Rumours and Stuff

[Eelementary]

This is what happens when @Glenneel and you go camping.

I knew about Papalii, but I didn't know about Samrani, or Doorey.

 

[King-Gutho94]

DYLAN BROWN

Age: 24

2025 salary: $900,000

Current club: The Eels showed what they thought of Brown when they signed him to a long-term deal until the end of 2031, albeit with a clause that gives him until round 10 next season to extend his deal beyond next season.

What the market says: Brown is one of the elite halves in the competition and it would take something significant to prise him away from Parramatta. Don’t rule it out though. He will have clubs beating a path to his door.

Which clubs need him: Take your pick. Quality halves don’t exactly grow on trees but Brown is from the top shelf. Newcastle would love a half like Brown while the Warriors have had a lash at him in the past. The Bulldogs and Dolphins may also take a look.

Worth: $1.2 million

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-transfer-market-deep-dive-the-30-best-players-up-for-grabs-and-the-clubs-that-want-them/news-story/eb25f9f4979a71c13f373433b1d0e293

This is another MON masterstroke giving Dylan 10 full rounds next year to decide what he is doing in 2026.

We can't sign anyone that comes onto market now because we assume that money will be going to Dylan.

But if he decides in Round 10 I am off to the Warriors we will have all his money that could have been spent now on quality players coming on the market to have a splash at that will be snapped up or re-signed by then.

I assume all the smart clubs are just giggling at themselves we would leave ourselves so open to be poached off and paralysed to recruit by this nonsense plan.

 

[Glenneel]

I'm probably late to the party, but:

Eels sign Joash Papalii, and Jordan Samanri, and re-sign Matt Doorey

https://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2024/10/23/eels-announce-three-signings/#:~:text=

Party done and dusted about 3-4 days ago.

 

[Glenneel]

This is what happens when @Glenneel and you go camping.

Different tents btw.

 

[Johnny88]

Looking after No.1: Papenhuyzen to test the market after Storm pay cut

It will be a big few weeks for Ryan Papenhuyzen given that the Storm are now privately conceding their superstar fullback will test his worth on the open market.
The Storm have been in negotiations with Papenhuyzen for several weeks and remain hopeful of keeping him, but the harsh reality is they are offering him less money than his current contract to stay.


Papenhuyzen could turn around in an instant and re-sign – especially after this appears – but all the signs are that he wants to know what he’s worth.
I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation that his current deal with endorsements thrown in is worth about $1.1 million for next year.
The Storm are keen to get him for about $750,000 on their salary cap in his next deal, but Papenhuyzen, who is highly marketable as well as being a huge talent on the field, could earn close to $200,000 extra in endorsements on top of his regular wage. Regardless, it would be a pay cut.
The Storm hold Papenhuyzen in the highest regard, not just for his playing ability and courage in the way he has returned from injury, but also for his leadership. Those qualities make him attractive to clubs who are either approaching a premiership window or are in a rebuilding phase. He is a Sydney boy and would have appeal to any of the big Sydney teams.


Parramatta have added depth to their fullback stocks as they prepare for the departure of Clint Gutherson. He can stay at Parramatta if he chooses, but I have been told the Dragons are willing to go in hard for him with a three-year contract.
Whether Gutherson wants to leave Parramatta for the Dragons is another story. The Dragons are building, but not all the noises are positive coming out of the club.
Papenhuyzen would be an interesting option for Parramatta or St George, but lurking on the outside are the Bulldogs, who are becoming a more attractive option as the club rebuilds. The Bulldogs do have a good option at fullback in Connor Tracey. He also has utility value, which means he can play a range of positions if Papenhuyzen became a real option at Belmore.

Risky business
A leading player is taking a risk by continuing to break the law, and people in the game are aware of his risky behaviour. If it continues, and he is caught, forget football for the foreseeable future.

Looking after No.1: Papenhuyzen to test the market after Storm pay cut

The Storm remain hopeful of keeping Ryan Papenhuyzen, but the harsh reality is they are offering him less money than his current contract to stay.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Soren Lorenson]

A while back I was all in on Papenhorse. But now that I hear he had yet another leg injury at the back end of the year, I think he would be a big risk for any other club.

 

[Pazza]

DYLAN BROWN

Age: 24

2025 salary: $900,000

Current club: The Eels showed what they thought of Brown when they signed him to a long-term deal until the end of 2031, albeit with a clause that gives him until round 10 next season to extend his deal beyond next season.

What the market says: Brown is one of the elite halves in the competition and it would take something significant to prise him away from Parramatta. Don’t rule it out though. He will have clubs beating a path to his door.

Which clubs need him: Take your pick. Quality halves don’t exactly grow on trees but Brown is from the top shelf. Newcastle would love a half like Brown while the Warriors have had a lash at him in the past. The Bulldogs and Dolphins may also take a look.

