NRL 2022: Eels prepared to rest signing target Marty Taupau for Manly grudge match
Manly’s Marty Taupau fears his NRL career could be over if he’s unable to take-up the offer to join Parramatta immediately.
Parramatta are willing to stand Marty Taupau down from playing against Manly on Friday, if that’s what it takes to get a deal done.
In a last-ditch bid to secure his long-term future, Taupau has just 48-hours to execute his departure from the
Sea Eagles after requesting a release on Friday to join the Eels for the remainder of the season.
Without a contract beyond November 1, the 32-year-old fears his NRL career could be over if he’s unable to take-up the offer to join Parramatta.
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The Eels would be willing to sign Taupau for 2023, in the belief the Kiwi International will add experience and grunt to a forward pack that is facing an exodus at the end of this season.
Taupau has spent the past seven seasons with Manly and hasn’t made the request to leave lightly.
The decision has reached a tipping point with players having until August 1 - this Monday - to switch between clubs.
The Eels are one club that have left salary cap room for a late-season signing.
Delivering Parramatta forward Nathan Brown, who has been told he can find another club beyond this season, to Manly as a swap for Taupau has been mentioned, but has failed to gain any traction.
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Taupau’s request has so far been denied by ninth-placed Manly who have one eye on the finals and the other on the sixth-placed Eels, who they will host at Four Pines Park on Friday night.
The Sea Eagles are loath to hand one of their main rivals a leg-up before playing them.
Manly also view Taupau as a marquee forward and know that the Kiwi International is crucial to keeping their finals hopes alive.
The Sea Eagles also have forwards Sean Keppie (shoulder), Karl Lawton (knee), Ben Trbojevic (concussion) and Morgan Boyle (ankle) either unavailable to play this week or have been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Speaking after his side’s 34-10 win over Penrith on Friday night, Eels coach Brad Arthur said the ball is in Manly’s court over Taupau’s potential early release.
“That’s up to Manly,” Arthur said.
“He would be handy for us, but that’s not our call. That is Manly’s call.”
The Eels are one club that have left salary cap room for a late-season signing.
Not only would the experienced enforcer be a shot at playing finals footy at the Eels, the move would also likely extend his NRL career beyond its current 14th season.
The 32-year-old front-rower would prove a valuable addition to a Parramatta pack which is preparing for a forward exodus.
Marata Niukore, Isaiah Papalii, Reed Mahoney, Ray Stone and Oregon Kaufusi are all leaving the Eels at the end of this season.
Taupau has proven a mainstay of the Sea Eagles pack for the past seven seasons and his experience is a major lure for the blue and golds.
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