Parramatta Eels veteran Jeff Robson mulling whether to extend his NRL career
Parramatta veteran Jeff Robson has left the door ajar to extend his second stint with the Eels until the end of next season after earlier declaring this campaign would be his last.
While stopping short of confirming a complete about-face on retirement, Robson is mulling whether to prolong his NRL career into 2017 when he will turn 35 as uncertainty continues to plague the Eels' playmaking options.
Parramatta's axed skipper Kieran Foran has sought a release from his four-year $5 million deal to manage a raft of personal issues while off-contract No.6 Corey Norman remains unsigned beyond this season.
Only last week Norman pleaded guilty in court to being caught in possession of a container of MDMA capsules at The Star in May and was fined $400.
Having sought a release from the Warriors mid-year to be closer to family in Sydney, Robson's 11th hour decision to head back to the club he helped steer to a grand final in 2009 was thought to be a band-aid solution for Brad Arthur.
But the wily halfback will let the next seven weeks determine whether he should run around for an 11th NRL season in a career which has already spanned Manly, Cronulla, New Zealand and separate stints at Parramatta.
"I'm not 100 per cent sure [about 2017] and [retiring] was the intention at the start of the season," Robson said. "But I just want to enjoy the next six or seven weeks and see what happens from there. I'm just playing it by ear and hopefully I will be trotting around with someone - whether it's down in Wollongong - but I'm not [certain yet].
"[But] they're building something great at this club and I really feel they're moving in the right direction now. I'd definitely love to be a part of it if I was to run around again next year."
The bizarre halves pairing of Robson and Clint Gutherson will be charged with helping the embattled club win their remaining seven games to have any chance of making the finals if an appeal on behalf of Parramatta's now axed directors against salary cap sanctions is denied or withdrawn.
Not even the never ending circus of negative headlines deterred Robson from another stint with the Eels though given he flew back into Sydney last month on the night before the June 30 deadline.
"I didn't really have time [to think about the off field dramas]," Robson said. "To be honest it wouldn't have changed my decision either way. I love this club and played all my junior footy here. I was happy to come back when the opportunity arose.
"My wife said to me, 'you're playing reserve grade over there living away from your family and you're going to have to weigh up whether it's all worth it when you could be back living in Sydney basically playing for any team in reserve grade'.
"I got the release on Monday and June 30 was on Thursday. I had two days to sort myself out and I flew back late Wednesday night and I spoke to my manager late Wednesday night as soon as I flew in and said, 'is there anything on the table?'
"I had a little bit of interest and he said, 'Parramatta is pretty keen and this is what they're offering'."
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...to-extend-his-nrl-career-20160720-gqa3bm.html
