FORMER Queensland representative Casey McGuire is returning to Parramatta next season and the Eels are hopeful of securing the services of Matt Orford or Craig Gower to play halfback under Stephen Kearney next season.
Parramatta officials will also move to extend the contract of dual international Timana Tahu, who is a free agent after initially signing a one-year deal to return to the Eels from rugby union this season.
The Eels board met last night but no decision was made on the coaches position - however Kearney remains the overwhelming favourite.
McGuire, who began his career with Parramatta in 1998 and was a member of Brisbane's 2006 premiership-winning team before joining Catalans three years ago, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Eels. It is understood negotiations with McGuire were instigated by Daniel Anderson before his sacking as coach on Sunday night but the Herald was told yesterday the 30-year-old would still be at the club next season to play under Kearney.
With Parramatta officials hoping Orford or Gower will also return from Europe to join the Eels next season, McGuire is expected to be used as a hooker but he can also play halfback or five-eighth.
Orford is keen to come home after an injury-riddled season with Bradford and has been in talks with Parramatta and Canberra but the Bulls are reluctant to release him, while Gower has expressed an interest in returning to the NRL after three seasons playing in France's Top 14 rugby competition.
Gower, 32, is weighing up an offer of a further two years with Bayonne and the lure of playing for Italy in next year's Rugby World Cup, against a desire to raise his young family in Australia. After missing out on Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk and Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper, the Eels remain cashed up but it is believed their preference is to sign either Orford or Gower for just one season. They would then hope to lure Cronk or Cooper to play under Kearney in 2012.
As the Storm's assistant coach, Kearney has a close relationship with Cronk, while his role as Kiwis Test coach may be an added lure to Cooper, who grew up playing league in New Zealand. Cooper was tempted by Parramatta's $3.2 million four-year deal but chose to re-sign with the Australian Rugby Union until after the World Cup in New Zealand at the end of next season.
He is widely tipped to switch codes the following season.
The Herald was told yesterday that Eels CEO Paul Osborne had tried to phone Anderson on Sunday night to advise him of his sacking, but could not contact him and sent an email instead.
Meanwhile, New Zealand international Greg Eastwood is set to rejoin Canterbury on a three-year contract and is just awaiting the Bulldogs and Super League premiers Leeds to finalise a deal for his release later this week.
Elsewhere , former Wests Tigers star Pat Richards has won English rugby league's top individual award, The Man of Steel. The prolific goal-kicking winger capped a sweep of the Super League awards for Wigan.
Replies
The initial plan would have been to offer him 1 year to start, with the option of re-signing him for more years.
The club is undoubtedly acting on that option.
hopefully this means that we now dont pay him as much as i thought after an average season from him
http://www.parraeels.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=1...
said he may have left if anderson is was coach
now they said he will def sign a 2 yr deal
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next