Eels set to chase surprise Mahoney replacement
Brandon Smith’s move is set to put the transfer market wheels in motion.
NOVEMBER 30, 2021 - 9:28AM
The Parramatta Eels have begun their search to replace hooker Reed Mahoney, and a left-field link seems to be the most likely option.
With Brandon Smith expected to move to the Sydney Roosters in the coming days, it will leave Sam Verrills - once touted the future of the Roosters' number nine jersey - out in the open and possibly looking for a new club.
There is no question Verrills is good enough to be a starting number nine in this competition, and would walk into numerous teams' starting 13s.
The Gold Coast Titans, New Zealand Warriors and Manly Sea Eagles are all using stop-gap measures at dummy half, but it's the Eels who have now been linked to Verrills.
With Reed Mahoney set to link up with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2023, it will create a vacancy in Sydney's west, with Brad Arthurreportedly a fan of Verrills.
The Daily Telegraph are reporting that, even though Verrills is contracted until the end of 2024 - two years after Smith is set to arrive - the Roosters may not stand in his way if he was to request a release due to being displaced as the side's starting dummy half.
It's well known a big part of the reason Smith is set to exit the Victorian capital is because he wants an assurance regarding being a starting dummy half, and with Harry Grant in the system, that's something which can't be guaranteed in Craig Bellamy's side.
It seemed odd for that reason that Smith would view the Roosters as his first choice given Verrills is in the system, but if he has, it can almost be guaranteed Trent Robinson has promised Smith the starting role.
The 22-year-old importantly wouldn't break the bank for the Eels should they manage to sign him from 2023 onwards, with the Eels' salary cap in a squeeze.
Already the club have lost Isaiah Papali'i and Marata Niukore, to go with the reported departure of Reed Mahoney, while Junior Paulo's future seemingly is hanging in the balance.
It means a cheap option to replace Mahoney could be at the top of the priority list for Parramatta, and Verrills would fill that description while still being an excellent option in the number nine.
Replies
This could be a 2022 option if Smith is kicked out by Melbourne, they are pissed and rightfully so. This move may be able to squeeze Smith in and Verrills heads to us, then we can decide what to do with Mahoney whether leverage to get another player cheaply in a trade?
All hypothetical but Verrills will be leaving as soon as he can if given the chance. Only issue with Verrills for me is injuries but other than that he is a quality player with room to grow.
I'd happily let Canterbury have Mahoney early if this happens . For all I care Mahoney can go over there and we can sit back and observe his career diminishing whisky their fans expect him to win them games on his own. May as well invest our efforts in the bloke we have moving forward .
Now , who's going to be our 5/8 instead of Brown ?
Then the question is, if we let Mahoney go it will be for some compensation, who do we go for? Do we maybe go for a cheaper Luke Thompson and boost up our middle for at least two years? or get one of their juniors? They want to move on Cotric, Thompson, Allen and Flanagan.
Cotric and Thompson are the only ones i would consider, we dont need either, but why not just get one of them. Cotric is pretty much off to Canberra, so why not just go hey we will take Thompson if you pay 200-250K of his deal, have him on the bench, imagine that rotation of RCG, Paulo, Browna and Thompson.
You could even go with flanno putting brown to hooker which could work thats thinking outside the box though
Mahoney is still better than Verrills and our other options. He's an Origin level player. Demoting him or booting him early hurts us and our prospects next year.
He's not an origin level player mate. He was dumped for a recovering Grant this year . Last year he was behind the bloke who'd played less than 10 games in the NRL. He may very well get to origin level and piss his strides just like many have done before him. Gutherson was shit , Moses was underwhelming, you have guys like Pearce who could play well at NRL level but just never seemed to kill it at origin level, there's been lots thatve just not kicked up a gear. Reed may very well play origin , he may very well step it up . But he also may not and until he does he's simply just a guy who will likley play origin if he
a) steps up his club game another 20% to oust the guys more favoured over him
or
b) those guys get injured
till then he's a guy in the running for an origin jersey . Should we let Canterbury have him if it's not beneficial to us ? Fuck no. Will we lose much if we pick up a premiership winning Hooker from Easts , allowing us to bolster and resign ? Fuck no. Is there a chance our team may get more improvement out of Verills ? I'd say that since we seem to improve every player we sign then this guy may end up a better Hooker than Mahoneys ever been.
Really? IMO Mahoney's skills are over inflated. He is good, maybe quite good, but he is not great. Verrillis would absolutely match him. There would be the initial settling in to the new spine, but top players adjust quickly. I see Verrillis in that light. Sign Verrilis, and assuming he is released for next year, let the dogs have Mahoney next year. I
The kids younger than Reed and won a premiership at Hooker. Anyone that discounts that in favour of a guy that's biggest achievement to date is being QLDs Grant rebound fuck needs to clean their blue and gold goggles. Reeds a good rake , but he ain't ellite yet by any means. If the club signs Verrills for reasonably less than what we offered Reed then Id say the whole sagas worked out in our favour. Especially if it allows us to secure JR and even a brown ( on what he's worth)
Correct.
Grant slaughtered NSW in Origin 3 last year.
And me thinks there's more where that from.
LOLLLL yeah his career won't be "diminishing" .. have a look at the squad they are assembling over there. He's not even in what's considered his prime yet and you're shit talking him down because the Eels offered him a poultry offer and then came in late with an offer that was still well below the oppositions. What did you expect him to do ... $150k a season difference is a ridiculous amount over 4 seasons.
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