Big Breaking**** updated ***** luke metcalf expected to ask for permission to leave today
Parramatta eels next five-eighth is looking more and more likely to be an external signing as we really don't have the answer internally. The main candidates the club will be looking at are Chanel Harris - Tavita 27, Kodi Nikorema 32, Jack Cole 22 and Luke Metcalf 27
The main two Eels candidates are currently Ronald Volkman and Lorenzo Talititiana.
Volkman is still relatively young at 23, has performed well in the past few games, but I don’t think he's the club’s long term solution. If he was in the club's plans, he wouldn't be off contract this year. Also if he was in Rylsey's plans, why did he have Pezet along side Moses all pre season and during the early rounds - forget Volkman he's out of the running.
Lorenzo Talititiana. He's only 18 or 19. He's played a few games in cup around 15. Lorenzo hasn't yet debut in first grade and Volkman, who isn’t even signed for 27 has the jump on him. Its nearly mid season so if Ryles was considering Lorenzo for 2027, you'd think he would have at least gotten a taste of fg and would need half a season as Joash did last season. Lorenzo is also very slight in stature and he will most likely stay in cup for another year or two unti lhis body fills out - it won’t be Lorenzo
Joash- if it was Joash he wouldn't have been training at fb in the preseason with Pezet and Moses calling the shots. It seems like Joash has been scrapped from the idea of 5/8.
For mine its between Chanel and Metcalf. Tannah Boyd has just committed to a three-year deal. So three into 2 doesn't fit, and both are NRL standard
So Its a dead set toss up between Metcalf and Metcalf
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Yes you are correct on all of those both Moses and Hawkins were unavailable.
What is ment is he has had a strong finish to last year and is showing good signs but the club is backing Lorenzo so that puts Volkman into a unknown zone
Just a question, does anybody know where abouts the Eels supporters sit at McDonald Stadium for the Knights game? Is it bay 60?
No idea TT; maybe call the Parra office or N'castle office and ask
Ah no mate. It will be Lorenzo.
Interesting blog Chief; only my view here and we need to look at a quality half as IMO Moses while being good has had some injuries over the last few years and to me we need to be strategic who we bring in as we need a leader type half too. Moses is wat 31/32 and to me he is still carrying something as his goalkicking seems to be somewhat off too.
I would look at Metcalfe tbh
Volkmann should be given the opportunity. He's still young and has been extremely good so far. Sure he's got some defensive issues but no worse than any other learning his trade. The more games he plays the better will be his improvement. He has a good read of the game for a young player and for the amount of games he's played. Joash Papali should also be given the opportunity as well and these two players should get preference over looking outside the club. It's called Loyalty
I very much doubt that Volkman will be our 6 going into 27. He just doesn't have the speed over long distances. Over 10 or 20m, sure he has good footwork, but there's no way Ryles is going to offer anything but a 1 year deal going forward. I think he'll take the $$ available in the super league. He'll probably command anything up to 400k a season over there, where here he'll be lucky to get 180k
So for mine, Lorenzo needs half a season in first grade. From at least round 16 onwards
I think Volkmann will be 6 next year at Parra unless something unforeseen eventuates which is unlikely the way recruitment happens at Parra. It will be either Volkmann or Papali at 6 for next year.
This is all assumption and even if Lorenzo doesn't debut this season, who is to say he wouldn't start next season? That's what happened with Dylan. Didn't play at all in 2018 even with our terrible form and lack of depth, then debuted round 1 of 2019. He'd played 5 games of NSW Cup.
Renzo will be our future 5/8 going forward, Ryles just isn't going to rush him into NRL out of desperation. Even when we debuted Brown at 18, he sat out half his debut year due to stress fractures in his back.
Cmon, it looking likely that we'll be out of the running by around round 18. Surely if he's the one, Ryles will get him into the systems on the feild with Moses. It would be a great opportunity going into 27 to give him reps.
If he sticks with Volkman, then we can see where we're headed and that means no to Lorenzo for 2027
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