Disgruntled Wests Tigers star Ryan Matterson has met with Parramatta as he explores a possible homecoming to his junior club.
Matterson was given permission to negotiate with other clubs late last month and is expected to turn out in rival colours next year despite having two seasons to run on his current Tigers deal.
NRL.com understands that Matterson met with Eels officials on Tuesday and is also scheduled to fly to the Gold Coast and meet incoming Titans coach Justin Holbrook next week.Parramatta coach Brad Arthur is on holidays and was not present at Tuesday's meeting, but both parties remain open to pursuing a possible move for Matterson back into the Blue and Gold.
The Tigers though have stressed they won't release the rising back-rower unless they also benefit from the deal.
Whether that involves a player swap or financial compensation has been discussed at Concord, but the Tigers hard-line stance looms as a significant hurdle for clubs pursuing the 25-year-old
Both the Eels and Wests Tigers are yet to make an official announcement on the matter.
Retiring Wests Tigers icon Robbie Farah described Matterson's dispute with the club as "beyond the point of return" last week, with the Tigers keen to have Matterson's future sorted before the next rugby league financial year begins on November 1.
Matterson is slated to earn around $350,000 next year under his Tigers deal, but would be able to earn a bigger payday elsewhere given his rise to NSW Origin 18th man honours this year.
Parramatta have identified Matterson as a potential back-row target having already beefed up their forward pack by securing Reagan Campbell-Gillard from Penrith.
Matterson started out as an Eels junior and captained their under 20s team as a halfback, but fell out with Arthur over the coach's push for him to play in the forwards.
The pair have since resolved their differences, though it was Holbrook who proved instrumental in taking Matterson across town to the Roosters in 2016.
Holbrook guided St Helens to his first Super League title last weekend in his farewell to the English powerhouse, and is set to take charge at the Titans in the coming days
Replies
Pops, there was two Mattersons running around in the eels juniors, with one of them, & IIRC the younger of the two which was Ryan was seen as the better player, the older one also IIRC played in the halves. In saying that I could be very wrong but not on the aspect that there were two of them in the eels junior ranks.
It was also highlighted in an article that they were sons of the former chooks player Terry Matterson.
Wrong. Dean is the younger brother and not a patch on Ryan and theyre the nephews of Terry Matterson.
Ok, I got them around the wrong way, I did read somewhere that said Terry was their dad, so I did not make it up, but it must have been Greg Matterson who was their father.
Did Ryan play on at lower level after Ryan left?
Poppa, I think Matto's talented (a good replacement for Ma'u) and invaluable utility value, at a fair price. I'm a bit torn re him.
Will he put his heart and soul into the club under BA or get itchy? Maybe. I'd probably give him a chance.
But, Matto's been a bit Zingaro, from us to Roosters, to Tigers, to his next employer, in over 5 years: red flags for mine.
When Matto was leaving the Roosters (Crichton coming) he said:
It's also back-handed way of saying what Parra didn't quite do as well, pre-Roosters.
Notwithstanding that the Roosters (and Storm) are development leaders with successful cultures - I'd also suggest by their actions the Roosters felt Matto was a good player with talent, but that they wanted more.
They also, usually find a way to keep people or encourage them to stay, that they desparately want.
Now he finds himself in a position of feeling underpaid (rightfully) as well as overworked and possibly having issues with McGuire, in a struggling club - even though he did sign the damn contract. Messy. Mmmmmm...
The Roosters also identify which players they can replace. Clearly Matto is not at Crichton's level, so they saw him as expendable and released him. The Roosters aren't short in the back row with Aubusson, Cordner, Crichton and Butcher.
When looking at Crichton, and little doubt he was seen as the player who pushed Matterson out of the chooks, his form at Souths were incredible, strong - hard in running and defence a player I would have loved to have at the eels. But his overall form this year at the chooks had him off the bench more than in the run on side and he seemed to me to be nowhere near the player he was at the rabbits.
However, he certainly came good in the later part of this season and was back to his best and a bit more in the GF.
I think Matto, while maybe not at Chrichtons level he was more consistent over the whole of the year that Chricthon was until he lifted later in the season.. Matto if he can keep working to keep the consistency and improve on it will be a good addition, the eels are a different club now then when he left 4 years back.
The RCG Rumour was leaked all over the media....The public new about it before RCG did....
LOL it was just a lighthearted joke...
Slugg, JWH is a name that has popped up as a potential suitor to clubs interested. He'd be great on a two year deal.
CP, so, he has a big name, and a big reputation, and a lot of the latter is with the judiciary, and has some loading against him should he front up again. He has one year left on his chooks contract, turns 31 before next season starts, do we really need another over 30's player to take up a spot at the club, and on that score he would be wanting at least 2 years at the least and any club signing him would get some coin from the Chooks but that's for one year only.
I would be looking elsewhere TBH
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