Worth: $1.2 million

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-transfer-market-deep-dive-the-30-best-players-up-for-grabs-and-the-clubs-that-want-them/news-story/eb25f9f4979a71c13f373433b1d0e293

This is another MON masterstroke giving Dylan 10 full rounds next year to decide what he is doing in 2026.

We can't sign anyone that comes onto market now because we assume that money will be going to Dylan.

But if he decides in Round 10 I am off to the Warriors we will have all his money that could have been spent now on quality players coming on the market to have a splash at that will be snapped up or re-signed by then.

I assume all the smart clubs are just giggling at themselves we would leave ourselves so open to be poached off and paralysed to recruit by this nonsense plan.

It's not just Dylan. It's Dylan, Will and Ryan. 2 million dollars in cap space with no clarity until round 10 2025.

Then next offseason it's Moses, then the following off season it's Moses again. Then if Dylan takes up his option it will be Dylan again up for another option for 2028.

So basically we have a minimum million in options per off season for the next 3 to 4 offseasons.

 

[hineyrulz]

DYLAN BROWN

Age: 24

2025 salary: $900,000

Current club: The Eels showed what they thought of Brown when they signed him to a long-term deal until the end of 2031, albeit with a clause that gives him until round 10 next season to extend his deal beyond next season.

What the market says: Brown is one of the elite halves in the competition and it would take something significant to prise him away from Parramatta. Don’t rule it out though. He will have clubs beating a path to his door.

Which clubs need him: Take your pick. Quality halves don’t exactly grow on trees but Brown is from the top shelf. Newcastle would love a half like Brown while the Warriors have had a lash at him in the past. The Bulldogs and Dolphins may also take a look.

Worth: $1.2 million

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-transfer-market-deep-dive-the-30-best-players-up-for-grabs-and-the-clubs-that-want-them/news-story/eb25f9f4979a71c13f373433b1d0e293

This is another MON masterstroke giving Dylan 10 full rounds next year to decide what he is doing in 2026.

We can't sign anyone that comes onto market now because we assume that money will be going to Dylan.

But if he decides in Round 10 I am off to the Warriors we will have all his money that could have been spent now on quality players coming on the market to have a splash at that will be snapped up or re-signed by then.

I assume all the smart clubs are just giggling at themselves we would leave ourselves so open to be poached off and paralysed to recruit by this nonsense plan.

It's what the smart clubs do ffs!!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Well my statement was in regards to his dummy half runs in the red zone killing our attacking raids by giving the defensive line time to set. So scoring in other ways is irrelevant to this argument.

And of course it matters when you score them. Down by 20 with 10 to go is meaningless. Do it to win the game is far harder as the defense is alert.
Just like kicking a field goal before halftime when up by 18 is different then in golden point to win the game. A thing called pressure. That's what seperates many great players from elite ones.


Carry on

Well every dummy half other than Grant scored fewer tries than Lussick this year, most of them in far more minutes. Were they all scoring their two or three tries in the last minute to win the game? Get f**ked

 

[Poupou Escobar]

DYLAN BROWN

Age: 24

2025 salary: $900,000

Current club: The Eels showed what they thought of Brown when they signed him to a long-term deal until the end of 2031, albeit with a clause that gives him until round 10 next season to extend his deal beyond next season.

What the market says: Brown is one of the elite halves in the competition and it would take something significant to prise him away from Parramatta. Don’t rule it out though. He will have clubs beating a path to his door.

Which clubs need him: Take your pick. Quality halves don’t exactly grow on trees but Brown is from the top shelf. Newcastle would love a half like Brown while the Warriors have had a lash at him in the past. The Bulldogs and Dolphins may also take a look.

Worth: $1.2 million

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-transfer-market-deep-dive-the-30-best-players-up-for-grabs-and-the-clubs-that-want-them/news-story/eb25f9f4979a71c13f373433b1d0e293

This is another MON masterstroke giving Dylan 10 full rounds next year to decide what he is doing in 2026.

We can't sign anyone that comes onto market now because we assume that money will be going to Dylan.

He is supposedly on $900k and worth $1.2M ffs. Why would he activate the option? Other clubs (and Parra) will be making offers at a higher amount. I’ll be surprised if he hasn’t decided by round ten, but do you really think we’d be giving him an ultimatum to re-sign before then if there was no PO?

But if he decides in Round 10 I am off to the Warriors we will have all his money that could have been spent now on quality players coming on the market to have a splash at that will be snapped up or re-signed by then.

I assume all the smart clubs are just giggling at themselves we would leave ourselves so open to be poached off and paralysed to recruit by this nonsense plan.

We have half our squad off contract in four days. The cap is over $12M. We aren't paralysed by the possibility of Drown knocking back every other offer to activate his PO and stay on unders.

