SPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Have the Dolphins found their marquee man? A $1.5m deal might be the answer for supercoach Wayne Bennett to land the big fish he is chasing.
Ryan Matterson is in danger of quitting Parramatta with the NSW Origin hopeful making a secret trip to Queensland for talks with Dolphins super coach Wayne Bennett.
Sport Confidential can reveal Matterson embarked on a hit-and-run mission on Tuesday, flying north for negotiations with Dolphins hierarchy in the lead-up to Parramatta’s clash against Canberra on Sunday.
The off-contract Matterson inspected the Dolphins training base and headquarters at Redcliffe before lunching with Bennett, who has already poached one Eels top-liner in hardworking forward Ray Stone.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.
The Eels are set to table an offer for Matterson but they risk losing a bidding war to the Dolphins, who are prepared to entice the in-form Eels lock with a three-year deal worth in excess of $1.5 million.
Matterson is on $550,000 this season but the Eels may struggle to compete with the Dolphins’ dollars.
Bennett has already secured Melbourne forward trio Jesse and Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi and confirmed his interest in Matterson, who would be a handy weapon for the Dolphins as their inaugural No.13.
“Yes, we’ve had a meeting, so we’ll see what happens,” Bennett said.
“We’re very interested in Ryan. He came up here, we’ve had some talks and now we’ll wait and see what happens.”
The Eels are facing a forward exodus with Stone, Marata Niukore, Isaiah Papali’I, Oregon Kaufusi and Reed Mahoney all signed with other clubs for next season.
Dolphins recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan first signed Matterson to the Roosters in 2016. The skilful back-rower has since amassed 129 top-grade games and was impressed with Bennett’s pitch for his role at the Dolphins.
“Wayne coached Ryan’s uncle Terry Matterson at the Broncos so Ryan has always had great respect for Wayne,” said his manager Chris Orr.
“Ryan has a few things to consider. He is currently in a very professional club at the Eels playing alongside some handy players under a very good coach in Brad Arthur.
“Ryan wanted to meet those involved at Dolphins to better understand the club and to talk football with Wayne as part of his decision-making process.
“We’re waiting on an offer from the Eels before Ryan makes a final call.”
Originally published as Sport Confidential: Dolphins signings 2023, Ryan Matterson meets with Wayne Bennett
Replies
I hope matto takes into consideration the eels helped him through his head knocks and gave him the time off he needed. Wouldn't pay anymore than 600-650 for him
No doubt it Jack . Maybe knocked some sense in him that his time in the game might be limited so grab as much cash as he can meantime ,
Apparently he is
Well when we thought "oh Matto will replace Papa" this comes up, nothing left with Bird and Nikora staying where they are, Tuilagi to Manly, Leilua to NQ and Garner to Penrith. No options in reserves unless El-Zakhem is blooded, Cartwright is all there is left, good lord.
If he wants 3 years I'd offer $475k. If he wants to play for Bennet for another 25k a year let him but I don't think they'll be playing finals during his contract term.
Doesn't sound to promising see what happens but I don't think the club will pay overs they haven't so far hopefully he wants to stay in a strong club instead of a new franchise
It all comes down to how much you want to win a comp, or how much money you want to earn. When this talk about our window about to close, I never imagined that the club would be so slow to react on certain players. We are in real strife next year, with all the forwards we have in 2022, injury has hit hard, next year we will struggle if we loose a starting prop, or starting second rowers. In the past I was happy to see some players moved on, but what coming next year is nothing to be excited about. I doubt it's BA fault, he brought them to the club I'm sure he didn't want to loose them.
i think one of BA's strengths as a coach is being able to get forwards to improve under him. We are at $550'000 a year for him, and thats about it in the salary cap. if we didnt go higher for Mahoney, Ice, Nikore, then we aint going higher for Matto.
The real question will be does he want to stay in Sydney or go North. He is just trying to get his top dollar. If he stays well and good, if he goes, he goes. We will find another and turn him into an Eels forward.
Our salary cap will get bent out of shape if we go any higher, wont be long now and Moses will be asking for his mill a year and deservedly so. Dylan will be asking close to a mill a year next time around if he continues his development, as well.
Did Payne Hass just try to quit the Broncos.
So what you're saying is let's rebuild again.
Lets just keep rebuilding under this dope, re-sign him again next year and continue the status quo - almost good enough but not quite.
Unfortunately this club isn't in a position right now to let any other good player leave or we will be faced with another few rebuilding years under Arthur. Something I am growing tired of and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.
There comes a time when you just need to grit the teeth, pay the asking price and go for it.
Time is now for BA not 2026....
nah not rebuild just develop a forward or two, if we have too, so as not to bend our salary cap out of shape.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next