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Parramatta Eels sign Josh Papalii for 2014

Etu Uaisele

Juniors
Messages
809
PARRAMATTA'S recruitment radar has turned to Canberra, where young wrecking ball Josh Papalii is weighing-up a $1 million offer to bolster the Eels' pack.

After unsuccessful bids for James Tamou and Matt Scott, Parramatta officials have identified the 20-year-old as their long- term solution.

Queensland and New Zealand last year waged an eligibility war for Papalii, who established his hardman bonafides by antagonising Sharks skipper Paul Gallen during the finals.

The development highlighted a busy day of recruitment news, including:

* REVELATIONS that another Eels target - Brisbane playmaker Corey Norman - is being mentored by former captain and Queensland great Darren Lockyer;

* WESTS Tigers stepping up their bid to retain skipper Robbie Farah for life on a new four-year deal;

* SERIAL bad boy Arana Taumata quitting Penrith to take-up rugby union; and

* THE Panthers signing former Warriors five-eighth Isaac John from Salford.

It's understood Parramatta's negotiations with Papalii are further advanced than those with Norman, who has also been offered a three-year extension to stay in Brisbane.

Papalii is only believed to be on a contract worth around $100,000 in Canberra this year and he's told teammates the Eels' offer is proving difficult to ignore.

Canberra also has a host of other stars off-contract in 2012 including Sam Williams, Brett White, Jarrod Crocker and Joel Thompson.

Raiders boss Don Furner did not return calls, while Eels CEO Ken Edwards declined to comment on the club's recruitment.

Lockyer's manager, George Mimis, confirmed the game's most-capped player had been working with the Broncos' halves Norman and Peter Wallace in an advisory role for the past three months.

"There's no work on the training field. It's more general advice and video review," he said.

Parramatta have also been linked to Farah, but the Tigers are desperate to lock away the 29-year-old before rival clubs formally enter the equation.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/parramatta-eels-target-y...
 

eel01s

Bench
Messages
3,246
I wish all of our potential signings weren't discussed in the media. If Papali has leaked it then it doesn't look good for us.
 

ParraSteve

Juniors
Messages
718
I asked RLW mole if we had any signings coming this was a few days ago

“@RLW_Mole: @parrasteve Chasing Papalii,... Moley hears they will miss out - will stay @RaidersCanberra”
 

Gary Gutful

Post Whore
Messages
51,723
I asked RLW mole if we had any signings coming this was a few days ago

?@RLW_Mole: @parrasteve Chasing Papalii,... Moley hears they will miss out - will stay @RaidersCanberra?

If the mole thinks he will stay then expect an announcement shortly that we've signed him.
 

Avenger

Immortal
Messages
32,017
New season. Amateur hour continues. You wonder why I am so pessimistic.

There are certain people in the community (who now represent a large part of the Rugby League Community) that just can't shut the f**k up. Quite predictable actually. These people are the same people that have transformed once nice areas into no go areas for you and I. Think drive by shooting, think betting scandal. Oh yes, they would wreck heaven.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
73,535
Good to see that changes have been implemented. The Eels management now whisper into the megaphone.
 

forward pass

Coach
Messages
10,204
How does everyone seem to know it was the club that leaked it?

My guess would be his manager to bump up his price and let the world know he is open to offers.
 

The Colonel

Immortal
Messages
41,810
Yet clubs like the Dogs don't have much in the way of unofficial releases through the media because they set the rules on the negotiations..... club or player managers it is still amateurish
 
Messages
17,033
My feeling is he's just using Parra to bump up his price with Canberra. We are being used again.

He won't be playing for parra IMO
 

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