Young gun Zac Cini has played just four NRL games, but the Parramatta Eels are set to hand him a lifeline in the form of a two-year contract.
The 22-year-old, who started out with the Wests Tigers, was rated highly ahead of his 2021 debut, but struggled to make his way into first-grade, playing just four games for the club and scoring a single try before being discarded at the end of what should have been his rookie season.
Cini was then picked up on a train and trial deal by the Parramatta Eels ahead of 2022, which progressed into him playing NSW Cup for the club, and, at times late in the season, being named in Parramatta's 22-man squad for games when they had major issues with injuries in their backline.
Cini ultimately played 22 reserve grade games for the blue and gold in 2022, scoring 9 tries, adding a further 6 try assists and 84 tackle breaks, to go with 143 metres per game in a mix of games at centre and wing.
His form is ultimately set to see the Eels take a punt with a two-year contract for Cini, with The Daily Telegraph reporting that the first of those will be in the form of a development deal, before he progresses to the top 30 in 2023.
That will hand Cini a lifeline at reviving his NRL career, with the 22-year-old likely to be in the hunt for NRL minutes during the second half of the 2023 campaign if he continues his form at NSW Cup level.
The Eels have lost Tom Opacic and Hayze Perham from their backline depth for 2023, as well as youngster Solomone Naiduki, but as yet haven't added any names, with their signings to date - Josh Hodgson, J'maine Hopgood, Jirah Momoisea and Jack Murchie - all to play in the forwards.
Replies
Looks like we are taking the development club ideology a bit far.
At this rate we'll end up as a feeder club for Melb, Canterbury and East's.
If he is one of our two best options in reserve grade, heaven help our junior systems. We are that far behind the panthers its not funny.
Its so disappointing looking at who's coming through the ranks. Then you have supporter sites like tct giving credit to every club employee and kissing the club's arse when it comes to developing juniors amazingly.
Now we are cooking with gas.
This is the type of signing news the fans have been holding out for
Well done Parra!
I am starting to think being a development club is overrated.
Look at the Storm and Roosters.
They just buy who they need and are always competitive.
I read the other day that in the entire time the Storm have been in the NRL, they have only developed 4 juniors from their pathways system.
The Panthers have an abundance of talented juniors to call upon but we seem to have very little to offer in that regard.
Cam Smith, Billy Slater, GI, Cooper Cronk, the Bromwich brothers, Cam Munster, Felise Kaufusi, NAS, Harry Grant, just to name a few have all been developed by the Storm. The Roosters also have developed a bunch of players. They may not come from their local area, but they have elite development systems.
Hence the reason I said from their juniors.
Yes the Storm developed the players you named but pretty sure none of them are Melbourne juniors and all but GI are from the qld system.
Go the Ginger Mullet!
he works hard and is a decent back up. Not sure what his best position is
I heard it's the Chewbacca where you wake your partner up by inserting your hairy balls in her mouth and you’ll hear the sound of a Wookiee.
😂😂
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