DANIEL Mortimer, the kid once signed to a $500,000 contract by Parramatta, is now set to become one of six unwanted Eels halves starting in the NRL this weekend. With Roosters five-eighth James Maloney, himself a blue and gold reject, sidelined with a fractured eye socket, Mortimer now shapes as the short-odds replacement against Manly in Monday Night Football.
Should the 24-year-old utility start, he will join fellow Eels discards Jeff Robson (Sharks), Brett Finch (Storm), Albert Kelly (Titans), John Morris (Sharks) and Feleti Mateo (Warriors).
Had Canterbury not had the bye, that figure could have risen to seven or eight, with Bulldogs halves Kris Keating and Trent Hodkinson also starring for Parramatta during their early years.
The bizarre set of figures is certain to annoy Eels fans given their team is not only slumped on the bottom of the NRL ladder, but has unsuccessfully trialled a host of partners alongside halfback Chris Sandow in the past two years.
Quizzed by The Daily Telegraph about his old club this week, Mortimer smiled and said: "Parramatta? Geez, that seems like a long time ago doesn't it. I actually played out there only a couple of weeks ago and it felt like a life time since that was my home. It was a strange feeling going back, weird.
"And while it's taken longer than I would've liked to get back to the NRL, I'm happy with how things have turned out.
"The Eels have been struggling for a couple of years and, while I've had my own frustrations, it was probably a good time for me to get out."
While Parramatta now sit last, seven of the eight unwanted halves are now playing with teams inside the top eight.
In fact, Finch has been catapulted into the starting line-up of defending premiers Melbourne after regular No.6 Gareth Widdop suffered a dislocated hip.
Back in 2009, the affable playmaker won a premiership with the Storm (which would later be stripped by the NRL) after being cut from the Eels midseason.
Of course, it needs to be noted that Kelly has been shifted through several clubs because of ill-discipline, while Maloney also humped his swag through Melbourne and Auckland before becoming a NSW Blue.
But when, say, Robson and Morris combine for three tries like they did in thumping the Eels back in round 14, the Eels fans hurt.
"Personally, though, I'm more than happy with how everything has turned out," continued Mortimer, who led Parramatta to a grand final in his own 2009 rookie season.
"I've had a tough couple of years but it's great to be back now playing week-in, week-out with the Roosters."
After starring at halfback in the Roosters' 20-18 upset win over Canterbury last weekend, where he replaced NSW Origin seven Mitchell Pearce, Mortimer is confident of doing the same for Maloney.
"I see myself more as a five-eighth anyway and I think 'Robbo' does too," he explained. "That's where I've played my best footy in the past and I trained there quite a bit during pre-season.
"Jimmy's (Maloney) a great player and we'll definitely miss him."
