Parramatta are poised to lose plenty of power from their pack at the end of next season – but they have identified the man to fill the gap.
Parramatta has identified the player who could replace departing forwards Marata Niukore, Ray Stone and Isaiah Papali’i in 2023 – Dragons and NSW star Tariq Sims.
The Daily Telegraph has been told by multiple sources that the Eels have a genuine interest in Sims, who comes off contract at St George Illawarra after this coming season.
And they would be the eighth club across three states linked to Sims, who has represented NSW in three of the past four State of Origin series. His three were all winning series for the Blues.
Niukore will join the New Zealand Warriors, Papali’i has signed at Wests Tigers with Stone off to the Dolphins, the three deals starting from 2023.
Parramatta has manoeuvring room in its salary cap for 2023. No deal has been struck and it remains unknown whether Parramatta has lodged an offer but there is a strong temptation to negotiate with Sims.
The Dragons don’t want to lose Sims but told the rampaging forward late last season that the club wasn’t in a position to lodge an offer after his current contract expired.
Sims, 31, is playing career-best footy and was among NSW’s best in this year’s 2-1 series win over Queensland.
The Daily Telegraph reached out to Parramatta general manager of football, Mark O’Neill, for comment but he declined to return calls.
While unconfirmed, Sims has been previously linked with Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne, North Queensland, Brisbane, Souths and Penrith, along with English Super League clubs.
Rival clubs will quietly monitor any developments surrounding Sims’ future.
Given Niukore, Stone and Papali’i are leaving, Parramatta wouldn’t need to shed any players to sign a player of Sims’ calibre. He would simply be filling a hole in the club’s roster.
Sims would be expected to accept a pay cut at this stage of his career. He will earn around $600,000 this year, his final with the Dragons.
The well-liked Sims admitted to being “devastated” when told he wouldn’t be offered a new contract at Saints.
“We organised a meeting on two separate occasions to see where their heads were at and where they see me in the Dragons,” Sims told the Sydney media in September.
“On both those occasions, we found out there was no offer to be made for ’23 – that was obviously devastating for me. On the second occasion we found out that if I was to be able to find and secure a longer-term deal somewhere else for ’22 and beyond, they wouldn’t stand in my way.
“The conversations with the Dragons didn’t even reach that point, negotiating length of deals or the financial situations. The conversations we had were pretty short and sharp. I was upset at the start – unfortunately that’s football sometimes.”
Like Canterbury, St George Illawarra has enjoyed a robust recruitment drive which has netted George Burgess, Moses Suli, Tautau Moga, Moses Mbye, Francis Molo, Jaydn Su’A and Aaron Woods.
Sims joined St George Illawarra from Newcastle in 2016 after an earlier stint with North Queensland.
Parramatta has lost hooker Reed Mahoney to Canterbury for 2023 and are currently locked in negotiations with key forwards Junior Paulo and Ryan Matterson, both off contract after next season.
The Eels confirmed interest this week in another senior player, Canberra’s Josh Hodgson.
Replies
Yes if we have young players coming through to learn from and overtake him
hell No
Yep. He was great for NSW this years. He was good for dragons when they played well. Hard to show that origin form consistently when dragons are shit. With quality around him, he will play well. He suits our game plan of bull dozing backrowers. Importantly, he is known to take good care of his halves. The only concern is his age. Now with The reports of Matto being let go at the end of the season, I would be chasing CHN (if he can fix his off field issues) or RFM (a lot of potential but unable to reach it so far because of injuries and playing for the dogs)
Just yep! Agree with Wiz, Dragon did not want him and ended up getting him back. Get him this season.
Must be good. He wll be replacing 3 departing players ;P
lol look at those players St George have bought. If that was the eels gains list for next year they'd be some people on here absolutely going mental. We buy one player over 30 and it's the end of the frigging world. How many knee operations is that for Moga now? George Burgess, Sharon Woods - wow they'd be lining up at Parra leagues with pitch forks.
Sims is RCGs 1st cousin and they're close so we are a very good chance. Imagine those two on the same paddock.
Bring it . For 2022 would really shorten up our odds. Get him now and backend the contract . Load up troops for a genuine shot at the title next year.
I reckon sims is the sort of player BA would get the best out of more consistently.
I wouldn't mind letting mahoney and Nuikore go early if we could get hodgson and sims for 2022.
I'm hoping this isn't a repeat of the period where we signed Chris Walker, Chris Hicks, Carl Webb and Paul Whatuira.
They were dark days.
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