Parramatta Eels hatching plan to secure Corey Norman and Jarryd Hayne for 2017 season
13 minutes ago
Christian NicolussiThe Daily Telegraph
THE Parramatta Eels are working with the NRL’s salary cap auditors towards 2017 and could get into a position to re-sign off-contract star Corey Norman and favourite son Jarryd Hayne.
Norman joked about Hayne wanting to come back to Parramatta.
But the prospect of the pair combining in blue and gold next year could become reality despite their current salary cap crisis.
With the removal of the recently retired Anthony Watmough’s reported $750,000 contract off their books, the $200,000 increase in the salary cap to $7.1 million and savings made by the departures of Nathan Peats and Junior Paulo, the Eels will be back in black next season and ready to sign the two superstars.
Former NRL auditor Ian Schubert is continuing to work with the governing body on behalf of the Eels to determine how much money from third-party agreements will be counted towards the club’s cap next season.
Hayne has fulfilled his dream of playing in the NFL and is now embarking on a new journey of representing the Fiji rugby sevens side in the Rio Olympic Games.
But the prospect of winning an NRL premiership with the Eels could be the crowning glory of his amazing cross-code career.
Despite being linked to the Sydney Roosters, the former San Francisco 49er has previously said he would only return to the NRL with Parramatta.
With the Eels’ financial mess likely to affect the club’s salary cap next season, there are fears among Parramatta fans they couldn’t afford to reunite with Hayne and re-sign Norman.
Hayne will have no shortage of suitors if he decides to return to the NRL in 2017, and the Eels have the advantage of being his former club with a close-knit team that features plenty of his close friends, including Tim Mannah.
Having Norman, Hayne and Kieran Foran would terrorise most sides.
In the meantime, Norman revealed he had hoped to have a clearer idea about his future as early as this week.
The Eels tabled a deal for Norman last week, which was understood to be short of the $800,000-a-season the playmaker’s management is holding out for.
Penrith were one club who quickly dropped off when informed of Norman’s price.
“I think my manager is trying to sort something out this week, and with all that (salary cap) drama over now, or some of it, we’ll try and move forward,’’ Norman said.
“I didn’t go on the market because I want to stay at Parramatta. I love the club, the coaching staff and the boys, so I gave Parramatta every opportunity so I could stay here.’’
Norman has developed into one of the game’s premium playmakers, and stepped up in the absence of halves partner Foran, who remains interstate being treated for his mental health.
Foran wasn’t named to take on Melbourne at Pirtek Stadium on Monday night, but is still an outside chance to return.
When Peats was forced to leave last week for the sake of the Eels becoming salary cap compliant, he told a TV network Norman would have been the next player in line to be tapped on the shoulder if Peats could not find a club.
Norman, however, said he was unaware of such plans.
“I don’t know about that, and I don’t know if Peatsy knew about that,’’ Norman said.
The Eels suffered a heartbreaking final-minute loss against South Sydney on Friday — their first game since the heavy penalties were handed down for the salary cap breaches — and must now win 12 of their remaining 14 games to play finals football, starting with the Storm.
