Eels ramp up chase

Parramatta Eels ramp up pursuit of rival hooker

He is on around $600,000 for the 2025 season.

Ethan Lee Chalk
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The Parramatta Eels are ramping up their pursuit of rival hooker Jayden Brailey in an attempt to lure him to the club for the 2025 NRL season.

Overcoming two serious knee injuries during his time at the Knights - including missing the entirety of last season - Brailey is contracted until the end of the 2025 season, but that hasn't stopped rumours about his future from swirling.

At the beginning of August, reports emerged that Brailey was given permission to explore his options on the open market and negotiate with rival teams as the Knights are attempting to rebuild their roster and free up space in their salary cap.

Playing second-fiddle to youngster Phoenix Crossland at times, Brailey has featured in 61 matches for the Knights in five seasons since moving away from the Shire, where he managed 69 games for the Cronulla Sharks between 2017 and 2019.

Off-contract at the end of the 2025 season, Brailey is one of many players who are free to speak with rival teams and could become the latest member of the Newcastle Knights to depart the squad.

Linked with an exit from the Knights for the past few months, the Parramatta Eels are ramping up their pursuit for the hooker and are considering making a play from him for an immediate release from the remainder of his contract, per News Corp.

In what could be a win-win situation for both teams, his departure would free up around $600,000 in salary cap space for the Knights, while the Eels are in desperate need of a hooker following the departure of Matt Arthur.

Brailey's future at the Knights is all but certain to be over at the end of next season, with the emergence of New Zealand Kiwis international Phoenix Crossland and the reported arrival of Arthur from the Eels, who represented the U19s NSW Blues.

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  • would be a great pick up

  • Would be great to get Brailey and Papenhuyzen

    • Interestingly enough (probably means nothing) but I notice paps wasn't in any of the storms recent photo shoots for their New Jerseys. Bit strange for a poster boy. 

  • 13098929080?profile=RESIZE_930x

  • Not for $600k.

    • How about $600K for the 25 season and $400K for 26, 27? Total $1.4M for 3 years. Throw in chance of upgrades along the way.

      • How about the knights tip in 300k for 25, 450k 26 and 450k  27 option in favor of the club 

        • Even better

  • Here me out. This is just tin foil hat and if it doesn't work I make myself look like an idiot. But I feel Brailey is a smokescreen. I reckon we are going for someone else and drawing the attention towards Brailey. If we have intent on someone the other options teams are less inclined to go above and beyond. We are also a club where links and that rarely get out unless a deal is 100% done. Nobody knew anything about Iongi or Williams til the deals were done. Hawkins was mentioned then went to Weaver before Hawkins was announced.

    Again, be kind as it is just me having some fun and that but I thought it could smokescreen. Maybe for Mozer? Hunt to Brisbane, when Mam is back he plays 9.

    • I've been saying Mozer for almost a year now. It's ludacris he's not 9 for Broncos in front of Nepo Baby Bart Walters under his Dad Homer. 

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