http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,25617880-5003409,00.html
PARRAMATTA'S new dawn burned unexpectedly bright yesterday as the Eels landed two out of three big-name targets on their hit list - Justin Poore and Shane Shackleton.
After securing both props on pricey three-year deals in the space of two hours yesterday, Parramatta's new board is now gunning for Craig Wing to complete the club's biggest-spending recruitment drive in a decade.
"We see Wingy as a great fit because he can play so many positions, particularly in the halves where we are a bit short,'' an Eels insider said.
A soured third-party deal with McGrath Real Estate has left Wing $150,000 out of pocket at the Rabbitohs, where he still has a contract until the end of 2011. The NSW utility has now been given permission to test interest elsewhere before meeting with Souths officials late next week to determine his future at Redfern.
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Apart from Parramatta, Cronulla and the Roosters have shown interest while rugby union is also in the frame. But Wing was tight-lipped about his future when contacted last night.
"I'm leaving all that stuff to my manager (Wayne Beavis),'' he said. "It's been well documented what happened a couple of months ago, but I've now made a decision to just concentrate on football, which seems to be working at the moment.''
When the new regime seized control of Parramatta seven weeks ago, it targeted front-rowers and halves as key recruitment areas. Ironically enough, the two red-letter engine room additions - Poore and Shackleton - were announced less than 24 hours after veteran CEO Denis Fitzgerald ended his three-decade reign on Tuesday morning.
Having debuted for NSW last week, Poore was among the most sought-after free agents in the NRL. The desperate Sharks weighed in with a three-year, $1million offer to lure him from St George Illawarra, but Parramatta's $350,000-a-season overture won the day.
Strapped for cash after tying up most of their in-form squad in the past month, the Dragons could only offer $275,000 a season.
Poore was initially reluctant to leave the Illawarra, where he lives close to family, runs a gym and surfs regularly. But a meeting during last week's Origin camp with new Parramatta chairman Roy Spagnolo convinced him to shift west next year.
The Daily Telegraph has learned Spagnolo travelled to Melbourne specifically to speak with Poore face to face at the Blues' after-match function last Wednesday night at the Sofitel Hotel.
"That's true, I did go to Melbourne and meet him,'' Spagnolo said. "Justin also visited Parramatta a couple of times earlier in the year and Nathan Hindmarsh was an influence as well. From what I understand, he and Nathan became pretty close after their trip to Rwanda last year.''
It's believed Shackleton, who made his representative debut for City Origin last month, signed for around $170,000 a season. "He'll certainly add some versatility and variety to our pack,'' Eels coach Daniel Anderson said. "What's more, we feel we've got a quality person, not just a quality player.''
The carrot-top's departure from Bondi leaves the Roosters under pressure to lock up Maroons forward Nate Myles.
