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senior

senior

Juniors
Messages
1,474
Last edited:
Matty Bhoy

Matty Bhoy

Bench
Messages
2,680
senior said:
Give him 1 million

if we’re giving Paulo 975k then Keon deserves a lot more

He’s on 650k right now at Souths
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No real argument from me. I’m at this stage not against extending Junz on a much smaller deal, should he want that. Of course there is absolutely no rush to get that done. But I’ve liked what I’ve seen from the big unit under JR and post season as well.
 
Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
101,404
Matty Bhoy said:
No real argument from me. I’m at this stage not against extending Junz on a much smaller deal, should he want that. Of course there is absolutely no rush to get that done. But I’ve liked what I’ve seen from the big unit under JR and post season as well.
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He’s definitely having his best season in years, but he turns 33 next year. He’ll be free to field offers for 2027 in a few days. I’m keen to see what happens with him.
 
Matty Bhoy

Matty Bhoy

Bench
Messages
2,680
Poupou Escobar said:
He’s definitely having his best season in years, but he turns 33 next year. He’ll be free to field offers for 2027 in a few days. I’m keen to see what happens with him.
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Certainly did. Shifting timber has rejuvenated him. I wouldn’t be against a one year extension. Wouldn’t begrudge him a move elsewhere if he can get it either.
 
eels_fan

eels_fan

First Grade
Messages
8,974
Melbourne playmaker Jonah Pezet has officially completed his mega moves to Parramatta and Brisbane.
This masthead revealed last week that Pezet was poised to spend 2026 at the Eels before moving to the Broncos to become the premier’s long-term replacement for Adam Reynolds.

The Eels officially confirmed the 12-month deal on Wednesday after the former Storm playmaker completed a medical at the club.


Pezet is expected to begin training with his new teammates in December as he looks to hit the ground running under coach Jason Ryles.

Pezet’s main mission will be to forge a bond with halfback and captain Mitchell Moses in the lead-up to round one, although Moses is currently on the Ashes tour and likely won’t begin training until the new year.

Ryles revealed he remained in touch with Pezet after leaving Melbourne and described the one-year-deal as a win for all the parties.

“It benefited everyone and it wasn’t like it was planned, but when the opportunity came up - Dean Hawkins had made it pretty clear he was ready to move on to bigger and better things if they came up,” Ryles said.


“Jonah was about. Timing was a big thing for it. The one-year thing, it is not black and white the strategy going forward in regards to not signing anyone, it is more this worked and it gave the kids in our pathway a pathway to the NRL.

“I didn’t want to just sign over them but if something world class came up and you are able to do it, you want to do it. I am never going to say we are never going to do it. But in this situation it just worked for everyone.”

Ryles said he and Pezet had remained in touch after he left the Storm.

“We gravitated to each other,” he said.

“I spoke to him in between (jobs). Never with the idea to have what happened, happen. It was more that we got on well and still spoke. We texted and every now and then we had a phone call to see how he was going.

“He is a likable kid. He is really hungry in regards to learning about footy. I found him good to talk to about footy. I learned stuff off him. That is probably how the relationship started and it grew from there.


“We would chew the fat aboud footy and it grew from there.”

Ryles said he had spoken to other players at the club about Pezet’s arrival, including youngster Joash Papalii.

“I made it really clear to Joash that he still has a really big opportunity here to develop and he is only early in his journey in the NRL,” Ryles said.

“He is still part of the plans moving forward. To get himself where he has got to he has done a really good job and worked really hard, but he has to continue to do that.”

Parramatta Eels general manager of football Mark O’Neill echoed the coach’s thoughts.

“Jonah is one of the most exciting young talents in the game,” O’Neill said.

“He adds class and depth to our halves as we head into the 2026 season. Jonah will join us for a year which makes us better now whilst also allowing time for our emerging talent to continue their development through our pathways system.

“Our head coach Jason Ryles has previously worked with Jonah and knows first-hand the professionalism and impact he can have in a team environment. We’re excited to welcome Jonah to the club and look forward to seeing him connect with our squad and Eels community in 2026.”

While some Eels fans reacted with dismay that the club had agreed to sign Pezet on a short-term deal as a stopover on his ultimate switch to the Broncos, Parramatta are adamant the move will help their long-term halves transition.

Pezet had stated his desire to be a starting NRL halfback, something he couldn’t achieve at the Eels with Mitchell Moses, 31, signed for another four years.

By the time Moses’ career winds down, the Eels believe their next generation of halves will be ready to take charge of the NRL team.

Halfback Lincoln Fletcher and five-eighth Lorenzo Talataina led the Eels to this season’s SG Ball (under-19s) grand final, a competition in which the latter was named player of the year.

Talataina, a ball-running half, is on a development deal for the next two seasons before he is due to join the top-30 squad in 2028.

He made his NSW Cup debut this season, playing eight games in the No.6 jersey.

Fletcher, seen as the potential successor to Moses at halfback, has two years remaining on his current deal.

The Eels have been reluctant to sign players above their talented local juniors, especially given they lost Blaize Talagi and Ethan Sanders to Penrith and Canberra, respectively, last season, as their path to first grade was blocked by Dylan Brown and Moses.

Talataina and Fletcher will join the Eels’ NRL squad for pre-season training as Ryles looks to further the pair’s development.


I find the bolded bits quite interesting…

Hawkins was agitating for a release prior to Pezet

If a quality 5/8th becomes available we’ll still go in for them, the eggs are not just in the juniors basket
 
King-Gutho94

King-Gutho94

Referee
Messages
20,262
Jez said:
www.nine.com.au

'I've seen the money': Gun concedes he might leave Rabbitohs

'Hopefully Souths come to the table'
www.nine.com.au www.nine.com.au
Keon has to be the first guy we are chasing on Nov 1 for 2027 season.
A mobile experienced front rower with his class is exactly what we need - much cheaper than Tino
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I heard a whisper we were keen on Keaon 3 weeks ago but didnt take it seriously enough and thought the person who told me had got confused with a bog average souths forward potentially available.

I wasn't aware he was actually off contract end of 2026 and free to talk November 1.

Not 100% sure if we are definitely keen.

But his name came out of nowhere from this person in conversation we were chasing him.

Ryles and Co just been in London so you never know.
 
Pazza

Pazza

Coach
Messages
12,074
King-Gutho94 said:
I heard a whisper we were keen on Keaon 3 weeks ago but didnt take it seriously enough and thought the person who told me had got confused with a bog average souths forward potentially available.

I wasn't aware he was actually off contract end of 2026 and free to talk November 1.

Not 100% sure if we are definitely keen.

But his name came out of nowhere from this person in conversation we were chasing him.

Ryles and Co just been in London so you never know.
Click to expand...

home run of a signing
 
eels_fan

eels_fan

First Grade
Messages
8,974
Broncos clearly believe we won’t be playing finals in 2026….

“We wish him all the very best for the upcoming season and look forward to welcoming him to the Broncos in November next year.”

www.broncos.com.au

Pezet Pens Three-Year Deal From 2027

The Brisbane Broncos have signed exciting young playmaker Jonah Pezet on a three-year deal, beginning in the 2027 season.
www.broncos.com.au www.broncos.com.au

We’re winning the comp bitches so you won’t see him until December!
 
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