UPDATE: 22/10 Foxsport via Codesport is reporting alleged one-year loan deal for the Eels in 2026, followed by a longer deal with the Broncos. Anasta noted on BTFU (17/10) the situation was still fluid and it's essentially a Four-Horse Race between the Eels, Cowboys, Storm and a surprise (allegedly the Broncos). If the loan deal has legs it has multiple implications. It probably spells the end of the Joash Papali'i Project at Six. And potentially points in-house to the likes of Lorenzo Talataina, Talen Risati, Te Hurinui Twidle or Lincoln Fletcher as the future beyond Pezet. Joshua Lynn is also in the halves in the lower grades but whether he is the answer remains to be seen. For at least until 2027, assuming all those things, the Question of the Six Remains Unanswered.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to play NRL every week. As a kid you grow up and that’s what you want to do." Gosford-born, now 22 year old, Jonah Pezet told The Queenslander last year.
This could be a make-or-break signing or a missed opportunity for the Ryles era. Pezet has divided some Eels fans, and there are plenty of “ifs” and moving balls. And until a signing is confirmed this is all hypothetical.
Cons & Threats
Two generals in one team? Too many cooks? Mitchell Moses is a dominant seven, and Pezet appears to want that role long-term, though he could compromise to play full-time NRL.
Pezet is a risk, for sure. All signings are. Maybe he’s not yet the superstar we’d pay him to be. He's still getting his body ready, after some significant injuries (another risk) for the gladitorial week-to-week grind of NRL. And also every young half goes through dark nights of the soul; even gets dropped. Sam Walker. Ash Taylor. Tim Smith. Next Big Things.
It’s an expensive risk. Beyond the Raiders, Pezet won’t be short of suitors. He’d likely be number three on the Eels’ salary cap after Moses and Junior Paulo. Number two not long after. (Refer Salary Cap Blog)
If it's really a loan deal, while waiting-on-Munster, we would be a pit stop of convenience, doing more service to the Storm than our club. How did the Harry Grant loan deal work for the Tigers? In that case, we should stick with Ryles’ “The Future is Now” philosophy developing project players like Joash Papali’i, Dean Hawkins, or Lorenzo.
Pros & Opportunities
Pezet could provide a short,mid, and long-term spine solution. The heir to Mitchell Moses. A spine that could grow together for the next 10 years plus, building around it.
In the short term, he could ease our over-reliance on Moses and his fitness, as has missed large Turbo-Ponga-esque chunks of games in recent seasons. This year, the Eels have a 54% win ration with Moses, 27% without.
Why couldn't Pezet play six for a while? He has 15 games at six, 20 at seven, and 15 off the bench at Cup and NRL levels. The Broncos won a grand final with a two-sevens in the halves (Reynolds-Hunt), while Storm have succeeded with three fullbacks and a Grant spine.
In 18 NRL games with the Storm, Pezet has scored two tries, kicked five from six goals, and maintained a win ratio of almost 85%.
He has also shown he’s team-centric. “I’m confident in my ability to play 80 minutes at halfback,” he said, but he’s willing to play six or off the bench. "What’s best for the team.”
And who better to mentor him than Moses? A win-win. Moses spent the first half of his career at six with the Tigers, and the second half at seven with the Eels. On the Sixes and Sevens podcast, Moses said he wished he had a senior seven to guide him.
Bottom Line
In the bold V'Landys Universe of Attack, Attack, Attack, we don't have the supreme x-factor talents like Reece Walsh or Payne-Haas tanks through the middle to compete in a gunslinging, power shoot-out. We'll need to continue to build resilient systems with some creative enterprise. Winning on guts and pressure and nuance. A strong kicking game will be critical. Pezet provides added points of attack and opportunities, reducing pressure on Moses. His utility value to play both six or seven or off the bench is a plus, not a negative. His game-changing kicking game and footy IQ as a bona-fide half, gives us a rare one-two punch in Moses. We talk about x-factor, well there it is.
In the end, Jonah Pezet could be a luxury we can’t afford or the cornerstone we can’t afford to miss. The Ryles era is just getting started and this decision could define it. Will history remember it as bold brilliance or a missed opportunity, a Waterloo moment?
Source of Johah Pezet quotes: The Queenslander
Related blogs: Eels' Salary Cap Study, Where Do We Fit in the New Era / V'Landys Universe?
