or any of them, they need to also know what club they will go to, and for how much, the eels management would know what he is on, how much he's worth etc. Matto comes from this area was an eels jnr wanting to play in another position, BA was coach then and said he saw him as a 2nd rower rather than a 5/8 he left believing he would get that position but after a couple of games there he was moved to the forwards/2nd row and has remained there since at each club. Given his roaming and short stints at clubs I doubt that there will be a huge amount of interest for him especially for extended money, good luck if he can get it. But, like so many others they stay loyal and retain their spots also they know they are wanted and part of a team they want to be in/with. Only difference this time is that these searches and the like has started early again, they need the players in performing in teams that are on the up and say they are worth more, it betrays the players and their current club.
bwahahahaha!
When he left Parra he wasn't a first grader. I know you despise BA but cmon mate.
i think this is how it goes:
if you pull on a blue & gold jersey (the king and junior p aside), you are a bum and not worthy of playing nrl.
if you pull on a storm or rooters jersey, then you a world beater.
If you are a world beater, then eels should sign them, then when they arrive, they are a bum.
i think thats how it goes....
Lol. Perfect
never happens dr wong....apparently
I think Matterson was good when he was at the Eels. He left because he wanted his own way, he played well at the Roosters and won a premiership because he had good players around him. He went to the Tigers because Roosters no longer wanted him. He was average at the Tigers and he couldn't get along with the coach. He then returns to the Eels and played well under Brad Arthur but has been having concussion issues. Now he either wants out due to concussion issues or he wants something that he can't get or its just his managers that are doing all this without his awareness.
Correct.
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