Here’s how I see it playing out. I’ve always felt Footy Dean was on the outer at Parramatta. If you remember the final four games of the 2025 season, Dean dropped out of the side completely when Iongi returned from injury, pushing Joash Papali’i into the five-eighth role.
What stood out to me was that Dean didn’t even feature in reserve grade — he was nowhere to be seen for the final rounds or the finals. That seemed strange at the time and hinted that he may have already been out of the club’s long-term plans.
Now, with Pezet’s arrival and Dean reportedly heading to the Super League, it makes sense that Pezet has been brought in as a reliable backup to Mitchell Moses, allowing Joash to retain his starting position at No.6. Given Moses’s recent run of injuries, this looks like a smart move by Ryles — having a quality half ready to step in if needed.
To start the season, we’ll likely see Moses at halfback (7) and Joash at five-eighth (6). That said, Joash is still very young in his career, and there’s always a chance Pezet could slot in at six during the season if Ryles feels Joash needs a breather or a fresh perspective.
Overall, this looks like a well-balanced outcome for the club — exactly what Ryles probably intended. With a capable backup secured and Joash keeping his place, the team’s chemistry remains intact. It avoids the disruption of bringing in a short-term “stop-gap” player, something many feared would happen.
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Well HKF you have someone like Ryley Smith who had 4 NSW Cup games prior to his debut and did very well. Sometimes you just get kids that develop faster, you just do not know. Not saying our kids will but who knows Talataina might make the most of an NRL pre-season and impress enough to get a debut early in 2026.
The staff might see these kids being ready sooner. It can happen, look at Canberra, Stuart said he believed the kids he blooded would not be as ready as they showed and imagined them being ready to perform in 2026.
But also, never a guarentee in NRL. Nobody knows if these kids kick on, so putting faith i them is very risky but also very high reward. If anything it is the biggest reward there is.
Don't believe the Anasta bs
Well he signed for a year, so not like we lose anything by pissing him off by putting him in Cup. I agree, the intent is to start him but him being on a 1 year deal is does allow us to drop him with no real issues for the future.
First casualty of Eels’ Pezet play emerges
The club will release a player.
The Parramatta Eels will reportedly release half Dean Hawkins to the English Super League after signing Jonah Pezet for 2026.
Pezet has reportedly signed with the Eels for one year, and will then link up with the Brisbane Broncos from the start of 2027.
The Storm half decided to leave the Victorian capital after the club re-signed Jahrome Hughes, allowing him to activate a clause in his own deal.
While not official yet, it's believed the deal is very close to being kicked over the line, with the Eels only ever wanting Pezet for a single season before they turn their attention to other youth working through their own pathways.
The Eels had been looking to Joash Papalii to partner Mitchell Moses in the halves during 2026 after Dylan Brown's departure to the Newcastle Knights, but Pezet is now almost certain to wear the number six.
With Papalii still next in the queue, the The Sydney Morning Herald are reporting it means Dean Hawkins has been handed a release from the remainder of his contract with the club to take up a gig in the English Super League.
While it's unclear which club he has been in contact with, the report suggests Hawkins will be signed to a multi-year deal to head overseas from the start of 2026 where he will look to put himself in the shop window for NRL sides.
Hawkins played a number of games throughout 2025 taking over from an either injured or State of Origin-selected Mitchell Moses, and had solid results.
Instead of being shuffled down the pecking order in the west of Sydney though, he will make the switch around the world where he will chase a regular number seven jumper.
You doing PR for the club now? As if Pezet would sign to play in reserves, could have done that at Melbourne. He will be Moses backup when he is injured or on rep duties but he will play 6 otherwise.
What about this scenario:
Pezet wanted to go to Brisbane all along, but they didn't have a spot for him in 2026.
Pezet had a time limit to activate his get-out clause in Melbourne. If not taken now, he would have to see out the contract behind Hughes, putting at risk any chance of going to Brisbane.
Pezet activates clause now to free him up for a move to Brisbane in 2027, but needs somewhere to go for 1 year, even if it is as a backup.
Parramatta need a backup for Moses.
That scenario isn't entirely unfathomable.
I'd say there's a fair bit of truth to what you're saying because none of this makes sense. All parties seem to be profiting from this deal except us. So long as he's cheap and no one leaves as a result of his brief stop over.
Pezet isn't leaving Melbourne to sit in reserves. That makes no sense. He was getting plenty of injury cover time at Melbourne because their spine are frequently injured.
We are signing him for 1 year because we're desperate as the other plans to fill the Dylan Brown gap didn't work. I love Joash for his spirit and love of the club but he isn't a 6, he's a versatile stopgap at best. This Pezet move buys our R&R team another year to try and find a 2027 solution and judging on their track record we'll be in the same conundrum in a years time.
Chief I never defended BAs stupid decisions (and there were a tonne of them) and I won't be defending Ryles' either
The signing of Pezet for one year makes zero sense and tbh I feel it's a bad idea. 1 year deal?? 😂😂😂FFS.
We are the laughing stock of the NRL ATM. We can't seem to land anyone if note, we miss targets and we are always used as leverage by players.
As has been said a heap on here today, this signing is such a cuck move - I expected better of Ryles. MON is just shit, but I did expect better from the cosch.
I hope it works out but I can see this creating some discontent amongst the players.
Ryles getting a bit of criticism over this ridiculous 1 yr Pezet signing. I think it's a stupid idea! Don't see the point unless the Broncos deal doesn't happen
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