Brown
Cartwright
Dunster
Greig
Gutherson
Hands
Lane
Lussick
Matterson
Moretti
Mataele
Ofahengaue
Wenisini
Russell
Tuilagi
Tuivati

 

[hineyrulz]

A while back I was all in on Papenhorse. But now that I hear he had yet another leg injury at the back end of the year, I think he would be a big risk for any other club.

I wouldn't go near him, he seems to get busted at the drop of a hat.

I think his best footy may be past behind him.

 

[Pazza]

We have half our squad off contract in four days. The cap is over $12M. We aren't paralysed by the possibility of Drown knocking back every other offer to activate his PO and stay on unders.

will and ryan also have POs

yes we have a lot of money available but we also have a lot of money tied up in these options.

 

[Pazza]

We aren't paralysed by the possibility of Drown knocking back every other offer to activate his PO and stay on unders.

re signing on a huge new shiney deal is also an option. the sort of deal that would make him wanna dump his future POs ie $$$$$$$$$

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It's not just Dylan. It's Dylan, Will and Ryan. 2 million dollars in cap space with no clarity until round 10 2025.

Then next offseason it's Moses, then the following off season it's Moses again. Then if Dylan takes up his option it will be Dylan again up for another option for 2028.

So basically we have a minimum million in options per off season for the next 3 to 4 offseasons.

Well that’s the down side of player options. Why would clubs agree to then if there was no upside? It’s a bargaining chip. And before you say the club was bent over and conceded the option in exchange for nothing, why doesn’t every player have them?

 

[hindy111]

Well every dummy half other than Grant scored fewer tries than Lussick this year, most of them in far more minutes. Were they all scoring their two or three tries in the last minute to win the game? Get f**ked

Lussicks not NRL level. Hands is superior and why Barrett chose him over Lussick.
The end.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

will and ryan also have POs

yes we have a lot of money available but we also have a lot of money tied up in these options.

That’s the risk you take. The club is aware of it. You need to consider what a club might get in exchange for conceding the option, and conversely, what the player gets in exchange for a club option. These merkins aren’t giving anything away for free. If they were, everyone would have them.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Lussicks not NRL level. Hands is superior and why Barrett chose him over Lussick.
The end.

Hands just suited Barrett’s style better. Barrett is a worse coach than Arthur, so his opinion is worth less.

 

[hindy111]

Hands just suited Barrett’s style better. Barrett is a worse coach than Arthur, so his opinion is worth less.

Yet the side played better under Barrett then under BA and with more injuries.Stats show defense and attack improved.
BA was good. He was needed and part of the process I think. The issue was after 2018 I reckon we had seen enough. 5yrs.
Yes we made a grand final after that but we had a great side also. Our best spine I can remember in 30yrs and a gun forward pack.
There wasn't anything great he did with that squad. Most the time we got bundled out and only made a preliminary once in his 11yrs.

 

[Pazza]

Well that’s the down side of player options. Why would clubs agree to then if there was no upside? It’s a bargaining chip. And before you say the club was bent over and conceded the option in exchange for nothing, why doesn’t every player have them?

i would say, my theory is that the club was under a huge amount of pressure when they offered these contracts. Mitch, Dyl, Ryan and Will all re signed after Mahoney, Papalli, Niukore, Kalfusi walked. Dont get me wrong, i think that letting Mahoney, Papalli etc walk was necessary in order to have the cap discipline to keep guys like Brown and Moses. But the media narrative at the time was very 'window closing' and 'parramatta in crisis' etc I think player managers leveraged that situation to get the absolute best deals for their clients. the narrative that we somehow got these players on unders cause of options i just dont believe. i remember the releif when Ryan re signed cause it was just a procession of players walking out on the club.

it is an interesting sitution that the club finds its self in, ive been supporting the club since 99 havent seen anything like this before. No matter how this situation pans out i will always believe that this is just bad process by the club and im pretty sure they have already learnt their lesson before the situation has hit its peak. Looking at press releases and the NRL signings tracker we havent seen the club include an option in a contract for the last few contracts. Including big signings like Lomax and re signing Hopgood.

But thats just my opinion...

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yet the side played better under Barrett then under BA and with more injuries.Stats show defense and attack improved.

If you think half a season is a good enough sample then you need to recognise that the opponents we played under Barrett finished lower on the ladder than the opponents we faced before he took over.

BA was good.

He was.

He was needed and part of the process I think. The issue was after 2018 I reckon we had seen enough. 5yrs.
Yes we made a grand final after that but we had a great side also. Our best spine I can remember in 30yrs and a gun forward pack.
There wasn't anything great he did with that squad. Most the time we got bundled out and only made a preliminary once in his 11yrs.

And won it, in Townsville, against a superior opponent.