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
Replies
NOS, agree. It's cherry picking: last round. But it's also factual. Reality.
More cherry picking. Against Souths, it was a dropped ball from Brown on the line that allowed Souths to get back into the match and almost win it.
Admitedly, Souths made an error (Aitkin) on their line that Dylan made amends with some briliance on the line to set up that Mooney try.
To his credit, Brown also took that dropped ball really badly. He dropped his head and took it to heart. He seemed to take errors like that more casually at the Eels quite often.
I like that. It showed he cared. I respect that.
I'm not saying Brown isn't a loss, or he's playing badly. He's had some excellent moments on his short highlight reel at the Knights and us.
But remember he's on the richest deal in history (he's a new father and starting a family) and POs or no POs, he would've tested the market and his agent knew O'Sullivan (who's also made plenty of dud signings no one talks about) was going to offer him the deal of a lifetime. Let's be realistic.
And in many ways, I think a change is as good as a holiday for him at the Knights. The extra responsibiliy is good for him. I don't bedrduge him. But I also think the cheap shots at the club are naive.
HOE,
It was also the space Brown created that set-up the Knights first 4 tries, as well as the Mooney try, he also saved a try on Latrell late - which is also reality - but, yes the one error was poor.
With salary cap increases, PNG etc, what $$ Dylan is on now won't be a record deal in a few years, and he will be a better player than now.
The Knights invested in their future, and have / will benefit from the development the Eels already paid millions for.
Recruiting DB was also to help keep Ponga in Newcastle, reportedly. There was risk, of course.
O'Sullivan has some misses, everyone who takes risks will take hits, but they don’t die wondering, & his resume speaks for itself. They clearly had a plan, and Holbrook weas the perfect attack-minded coach for it. See how they go, I guess.
As a fan, I’d much prefer to have seen the Eels take risks while we have a genuinely elite halfback at the club - which has been proven essential in winning premierships in the modern game.
You disagree on keeping DB on anymore than he was on (we never had to match the Knights), and fair enough.
$13m on the cap is too much. Especially for someone learning the ropes at 7. Just my view.
Blame Games are a waste of time. When players get the deal of a lifetime like that, you wish them well and move on.
No one except the Knights and 1EE R&R would offer that.
The cap has been increasing $150K per year. Not much to share around. All your top earners will want a piece of that.
It would have been great to keep him – our offer around $1m was more than fair. But he wanted to go to the highest bidder, which is fair enough given he's started a family.
As long as the Knights don't have too many injuries and KP is on-field (he's the General), Dylan (in support) will be okay. If not, we'll see.
Knights are good for him. Good lifestyle for his family. The most money he could get in the NRL, and the challenge of being a better player. To his credit, he's trying his heart out and taking his role and the responsibility his pay cheque demands more seriously. I wish him well and hope he has success.
Looking at DB stats like that is a very poor way of looking at the affect he had on the game. DB didn't play as wide. Dylans best work when doing a team movement has always been how direct and square he plays at first or second receiver to give his fullback and outside men more space. The work he did on the inside allowed for Ponga to put this outside backs away but that wont show on the stat sheet.
EA, I think the move to the Knights is good for Dylan (for more than $15-16m reasons) and he's definitely playing well. No argument there.
As I said to NOS, the way he reacted to his drop ball that opened to door for Souths back into the game and almost lose it for the Knights was commendable.
I also like what he said post-game: he's repaying the "faith" Holbrook has put in him.
Given a choice, I'd prefer him at the Eels but not at his price.
All I'm seeing with DB now is Holbrook is slowly pulling him in while still giving him free reign at second reciever when he needs him there.Someone has to take the hit here and be the setup guys for KP and Sharpe.This will be beneficial for DBs development going foward and slowly converting him to that 7 very few thought he could be.
I think Holbrook understands he has the tools and he's slowly pulling DB into that full time 7 role.
Holbrook is a good coach. As long as the Knights don't get too many injuries and KP is on-field, Dylan will have enough around him to just do what's he currently doing. If not, we'll see.
Much like Moses here I'd suggest he needs much the same hopefully this off season we can get him more help.
We'd be a far worse team with Dylan at 7 than Moses, even if Dylan was working as hard as he is at the Knights and reacted as badly to his errors. Moses has had many more years to work on being that General. And his kicking game is superior.
D Brown has been paid on potential for several years, and is now at N'castle on a v high salary and needs to step up; he had one good season (22) for us. Wish him well
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