Parramatta has cash to spend, and the club wants to use it on a superstar strike centre to add more points outside Jarome Luai and Mitchell Moses as they gun for an NRL premiership next year.
There’s a whole exodus heading out the door next season, including Apa Twidle, Jonah Pezet, Sean Russell, Kelma Tuilagi, Dylan Walker, and Ryan Matterson.
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That’s left Jason Ryle with a pretty penny to add to his strike stocks, especially considering that beyond Moses, who’s earning ~$1.3 million a year, the next highest-paid player on the roster for 2027 will be incoming Dragon Jaydn Su’a, who has taken up a $750,000 deal. Luai will be paid close to $700K.
The list of names the Eels are chasing is mouthwatering, with Dolphins pair Jack Bostock and Herbie Farnworth and Knight Bradman Best atop the pile.
Jack Howarth has also been someone Ryles has wanted for a while — he even tried to swap Zac Lomax for Howarth during that whole saga — while Blaize Talagi, who could play in the backline, is another option.
Forward upgrades like Stefano Utoikamanu, Spencer Leniu, and Jeremiah Nanai have also been discussed in Parramatta in recent weeks, The Sporting Base understands.
There are some retentions that the Eels are trying to get through the door, too, including club stalwart Junior Paulo (who was seemingly leaving for Perth up until recently) and boom halves rookie Ronald Volkman.
Heading the other way: Joash Papalii has been told he can leave, while Bailey Simonsson and Charlie Guymer remain on the fringes of the playing squad.
Jack de Belin will also leave, with the Eels not planning to activate his option.
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