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
On that basis Brett, why not just disband the local eels comps altogether, give them no recognition at all, and let it flow to other local jnr comps and soon it will be like we are seeing in rural NSW where the game while not dead is on life support.
For me to mention in one players brief the aspect of him captaining a local young teams in a competition and it would apply across the board for me with other clubs as well, is to recognise his credentials even at an early point of his career. I was not focussing on it in what I said as it was just a part of an overal regarding his career stats, not just his raw stats in which I agreed with you on that part of your post.
I don't have an interest like you do in other sports, its enough for me to take an interest in RL these days the way game is controled rather than led, I support and follow one team in the eels, but I also take and interest in how other clubs/team operate and play and always have done in 60 odd years of being part of the club and following the eels as my family did, even when we left Sydney for more than 30 years and remained member of both the PLC and Football club.
Lastly on the Jnr aspect, I followed the primary 3 main junior rep teams each season and saw some exciting players, not just eels players either in their early days as they looked towards senior football, thing is I was more aligned to supporting the eels juniors than others. Today there is a call for less clubs in the Sydney area owing to the lack of quality players, one of the reasons for that is the overal reduction in teams at both Junior and senior levels along with the intermediate comps that was second division.
When the junior comps started to be reduced in numbers it was open slather for Soccer and AFL to take over those open spots. Brett they are the facts of the matter, and not directed against you but the lack of leadership at the top and that includes the individual leagues clubs that are supposed to be the controlers and owners of the teams as such.
But you can't underestimate that relationship between lane and dbrown. It was there early rounds, and they were still working wonderfully at the end. Get a preseason done that will be an exciting edge with Sivo to ice any breaks. Don't need to fix what we are already fixing.
I'll concede that point, but why are we comparing a left edge vs a left edge ring in. Can matterson play on the right and do we have to play him if we buy him on big coin? If he is willing to work up the ladder that would solve the attitude we are wondering about. But if we are buying a starting position let's save cash, and promote.
Jacob, I have seen him play both left and right side, in both 11 & 12 jersies at other clubs.
I don't watch much other footy apart from Thursday night and the eels game. I was under the illusion he was a left side specialist. But I'm happy to welcome him but on a short leash and a clause that allows us to not pay him if he acts like a wanker off field or talks for more cash. One year $400k if he wants out of the Tiger's.
Matterson plays on the right and also in the middle, not the left.
I've never seen him play on the left.
That looks about right. Lane is a very good player but he's not an elite player Matterson has the potential to be an Origin backrower. That's taking nothing away from Lane I'm a big fan.
it would be excellent to have Lane on one fringe and Matterson on the other.
Reckon Lane would make a great origin player, it’s a shame for him we are right in that area.
Otherwise bit hard to compare the bird in the bush for the known and true player we have in Lane though(at probably half the cost too).
I like this guy. Very skilful. Could pop a nice ball as an edge forward like manu
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