Replies
Bluey, Trying to figure out the cap without even doing a simple spreadsheet is like lodging your taxes on leftover tissues. But without an accountant, without numbers, just vibes.
I've pulled this from the Salary Cap Blog. These are hypotheticals, providing clues. Not absolutes. Note, we (1) must spend 97.5% min. (2) thus must have space left for 2026 with spaces to fill and (3) probably also leaving extra space for mid-season purchases next year.
2025 Cap: Where did Gutho's, Sivo's, RCG's money go?
Key Top-30 Cap Losses and Gains
Lane playing for some of 2025 and was contracted for 2025-2026 before retiring, but not due to physical incapability of playing. How much dispensation we get is TBC.
2026: Where did Dylan Brown's Money Go?
For argument's sake, let's assume Dylan Brown was on 900K for 2025.
50% probability
El Cheapo scenario: living the dream (0.01% probability)
Here we assume we got TDS, JDB, Dylan Walker, JAC for dirt cheap, and Ryley signed an NRL contract which was barely above the minimum 140K.
It’s a fair assumption there would be some upgrade on a player’s CO (club option) contract.
Other players in the squad, such as Isaiah Iongi, Joash Papali'i, Jordan Samrani, Jack Williams, Sam Tuivaiti (and everyone else) are assumed not to have any ratchet clauses or upgrades in their contracts for 2026 from 2025, despite the increase in the salary cap. A big leap of faith.
The only way we could get spare change off Dylan is if he was on $1m plus and everyone above was signed dirt cheap. As he was on a PO-contract, it's more likely we got some discount.
For more information: 2025 Signings and Contracts , NRL.com Salary Cap Info
HOE, given that Lomax was signed and announced (16Apr24) before Arthur got sacked (20May24), I would assume that the cap position included him for 25 before Ryles arrived and Gutho, Sivo and Reg left. Surely we weren't relying on players leaving after we signed him????
Badger, Sure. If we kept BA's squad (Gutho, RCG) we wouldn't have been able to get guys like the Fox, TDS, Walker, Williams et al. We'd have to rely on the Matto's, Lane's, Hands, Lussicks, Simmo, etc
Let's hope he lives up to the hype and doesn't go hasting/gamble 2.0
I have said all along, I didn't think of him as a complimentary 6 to our team. I base that on style not how many games he has had as a 5/8.
What I have to admit is that Ryles knows him much better than me and he seems to have made him a project.
If we get him then I will be supportive and could like him, like I have done with both Ryles and Lomax and become a great fan of his.
WHAT WORRIES ME is that if we miss him, then some of you guys will be up in arms over our recruitment team misses another one..... especially my good mate Bluey who places a lot more emphasis on their failures than I do.
I said in another post yesterday that we have got very lucky, missing Talagi, Galvin and Brown post burnout.....here's hoping we continue our luck with Pezet, one way or the other. I am not sure he is any better than the ones we didn't get or lost!
NB I had similar views on TDS but am very supportive going forward, as long is it not against my mate Riley Smith.
Pops, you have to admit i have tried real hard to move away from attacking the recruitment / retention team of late. hahahaha
Totally agree Poppa. There are rumours he will cost us around $700 - 750k, too much for an unproven NRL 5/8. Another way to look at it, is he better than Munster..NO, Burton..NO, Strange..NO, Campbell..NO, Mam..NO, Brown..NO, Deardon..NO, Luau..NO. All these players are very good attacking players, which compliment their number 7's. I noticed someone said that the Broncos won the comp with two number 7's, they did, but they didn't get on top until Mam entered the game.
Pops, You, MW et al might be spot on. Could end in tears. While I see pluses not negatives—in his skills, kicking game, ability to play multiple positions (Bellamy doesn't have qualms with him at six) & support/cover for Moses—price is probably the sticking point against multiple interested parties.
Real or Not?
I hope your right about Pezet Bluey, but I am pretty sure your overating him.
The only solace I have is that Ryles would know him better than anyone and he is obviously keen to get him. He most certainly does not give us anything in comparison to the pre 2024 era of the now burnt out Dyllan Brown......just stop and think about the 5/8's we have missed out on (you were a critic about missing them). How lucky were we!!
I would have paid 1m for Burton and bought GF tickets with the change!
Footnote..... Pezet adds nothing in experience! but if we only paid 1.5m for 3 years, its a worthwhile punt.....anything over 600 is disaster territory.
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